New trigger

[Kate18]

Brrrr. Feeling chilled and it's after dinner. The combination makes me want to bundle up and go outside to smoke. Also have a headache, which is rare for me. Increases desire to smoke. 

It's strong, so I'm resorting to my tactic of brushing my teeth, taking the dog for her poop-walk, and going to sleep.

Brrrrrrrrrr. Craaaavvvve.

Feeling chilled a trigger for anyone else?

[jillar]

Hi Kate, isn't it weird what triggers a crave? I got my worse craves when I was super happy about something or my asthma was acting up! 

You're doing so great and that weird crave gets weaker and weaker the more you get past it. Soon it will be just a fleeting thought that goes as quickly as it comes

[Reciprocity]

The cold never brought on a crave for me but some triggers for cravings to light up are individually unique and others are pretty commonly shared. There are so many things our brain associated with smoking that it really does take a while to experience them all and get through those situations. That's why they say you need to get through all 4 seasons to experience all your triggers. Keep going. You're doing great and almost at 1 whole month! That's fantastic  

[Sazerac]

Kate,

Craves will continue to pop up especially the first year.

Many are seasonally related (Winter chill, the burst of Spring etc.).

These are the receptors in your brain that have made associations with Nicotine.

Do not fear any crave, all you have to do is breathe through it.

As someone said, as we all repeat, "A Crave Is Not A Command".

It is just another receptor to wrench away from Nicotine

and look how splendid you are doing !

an hour from 28 days ?  Beautiful !

Edited January 9, 2019 by Sazerac

[Wantsit]

It is strange , the things that bring on craves. For me one is staying in Hotels. I know it sounds strange since you cannot smoke in most of them , but we've stayed in two the last month and a half and after we get settled in and pour a drink I really would like to go out and have one. It passes quickly but it's been about the only time I really have a stronger crave. This scares me as well because we are going on another cruise in April and I told my wife last night that has me worried even though I haven't really struggled much lately. There is something about setting there with a drink in your hand , soaking in the sun , listening to the Caribbean music and looking out across the Ocean while enjoying a smoke.  She said she would hurt me if that happened...promises, promises , I told her. But seriously, that has me more concerned  than any time since I've quit.  I'll make it through but just thinking ahead.

[jillar]

@Wantsit by the time your cruise comes you'll have three more months quit under your belt and you'll probably be pleasantly surprised at what a difference those months make. Most have found that the anticipation was way worse than the actual event that led to it. You're doing so well that I have a feeling you'll be just fine come April. And if you do find yourself craving just remember the air cigarette, the cleanest cigarette you'll ever "smoke".

Edited January 10, 2019 by jillar

[Reciprocity]

2 hours ago, Wantsit said:

It is strange , the things that bring on craves. For me one is staying in Hotels. I know it sounds strange since you cannot smoke in most of them , but we've stayed in two the last month and a half and after we get settled in and pour a drink I really would like to go out and have one. It passes quickly but it's been about the only time I really have a stronger crave. This scares me as well because we are going on another cruise in April and I told my wife last night that has me worried even though I haven't really struggled much lately. There is something about setting there with a drink in your hand , soaking in the sun , listening to the Caribbean music and looking out across the Ocean while enjoying a smoke.  She said she would hurt me if that happened...promises, promises , I told her. But seriously, that has me more concerned  than any time since I've quit.  I'll make it through but just thinking ahead.

 

Perhaps this is because over the years your mind has made a particular connection with smoking while at a hotel or even on a cruise because those places represent "fun times", usually a vacation and now your mind is afraid that cutting out the smoking will somehow diminish the "fun"?  You'll be fine on your cruise because you have already identified this trigger and dealt with it as well. Start to think about all the improvements to your "fun time" when you get to that cruise next April  You won't have to pack a carton of smokes and worry about having an extra lighter as a back up just in case. You won't be pushing your wife aside trying to get out the airport doors for that much needed smoke when you arrive at your cruise port by air. You won't have to huddle in that "smokers area" on the ship's deck and feed your addiction. Huddled there with so many other addicts all puffing away while non-smokers stroll by and casually look over at the poor addicted fools. No more travelling half the ship to get up to that smoker's place on deck first thing in the morning while others run the jogging path around you, getting their morning fix or oxygen and exercise. 

 

Oh, sorry for blathering on and on about all the benefits you'll enjoy as a non smoker on your cruise in April. Now, what was it that you thought you might be missing out on?

Wantsit. You'll be just fine with all this by April. Just wanted to give you some things to focus on up till then. Yes. your mind will think about the old smoker you facing a new non smoking environment for the first time but you may just be surprised at how your quit strengthens, rather than weakens, when you go on that Caribbean Cruise. In fact; I'm so convinced of this I'm going to prove it to you. I'm going to go on a Caribbean Cruise for you and report back later on how it went  If I'm gone for then next while, you'll know where I'm at. Doing research for you  

 

Edited January 10, 2019 by reciprocity

[Wantsit]

4 hours ago, reciprocity said:

You won't have to huddle in that "smokers area" on the ship's deck and feed your addiction. Huddled there with so many other addicts all puffing away while non-smokers stroll by and casually look over at the poor addicted fools. No more travelling half the ship to get up to that smoker's place on deck first thing in the morning while others run the jogging path around you, getting their morning fix or oxygen and exercise. 

Oh how right you are! They walk through there with their noses in the air and fanning their hands acting as though they are going to pass out. It makes you want to say...GO AROUND! LOL! This year I will get to set with all the stuck up people on the other side. Did you ever notice that? The nonsmokers always seemed  a little snootier on the other side of the ship. Maybe spending time over there will lift me up to their level! After all...I am a non smoker right now.  Thank you for shedding a different light on this for me!

[Reciprocity]

You know what I found was that Yes, I would pass by the "smoker's corner" and look at them but all I felt was pity for them and happiness for myself not to have to be stuck there with them any longer hiding away while I got my fix. As a former smoker and now a non smoker, you will have a unique perspective on this. You won't be sticking up your nose at them because you understand way more that the never-smokers do about just what these people are up against.

[Wantsit]

You're right recip-I'm not that type of person and wouldn't act that way to begin with. And I do like you said , know what it's like and do not want to be there. I am finding this out with my wife. After all these years of being together this is separating us at times . I do feel sorry for them because it just plain sucks. 

[Reciprocity]

Well, when I smoked, my wife had already quit long ago and when we went on a cruise, I just wandered off every now and again to get my fix. Didn't bother either one of us although, it should have bothered me that she had quit years ago and I didn't until recently. Now, I still wander off ..... just not to the smoking place