Will it always be a battle?

[MAB5]

It's been 29 days now and I feel fine and have no intention of smoking again but I still feel the urge to light up sometimes. Will that feeling always be there or will it finally go away? Will I always have to tell myself that I can not have even 1 puff?

[Veteran250]

Mab, Later on when you have been smoke free for a while and you stand beside someone who smokes and you can smell what you used to smell like to other non smokers, you may not have the urge to light up!

xxx

[MAB5 7 YearsSmokefree in reply to Veteran250]

Veteran250, I already dislike the smell of it but sometimes when I am being irritated by life in general, I feel like smoking will calm me, but I will not cave in! I will hold firm in my commitment to be a non smoker for the rest of my life. If I have to be grouchy and irritable, so be it!

[Veteran250 in reply to MAB5]

You can always be grumpy and horrible on here, we will help you through it!!!

[jillygirl Administrator Queen Bee]

Mabs, the feeling of wanting to light up does virtually disappear. I have been quit for over 5 years now, and truthfully I have only thought about lighting up is just a couple of times. Even then the thought went as quick as it came. Your doing really well so be patient you will soon forget about smoking. xx

[MAB5 7 YearsSmokefree in reply to jillygirl]

Thank you, Jillygirl. I will be thankful when it stops but it also reminds me of all that I lost to smoking. I tell myself that the urge passes quickly and go to this forum for support if it is tougher than usual!

[Candiceelaine 1 YEAR WINNER]

Hi. I am a year on, and still on a nearly every day fancy a cigarette. However, the want and need is no longer there. I may have this want for about 10 minutes of a day in total. Not a lot.out of 24 hours! And I sure don't have to use the same amount of willpower, the want is just a tiny niggling feeling which goes quite easy, and I know not to feed it. Keep strong, it does get eaiser

[MAB5 7 YearsSmokefree in reply to Candiceelaine]

Thank you, I'll not give in.

[Frostie2560 LONG TERM WINNER]

Hi!

In my early weeks I could spend a whole day wanting a fag, it was horrible and I suppose that is what made me so cranky too. Nearly 8 months on and I still get them but they are like passing memories and forgotten quickly.

The routine of buying them is hard too, but once that is changed and not done for a good while, it won't enter your head again.... I really can't remember the last time I even thought about cigs when I pass a shop or go food shopping now, it's gone from my routine for good now!.

youre doing really well mab😊

💪💪🚭🚭

[MAB5 7 YearsSmokefree in reply to Frostie2560]

I agree, I have to muster all my will power when I am in a store, not to purchase a pack. I just keep telling myself, I no longer am a smoker!

[Frostie2560 LONG TERM WINNER in reply to MAB5]

That will go eventually as you get used to being smoke free.But it is an ongoing battle. I even slowed down to peak into a packet of cigs left on a picnic table a few months back .... the lengths our mind goes to get that fix😳.

[Tamian LONG TERM WINNER]

Rest assured it does get easier. And that craving becomes a fleeting thought. But it does take a while. I promise, you are already over the worst of it. It was at that point I kept telling myself, if I give up now, I'll have to go through this part all over again someday. That was enough to keep me on the straight and narrow. I did not EVER want to go through that again!

I can't tell you when the craving went away and turned into a passing thought because I didn't make a note of it. It was kind of gradual. If I had to guess, I'd say somewhere around a couple/few months.

I've been free for just over 10 years now and I always make note when the passing thought crosses my mind. Nowadays it happens once every three or four months or so. It lasts about 2 seconds, doesn't bother me a bit, and is a testament to how strong I've been and how I overpowered the beast!!!!

I knew I had WON when I got into a door slamming fight with my darling husband and the thought of having a smoke didn't even cross my mind. He must have thought I was a lunatic when I immediately turned around laughing, joyfully crying, and hugging him over my success. I told him "I'm still flaming mad at you, but I'm soooo excited!! I was that MAD and it didn't make me want to smoke!!!!!" Wooohoooo!!!! We both laughed and cried. I'd WON!!!!! Yay ME!!!!

[MAB5 7 YearsSmokefree in reply to Tamian]

Thanks for sharing that amazing story! What a victory for you! I do feel that the worst is over and that I can beat the cravings this time for good. I will never go back to that life again, letting a little cigarette run my life. So thankful for all the support on here.

[Tamian LONG TERM WINNER in reply to MAB5]

Oh thanks Mab5. After I wrote it, I thought it might be helpful for others too, so I made it a proper post.

You know, I felt the same way. It made me angry that the very thing I was wanting to get rid of my angst was the very thing that was CAUSING the angst to begin with. That sounds convoluted, but it really was the crux. I think that anger towards a cigarette running my life was part of my "brute force" arsenal of tricks to quitting.

[Tamian LONG TERM WINNER in reply to Tamian]

scratch that. Just over 9 years. Sorry. Got a bit ahead of myself.