A post was just bumped and it's great. It helps us with our thoughts on this thread. Go to Avoiding Relapse and Slipping and read the post called "This Is Why We Want To Smoke" by Missyfit. It's a great thread. Stay Strong, Tutti [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 56 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,520 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $201.04 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 21 [B]Seconds:[/B] 3

Ew, pardon all of those typos. :blush: Hugs, Tutti [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 55 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,518 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $197.45 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 16 [B]Seconds:[/B] 43

Lainey, I've been thinking about this post while doing my routine computer maintenance. I think these cravings that come up later are psychological cravings. Not physical. In my opinion, the psychological addiction is surely bringing on a physical reaction. Sort of like...You smell a great meal cooking and then you want to sit down and eat when before you smelled that wonderful aroma, you hadn't even thought of having a meal. I think these cravings that come up later are psychological and the fact is, we aren't recognizing what triggers that psychological crave which leads us to that physical reaction. In the beginning of our quit, we know those immediate triggers that really stand out such as, coffee and a smoke, the computer while smoking, eating followed by smoking, etc. Those triggers stare us right in the face. What I think is, we spent so many years....so much time smoking behind so many tasks. We smoked as a reward like, take the dog for a walk while having a smoke, ride a bike but then stop and have a smoke, etc. There's no telling how many of those "things" we did where we followed it up by having a smoke. Even subconsciously. I believe it's going to take us some time to find out what those "not so obvious" triggers are. We invested a lot of time into having a smoke filled life so it stands to reason that we'll have to invest a lot of time to have that smoke free life. But, we'll get there. We will have to learn those "not so obvious" triggers as we go, day by day. Those subconscious triggers. I really do believe the cravings/urges are pshychological because we used cigarettes to treat ourselves in so many instances plus, we used them as a crutch during those emotional times in our lives. Here's a thought....You know how you can get a subliminal message for example about Lipton Ice Tea and then later, you want that glass of tea. I don't know just a whole lot about those subliminal messages but let's just say they do really work. What if one of those "not so obvious" tasks crosses your mind for a fleeting second when someone in the room mentiones say.. sweeping the porch. You hear them mention sweeping the porch which is something you use to do followed by a smoke. Question is, could a pshchological craving be triggered

I guess what I was trying to distinquish is whether these cravings that come up later on, are physical or emotional. It seems to make sense that they shouldn't be physical, if the drug is long gone out of your system. And if they are emotional, how can we prepare ourselves so that we'll know it when we see it? :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 40 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,023 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $422 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 4 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 38 [B]Seconds:[/B] 9

Lainey, Good post. I am early in my quit so I can't really offer any words of wisdom. Hopefully some with more time in will be able to offer some advice. I am also married to someone who quit over 30 years ago and he can't seem to understand the cravings and mood swings he looks at me like I am crazy. I think Tutti hit the nail on the head though I really believe it to be a disease like alcohol or drugs. Since alcohol and drugs cause more social issues they are a disease and cigarettes is still looked at like a habit not and addiction. Thats my take anyway. And just like they work a 12 step program we need to work in the group by posting and reading. Most of the nonsmokers I know say they still get the urges but say they are more like a fleeting moment and are gone. I hope I get there someday because the last 2 days have been hell. I keep telling myself I am healing. Let's hope we get some answers and keep the quit. :p :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/21/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 24 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 498 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $156 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 4 [B]Seconds:[/B] 4

Tutti, Good point. Most long-term quitters describe it as a memory or an urge as oppose to a craving. Danielle _____________________ The SSC Support Team

Lainey, This is a good subject and I'm glad you posted it. I think that all of your "guesses" as to why we still crave after the first week are actually true. And I know that Danielle's response it right on the money. I'm a little afraid to add this to your post but I can't help but wonder about it. Maybe we'll understand even more when others post as well. Well, what I'm a little afraid to post is this........You know how an alcoholic is always and alcoholic? You know how someone who does another drug like cocaine is always considered a drug addict? And do you know how in each case, an alcoholic and/or a drug addict often times are considered to be suffering from an illness just like any other illness?..And they have to cope or learn to live their lives as an alcoholic or as a drug addict just like a diabetic has to cope with the diabetic diet? Well what I'm asking is, Is the same not true in the case of a nicotine addict? Is our addiction an illness like any other i.e. diabetes? Aren't we addicts from now on? Don't we have to learn how to live our lives as drug addicts who have to cope and adjust to life without nicotine? If an alcoholic can crave alcohol, periodically, for the rest of his/her life, if the cocaine addict suddenly craves that fix years and years after they've been clean, if a diabetic craves sweets off and on for the rest of his/her life, wouldn't a nicotine addict also crave off and on for the rest of his/her life? I don't mean as BAD as we do now but just those cravings that come and go. What I'm asking is, Does it ever really, really go away? I can't help but ask these things because 20 years after my Dad quit smoking he said to me, "After all of these years, I could smoke a cigarette as long as that couch." My own husband quit smoking 14 years ago and has to me that, from time to time, he also craves a cigarette. I've heard other stories like this and couldn't help but wonder if the cravings ever completely go away..even after so, so many years or is the addiction something that we have to learn to live with from now on. I've gotten to where I'm not looking for a definite end to cravings and/or mood swings. I know they'll get better but I'm not looking for them to end by a given time. Maybe they'

Thanks Danielle, I am doing really good. I am trying to figure out what causes a bad day to hit people at these certain times, than at other times, in order to create a coping stategy. :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 40 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,020 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $422 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 4 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 13 [B]Seconds:[/B] 0

Lainey, Some quitters experience these bumps in the road, some do not. Emotions and mood are definitely contributing factors to cravings. In the past when that bad mood hit, you'd smoke and the nicotine would release those chemicals. Now as a quitter when you're in a bad mood, your brain sends you craving signals for nicotine because that is how it was trained to correct the imbalance. Again, it is now our job to stimulate those chemicals with pleasurable activities and yes more rewards! It's also important to eat properly and get enough rest as these also have effect on our moods. We also have to start finding new ways to release stress and let out those bad emotions whether it be by walking it out or writing it out. Hope this helps. Danielle _______________________ The SSC Support Team

It seems there are lost of members going through a bad craving in or around an anniversary date. Thity days, sixty days, ninety days... So I am wondering, if the drug is long gone out of your system within the first week, why should a nasty craving show up way down the road? Is it the psycological attachment to the smoking habit? Is it the new season of spring and doing tasks that we haven't done since we quit? Is it just that our thoughts are hey its been ____ days? What is it, that is striking on an anniversary of the quit? And of course, how can I prevent it? My husband's way is just forget about it...that works for him, he quit 32 years ago...doesn't work for me, I don't forget. Is it as simple as saying "I'm over it, you can't get me anymore, because there is no going back" ? Or is it because we're facing a new emotion, and because we've always delt with emotions by smoking, our brain tells us "Oh its an emotion - time for a smoke? So then could the solution be, that in order to get past the red flag cravings that pop up...we need to say "OK, this is a new emotion, I need to feel it, check it out and somehow, despite how good, bad or ugly it is, Let it go! Need some pearls of wisdom here, folks. What are your thoughts? :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 40 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,017 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $422 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 4 [B]Hrs:[/B] 21 [B]Mins:[/B] 56 [B]Seconds:[/B] 4