Kate,
Quitting is a long process, not a quick one. A person's brain and body organs undergo gradual change, from detoxing right through to forgetting you ever smoked, if such a thing is possible.
Cravings are the brain's way of screaming at you for a fix. "Hey all is not right here! I need a smoke to feel like my old self again." And, finding that old familiar comfort zone is the urge of addiction.
As time passes, the cravings diminish in intensity and frequency, until the urge to give in is no longer a problem. That takes months for most people. The headstrong and determined ones seem to have less of a battle, though they too have temptations to overcome.
There is no easy way. Having a puff or two awakens the addiction process in a person all over again. It may be insidious, like feeling "Well I got through that without too much trouble. I'm doing all right." Junkie talk is easy and who has not justified having just one? A day later, the urge is back again to have another puff or two, or three or four. By week's end, the person has relapsed if they gave into those small urges. The brain will keep sending out calls for a fix, simple as that.
That scenario need not be everyone's. Be aware that dealing with addiction requires total abstinence from the addictive substance. If you have had a slip, know that the urges will be there and junkie talk coupled with indecision will be easy. You need not give into it, however. Continue on your quit and call a halt to slipping. A slip can merely mean a setback in your learning curve, not a total disaster, depending on how you deal with it. Look upon it not as a failure, but as a warning on how easy it is to get right back into smoking again.
Continue to stay positive and start each with a positive reward! Reward yourself somehow for every craving you overcome. Quitters have to learn to love themselves in a different way now.
Quitting is a positive life change!
Melanie
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The SSC Support Team
