butterfly swimmer, From my experiences, it does seem to be that three month mark were the urges and cravings pronounce themselves again. Why this is, I cannot say for sure, there is a lot of theories out there. The main thing is to stay focused on your goal. Stay strong, do not give in, you can and WILL do this! Stay Strong, Melanie __________________ The SSC Support Team

Hello Butterfly.........My thoughts on this are #1, after 3 months most of us have few if any outwardly signs of having been a smoker. By this I mean that we have clear complextions, we do not smell of smoke, we do not cough and we no longer anxious or fussy when confined for more than 1/2 like in the mall or movie theater etc. Most if not all of the uncomfortable physical signs are gone...........the cravings, shortness of breath, the cough, and the nervousness we feel when we wake up and remember that we only have 2 cigs left and there is a blizzard outside. We as humans tend to remember only the "good" things. #2...........If U think back to your smoking days ( remembering " the good" times" ) , having a cig was almost a reward we gave ourselves. I , and maybe some of U, remember having a cig with friends over coffee, breaktime at work, a relaxed time with friends. All of these times were associated with smoking. Well, what U have to do is remember that we were in Fools' Paradise back then...........that time is over. Try always to associate cigs with bad habits, bad health and an enemy just waiting to strike and take control of your life once again! After 36 years smoking, I am 5 weeks quit! At least U seem to be meeting this challenge armed.........just hope that when I reach 3 months, I remember my own words!!! LOL God Bless

Hey BFS, I was cranky for almost a week around the same time. Smoking is not an option for me... it's just that simple. But man oh man was I a bear to be around!?! I'm better now and you will get past this time too. I read all the newbie posts when I had smoking thoughts... I don't ever want to feel like they do(and we did) that early in our quits. I had some sad news yesterday... my Grandmother passed away... my first thought was of smoking... like a cig would bring her back to life... I'm sad about her death but in a weird way it was an opportunity to pass another test. She was 99 years old and was able to live in her home until she died suddenly... she was a very sweet special lady who I'll always love. My point BFS... life keeps happening... lets keep living it smoke free... :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/15/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 112 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,949 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $392 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 16 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 20 [B]Seconds:[/B] 6

Hi Pam Listen, I think the biggest problem you are having is worrying about why you slipped at that 100 day mark and a fear that it could happen again. Pam you are tough. You've been through this more than once, slipped a bit, came back and survived. Don't worry about it!!! I know they say to figure out what triggers certain things, but I believe as Golferman said in another post that you can get carried away with it. You're not going to smoke, period. Just like an alcoholic, there will be times when the thought of a cig will sound tempting, but it's just a thought. You are a non smoker now and so it's ok if you have a thought about your past lifestyle as long as you don't go back to it. You'll be fine my friend and I know you will certainly keep posting here and inspiring other to "keep the quit" vicki just 1 puff away from 2 packs a day [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/17/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 111 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 4,450 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $777 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 15 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 12 [B]Seconds:[/B] 9

This is an interesting thread. I think after a few weeks, it really doesn't matter when or where or why the cravings come. In my case, it has to do with places I go, things I do, that I haven't done since I quit. Going out to eat at a certain place, or with a certain person; decorating the Christmas tree; finishing a particularly difficult task in a genealogy research project...etc... It is then suddenly time to reward myself with a cig....WHAT??!! says my brain. It is a rote response. I am noticing that they are less frequent, but they do occur, and with some intensity. So, my Butterfly friend, I don't think your seven-cigarette slip has anything to do with it. The nicotene is gone, but the urges, the habit, just rears its head with no warning. Friends I have who quit years ago tell me that they will smell a freshly lit ciggie and have the urge to rip it out of the person's hand. Or will drive by their long-ago purchase place and see a low price posted and think, "ah...I should stop..." That's my ancient wisdom. Have no idea if it helps, but I know you won't smoke either. Maybe less analysis?? not sure! ;) xx SILVER [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/17/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 140 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 4,228 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $910 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 19 [B]Hrs:[/B] 14 [B]Mins:[/B] 40 [B]Seconds:[/B] 16

