Feeling urges to smoke

[djzz]

Hi everybody, I am a new member and am 4 months completely cigarette free today. I quit on my birthday and feel this is the best present I could give myself. I have been feeling great all along until the last couple of weeks. I have felt continual urges to smoke, especially when I'm stressed. I also have been feeling that I miss smoking and some days I feel that I want that part of my life back. It scares me because I at the same time really don't want to smoke again. Any advice?

[jillygirl Administrator Queen Bee]

Hello djzz and welcome to Quit Support, Its not easy to quit smoking, but it is possible. First of all Big well done on achieving 4 months. You have a brilliant start and you really dont want to relapse now.

Try work out what it is that is stressing you and think seriously would a cigarette solve the problem. No of course it wouldnt, it would just add more stress to you .

Try some of the deep breathing exercises in the pinned posts, these will help calm you down. Distraction helps go for a walk, or phone a friend or just come on this site and have a moan and groan. Anything that takes your mind of smoking. Try and think positive and how being a non-smoker is to your advantage. Health , wealth, fitter, no wondering where you will have the next smoke.

Have a look through the pinned posts for lots of information.

I have assigned you your achievement badge and put your quit date as 21/05 2019

please let me know if this is incorrect.

xxxx

[Veteran250 in reply to jillygirl]

Hello djzz.

Welcome to Quit Support, our friendly support community of like minded members who are all here for one thing..... too become smoke free!

Do you really want to start smoking again, of course you dont..... four months smoke free is amazing 👏👏👏👏 well done.

If you get the urge to have a cigarette, do as Jilly suggests and do something to distract yourself, the urge will only last a minute or two, come on this community, read other members postings, respond if you so wish, we are all equal in this community, we are here to encourage and support each other on our respective journeys to become smoke🚭free.

So..... do you want to waste four months of being smoke free, I think not!

Keep our community close at hand, there is always someone online around the World, for that is where our members are, around the World!

For now, I wish you good luck on your journey, you know you can do this, its 2-45am here in the Uk, and I couldn’t sleep, so what did I do...... I came on Quit Support to have a read of the posts.

Our community mantra is NOPE(Not One Puff Ever).

Write out a list of reasons for you to want to quit smoking, write it in thick black felt tip pen, so it stands out, and pin it up somewhere in your home, so you see it everytime you walk past it!

Good luck! 😀👍🌞🚭 NOPE!

[djzz 10 MONTH WINNER in reply to Veteran250]

Thanks so much Veteran250 for the words of encouragement... I really like the advice on write down a list of reason why I quit smoking.. I will do that. Thank you!

[djzz 10 MONTH WINNER in reply to jillygirl]

Thank you very much jillygirl for the helpful pointers and info in the pinned posts, I will give it a look. The date is correct.

[physicaldelete]

I feel this on a spiritual level. I quit 2 years ago, coming up on 3, and I still get days where I want a cig so badly. I ring my friend who quit about 6 months after me, and just rant about how I could go the shops and buy some and no one would know. But I would, I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished, as you should be really proud of what you’ve accomplished, 4 months is not easy, and not that long if you’ve been smoking for years.

Remember why you quit, always keep that in mind, have a good rant about what stressed you out, have a boiled sweet, sour of you can (takes your mind off it, can’t think about smoking when your tastebuds are screaming). Remember, you’ve made it 4 months, and that’s amazing!

[TheTabbyCat Administrator LONG TERM WINNER in reply to physicaldelete]

Hi physical,super well done for your 2+ years quit.👏

Thanks for coming to quit support and sharing.👍

I'll up-date your badge,sorry hun sometimes we miss one.🙄🚭xx

[physicaldelete in reply to TheTabbyCat]

It all good, I ain’t been on here in around a year. Stuff got busy and I forgot (mind like a sieve me lol)

[Witty41 LONG TERM WINNER]

Hi djzz to start off congratulations on your 4 month quit. As much as you crave even you say you don't want to smoke again.

