" Trying to figure out how to make a running list of cravings, not separate blog entries."

The only way to do this is to  'edit' into your original post

or

post new entries down here in the comment section.

This works really well for Hellkatbaby.

The sooner you switch up your patterns and triggers the easier this will be, Kate.

I know, easier said than done.

Move your coffee cup, put it in a trigger-free zone.

Take breaks and reward yourself with something, breaths...happy memory, music, dance....

Replace smokey thoughts with deep cleansing breaths, use @jillar's Air Cigarette.

Distract yourself, reward yourself for every crave conquered !

You are doing important work.  Stay with it for a minute, another hour, a day, a month, a year.

NOPE is the mantra, just like Free Your Head.

S

Yes Kate, PLEASE at least try using the air cigarette. It really did the job at getting me through the cravings. You've been at this a long time, years, so at this point it wouldn't hurt to try the clues that worked for us. 

I REALLY want you to succeed and I know you can. You just have to believe it too  

8 hours ago, Sazerac said:

 

The sooner you switch up your patterns and triggers the easier this will be, Kate.

 

S

The after-dinner craving has settled in. Had an ice cream bar as a reward for getting through it. 

That's a heavy one, after dinner. Made it, though. On to the next.

take a walk, take a shower, scream into a pillow.

just got to power through the gruesome days.

they will soon be over.  all this discomfort is temporary

Getting the urge again...still. Time to read some posts from other quitters

8 hours ago, jillar said:

Yes Kate, PLEASE at least try using the air cigarette. It really did the job at getting me through the cravings. You've been at this a long time, years, so at this point it wouldn't hurt to try the clues that worked for us. 

I REALLY want you to succeed and I know you can. You just have to believe it too  

Thanks, jillar, I will try it. Now, as I'm reading posts

Jillar, it feels so silly, the air cigarette smoking. Not as foolish as having a real cigarette between my fingers. 

use it to give yourself a hit of OXYGEN  !!

1 hour ago, Kate18 said:

Jillar, it feels so silly, the air cigarette smoking. Not as foolish as having a real cigarette between my fingers. 

If it feels too silly you can use a cut straw or a pen instead of the invisible cig I used. One of our members used licorice for hers which I wish I had of thought of lol.

Hope it helped you get past your craves?

Yes, and now, again. I just finished watching a charming movie before going to bed. Now is when I would have smoked. Instead, I practiced twirling my pen between my fingers for a minute or two. It's tougher than it looks. Started off with the pen as pseudo-cigarette. I think I'll order small bean bags online and learn to juggle through my cravings. It'll be a new skill. New neurons forming and old ones being pruned away.

That's a great idea Kate. And if you really want to keep your hands busy you could make the bean bags yourself

6 minutes ago, jillar said:

That's a great idea Kate. And if you really want to keep your hands busy you could make the bean bags yourself

Now *there's a thought! Good idea, especially when I read the complaints online (on America's favorite online place) about various juggling ball sets. I want the kind that don't roll away. I have that kind, and spend more time searching out the balls under furniture than juggling. Thanks, Jillar, great idea.

First craving of the day, with coffee. Was going to have green tea, but forgot to steep it in cold brew fashion last night. Coffee it is.

Imagining smoking and how satisfying it would be to relieve the discomfort of this change in ritual and drug withdrawal.

Continued with the imagery, though, on to having cataracts and being blind, losing my job and home, and dying young with my kids grieving. 

By the time I was finished imagining, the craving passed. Left me in a blue mood, though. Going to imagine something more uplifting next craving.

Use whatever works to get past the craves Kate. I kept telling myself this too shall pass. Over and over again while puffing n my invisible air cigarette. I promise you with each crave you defeat, the next one is easier.

You're doing great

59 minutes ago, Kate18 said:

Going to imagine something more uplifting next craving.

yes,  go to positive reinforcement.

The body misses the bump of endorphins that nicotine corrupted

so when you are in a crave, force yourself to think of something beautiful, something in front of you or a happy memory.

This will jump start the flow of endorphins.

Deep breaths of oxygen do the same

as does physical movement...music/dance.

(move a muscle, change a thought)

I walked down to the tracks and did primal screaming when the train rolled by.  very satisfying.

You quit smoking, Kate !  You don't smoke anymore.

Celebrate this every moment.

Each body memory you have that concerns smoking will be changed.

When recognized, you can consciously eliminate each pattern as it appears.

Many are deep rooted and I had to repeatedly change the focus.

Rewards are super important in this recovery.

Nicotine hijacked the pleasurable release of endorphins and rewards will free those receptors.

Addiction was pervasive, it even changed our DNA.

So, change lots of little things.

Go to the chair you used to smoke in and do something fun and wild in it.

Do something related to pleasure there and own the space again.

You quit smoking, Kate !

We are all really proud of you.

Believe it.

where y'at, Kate ?