Just So You Know

[YoungAtHeart]

I have been quit 3+ years now and today, as I was gathering supplies to wash the curtains and windows in my sunroom, I realized I wanted a cigarette!!!  After all this time, the thought still floated through my mind.

You will always, I guess, associate certain tasks with smoking. As well, the season is changing - which every year has triggered smoking memories.   When I smoked, I would smoke a cigarette before I started (to get those nicotine levels up) and then take breaks to keep it up. 

Usually these are easy to dismiss - but not today! I will get busy and I will be fine - but I thought this was worth mentioning.   Stay vigilant, my friends!  Stay committed!

Nancy

[Puff-TM-Draggin]

Once a smoker always a smoker.  We just have to postpone the break between our last cigarette and the next to the end of our lives.  Fortunately, the compulsion becomes much less formidable as time passes.

Thanks for sharing.  Makes the rest us feel less guilty.  ; )

[jonilou]

It is so true, Nancy. Thank you for reminding us of this. There are certain places after all these years that I still can't go and certain activities that literally beg my brain to say YES! A cigarette would be great right now! Thank goodness I now know the danger zones and stay away from them, especially after the debacle of 88 days ago. There IS NEVER A GOOD TIME AND THERE WILL NEVER BE A GOOD TIME TO SMOKE, EVER AGAIN.

[Puff-TM-Draggin]

I'm NEVER cleaning my curtains again!!!!  = O

[dmellobruce]

This was good to know as well as surprising. 3 years on and a craving can still crop up, rightly said it has to do with associations ! But good on you for not giving in ! I hope to be as strong when I reach those many years smoke free

[Giulia]

Well, as Mike n@lanta and I said a month or so back, we had a doozy of a craving that came from behind and blindsided us.  He with an 11 year quit, me coming up on 10.  You can never take your quit for granted.  That's why it's important to stay connected here, even if it's only once in a while. 

Nancy, for what it's worth, I had to pull out all my old mental quit kit material for that last one.  Even down to pretend smoking through my two closed fingers.  Addicton is addiction and you do what ya gotta do to push the bugger down.  Enjoy your shiny windows and sweet smelling curtains!

[YoungAtHeart]

I did pull out some of my early quit tools.  Got busy with the windows, then Just finished a break here on the site  with a Pepsi over crushed ice - and am now going to get a frozen Hershey Kiss! 

Whatever works!

Nancy

[cpsono]

Amazing how there are so many common threads between us as smokers.  I used to do the same thing: smoke before a task to work myself up to it, then take smoke breaks while doing the task, then smoke when finished as a "reward."   The difference now, aside from the fact that I'm not smoking, is that I can identify the triggers as such and not just mindlessly put a cig in my mouth because certain events or chores or celebrations "called for a cigarette."  Now I know that smoking is not necessary. I always had the option NOT to smoke, it was always within my realm of power, but until now I didn't realize that.  That realization is from learning everything I can about addiction and using my tools--all garnered from this community.  As our Dale says, "It's all between your ears."  Happy smoke-free Friday, friends,  CP 142 DOF  

[Mike.n.Atlanta]

Atagirl Nancy. Practice NOPE long enough & that's all you'll know how to do.

Keep on keepin on,

[MarilynH]

I enjoyed several miniature Yummy Hershey bars that I bought for Halloween, hee, hee, hee, I know that I will eat all of these so I guess we'll be buying more, plus mine are in the freezer calling me to eat them. Oh well at least I don't smoke anymore and I don't mind being a chocoholic and I will remain vigilant each and every day of my life while reaping the rewards of being an Exer. 

Marilyn 

[JACKIE1-25-15]

Thank you for sharing.  It is a reminder to never ever forget NEF

[JonesCarpeDiem]

and this is the perfect justification for not having curtains. GET RIF OF THEM...BE FREEEEEEEEE!

[JonesCarpeDiem]

RIF SHOULD HAVE BEEN RID

[froguelady]

The good thing is we know what to do and what not to do. Iknow I will always be addicted to nicotine and it only takes one puff and I'm gone over the edge. When I think something is going to make me want to lite one I find something to distract me. I can never let my guard down and always say NOPE it is a word I that reminds me I'm FREE.

[TerrieQuit]

WTG! Nancy! I had a similar experience trying to clean up the garden for winter, today! Whenever I would notice labored breathing, I would lean against the waste can trying to catch my breathe, and the stooopid thought of: I think i will smoke would run through my mind! It must have just been one of those seasonal things that you and the other Elders talk about. I'm glad you stay vigilant and so did I! Thanks for sharing, Nancy! I love the wisdom!

Terrie  102  DOF

[bonniebee]

I love gardening and this was my first summer not smoking. I still did my gardening but I did not spend as much time doing it because of that exact thing . I used to work like crazy at a task and when finished I would sit down and look at my gardens and relax and have a cigarette . I got through but I know it was very different I hope by next summer I will be more used to gardening wthout that little reward That was killing me !

Also 2 x this week I had that feeling hit me after I finished something and it was as though I had never quit ! It passed as soon as I thought I don't do that anymore and l kind of Laughed at  myself for even having the thought ! I guess it is not just addiction but habits die hard..... Almost like being brainwashed by the cigarettes !

[Strudel]

This is such an important message Nancy! Thanks! 

Have a great weekend! 

[swilson2]

Thank you so much, relief is all i feel, i have felt alone and trapped in my triggers after all this time of not smoking thought for sure something was wrong with me still having these feelings of wanting too smoke.So crazy!!!!

[YoungAtHeart]

oldbones just shared the following by pm with me (and gave me permission to post it).  He had just gotten off the phone with Joan (The Old Goat) and told me the following:

"She said to beware sudden craves for a smoke. She just had one the other day that she said was very hard to resist. This after almost 21 years of being quit."

Wow - can you imagine?!   Stay vigilant, my friends!

Nancy

[Giulia]

Nancy - No, I CAN imagine.  Because I'm almost 10 years quit and I've had sudden craves that have knocked me for a loop.  Why do people with 8, 10, 15 plus year quits go back to smoking?   Seriously.  It's not like they're a 12 year old trying it for the first time.  They're going BACK to a certain "comfort zone?" that they had before??  Where are the statistics on THAT part of the addiction? 

Is that true of ALL addictions?  Drugs, alcohol and this?  I suspect it is.  It's hard to believe, but given the amount of people who have come here and said they're quitting again after an 8, 10 - whatever year quit - what does that tell us about this addiction? 

I know what it tells ME.  And that is - stay connected. Some how, some way, just stay connected to continuing articles on this addiction, checking in to read a blog or two,  spewing out a blog as a vent...  Those of us who know ourselves SO VERY WELL, know what we need to preserve our freedom from this addiction.

And if you never want another Day One, then you'd better pay attention to your quit - no matter how many years down the line.

[elvan]

My father had been quit for over ten years when he went into a meeting and there were cigarettes, lighters, and ashtrays on the table.  He "automatically" reached out and took a cigarette and lit it, he said he nearly vomited on the table, he had completely forgotten that he quit.  He was stunned.  He never picked up another one.