I've always felt that after a "long" period of time, (30 days isn't that long but certainly feels like it) the junkie talk about I can have "just one" kicks in and we feel complacent enough to do it. I'm almost at 200 days and am thinking smoking for a couple of days. I won't but just feel that nicodemon is a mean spirited bas%$#d trying to ruin my hard fought anniversaries! :) And of course boredom is a mean trigger....the doldrums of winter....quit for all seasons, blah, blah, blah. I'm betting the Stones will sing Start Me Up at the half today. Anybody want to bet? Janet :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/23/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 197 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,955 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $985 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 26 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 55 [B]Seconds:[/B] 46

From what I have sensed from your post you are not expressing the desire to smoke you are just making an observation...right? Well....if anyone has the need to smoke...I want you to transport yourself into my body of yesterday! I laid in my jammies and cried from early morning til early evening. Did I mention the skin crawly thing? The struggle to just not drive off to the store? So, if anyone wants to smoke again...welcome to my world! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/26/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 10 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 206 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $35.9 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 3 [B]Seconds:[/B] 34

Hey Pam. Just one thing. [B]No Smoking Allowed[/b] Enjoy the beach! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/1/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 218 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 4,379 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $763 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 19 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 11 [B]Seconds:[/B] 47

I always thought it was the anniversary thing too... we get ourselves so pumped up for a big date like 30 days or 100 days and then feel like "what's next?" and we get really down and when we're down, we crave a cigarette. This has always been my theory, but I'm not really sure now. The reason I say that is because my first "slip" was on day 34, which fits with the 30-day pit and anniversary theory, but then I didn't reset my meter and "slipped" 34 days after that, so there was something about 34 days that just rubs me the wrong way... and when I quit in November 2004, I relapsed on New Year's Eve... 36 days into my quit. I wasn't even on this site yet, and had no idea about the 30-day pit or anything like that, but that time period is just really really bad, whether you count the days you've been quit or not. And I think the 100-day hurdle is much the same... I don't know if it's the anniversary thing or if it's just my brain going whacko... whatever it is, it'd better quit soon! Oh well. I'm not worried... I know things will go back to normal soon... just wanted to get some perspective. Thinking helps me get over craves and feel better... so that's what I'm trying to do. :) Crave the Quit! Butterfly [IMG]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c177/kissnflirt/butterfly3.gif[/IMG] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/28/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 99 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,499 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $326.7 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 7 [B]Hrs:[/B] 6 [B]Mins:[/B] 9 [B]Seconds:[/B] 26

99 days ago, I smoked 7 cigarettes and then reset my meter and haven't "slipped" since. The last few days, I've been REALLY thinking about smoking a lot and then today, I asked myself why this is happening and it occured to me that I'm at the dreaded 100-day hurdle. Now, I don't want to scare any newbies... it's not like Hell Week... it's just a lot more than usual, since I usually don't think about smoking at all most days. My observation is that no matter how many cigarettes you have roughly 100 days ago... whether you quit a 20 year addiction, or you had a one-time screw up like I did... it seems that the 100-day hurdle is the same. I find this really really weird. Is there anyone else who's "slipped" and noticed this or am I just crazy? Smoking has been consuming my thoughts the last few days... yesterday afternoon, I was at a meeting for my volunteer job and they served us lunch and after I ate, I had the thought "I think I'll go outside to smoke." Now of course, that was stupid... especially considering I was with a bunch of health nuts and even if I were still a smoker, I wouldn't have done that, but I got that "after eating craving" that I haven't gotten in several months... and then the same thing happened today!!! Now, I'm not going to smoke... that would just be plain stupid. I know they're just thoughts and I dismiss them immediately and I'm really trying to not let this bother me and I know that this will get better in a few days and that it's just the 100-day hurdle, but I find it odd that I'm going through this even though I "only" had 7 cigarettes (I said "only" because 7 was far too many, but still it wasn't like I'd just quit after several years of active smoking). Why do you guys think it is that we go through the same patterns no matter how many cigarettes we smoked? Does anyone else think this is weird? Crave the Quit! Butterfly [IMG]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c177/kissnflirt/butterfly3.gif[/IMG] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/28/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 99 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,494 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $326.7 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 7 [B]Hrs:[/B] 5 [B]Mins:[/B] 48 [B]Seconds:[/B] 45