My times of wanting a smoke have become less and less. After I eat now I chew gum when I go out walking if I crave I chew gum. When I'm stressed I come on here. If you look back at some of my posts I had some pretty rocky days.

It helps to come on here and vent. Or look at the posts and see someone who has gone through their first week. I always feel great after I have congratulated them or given them some advice, because I have already done my first week.

I also find it very useful to go back and look at my posts from those first few days. And I know I don't want to go through all that again.

I also have times I feel like I'm missing something or that I don't feel like myself. I remind myself I'm still the same person my friends remind me my personality is the same. And I'm not missing out on anything. I have gained so much more. I have more time with my kids cause I quit smoking. I can exercise and not want to keel over cause I quit smoking. The only thing smoking gave me was bad breath bad teeth yellow fingers and damaged lungs.

I know its hard to stop and think of everything I just listed when you get stressed. Best thing thing to do is take about 10 deep breaths concentrating on the sound of you inhaling and exhaling

It can ground you and make you focus on why you dont want that cigarette even if your stressed.

[TheTabbyCat Administrator LONG TERM WINNER]

Hi djzz, Super well done for your 4️⃣ smoke free months.

Welcome to QUIT SUPPORT.💙

It's never easy to quit but it's easier with a little support.💪

I remember having a "sticky" bit around the 4 month milestone. I found out that I was slightly dehydrated. Believe it or not ,staying hydrated is important to our mental state, make sure that you are drinking lots of water.💧💦

The feeling that something is missing now that you've quit,is part of the mind games nicotine plays on us.

As jillgirl suggests have a look at the pinned posts,📌not only will that give you something to do.........there's lots of useful information.

healthunlocked.com/quitsupp....

Good luck with your quit.🚭🍀

[Polly-PV LONG TERM WINNER]

Morning djzz....you’re doing grand! I think that where you find yourself at the moment is pretty usual stuff. You sound like you’re in that double bind where rationally you know you’ve made great strides with your quit...4 months is fantastic and you’ve passed the ‘icky 3 month’ stage as it’s been called on here (that’s your expression Tubby isn’t it?!!). And now you’re trying to bargain with yourself that maybe just maybe you could smoke again? It feels very much like you’re grieving the loss of smoking.....that ritual, that reliable consistent in your life. And that’s perfectly normal in this process. You mention that the urges come when you’re stressed. Stress is an integral part of everyday life....it’s letting you know something; there’s something that needs your attention. Maybe you work life balance is out of kilter? Maybe you could delegate more? I dunno djzz but you do. It’s how you handle these stressful situations too that can really help alleviate those blessed urges! Use the breath. Drink loadsa water. Find your own ‘go to’s’ which soothe and distract you. You’ve achieved soooooo much this past four months....you’ve rediscovered your self respect for one. Hang on in there. We’re all right behind you. Much love Poll x

[TheTabbyCat Administrator LONG TERM WINNER in reply to Polly-PV]

Hi Poll, I can't take the credit for the icky threes..............I wish!!🙄

I learnt about them from jilly and the others.😘😋

Thanks for dropping by it's always good to hear from you.👍🌷🌼xx

[Polly-PV LONG TERM WINNER in reply to TheTabbyCat]

Always big love to you Tubbs!! ❤️Poll x

[11-06-1954]

Great jobonthe quit. I was about 4 months into my quit when I started feeling so good that 1 cigarette is ok well it's not ok. You hang tight and I promise you the cravings do become less and less, you will and can win this fight. Myself 3 years smoke free after smoking for 50 years

[Lauri16 LONG TERM WINNER]

Well done. I was the same as you, felt fine for a few months then started craving them everyday. I think it was because the novelty and excitement of quitting was wearing off lol. Apart from polo mints and my e cig ( couldn't go CT) I used to walk past a smoker to remind myself how bad it stinks, that used to do the trick 😂.

Well done again, keep it up, it's been over 2 years for me now, and I never thought I'd ever quit. I feel so much healthier now x