I don't know why i am having a strong craving after 3 months and 26 days without a smoke ?

[Sunshine59]

Could it be the really really hot temperature outside ?

Our monsoon starts in June only .

 

So in the meanwhile its very hot temperature here  .

 

This is making me unusually tired and dull .

 

I have a craving as a side effect of all these heat and boredom  i am going through .

 

I wont smoke but the cravings are kind of feeling strong

[jillar]

Good on you for posting redemption. What you are going through is totally normal for where you are in your quit and it will pass. I promise, just hang in there. You're doing great  

[Sunshine59]

I remember the old times when i used to smoke a lot .

It always happened when the temperature was too hot

 

This time i have to block it with all i can .

 

Thanks for the reply jillar

[Lilly]

Smoking in the heat is never enjoyable. 

 

I wish I had some wise advice to give you but I have no experience. Just wanted you to know I'm rooting for you and I know you'll get through. 

[Sunshine59]

Thanks for the reply Lilly ,

 

I think its probably because i am going through a lot of boredom suddenly .

 

I have to think of ways to kill this boredom somehow .

 

 

 

[jillar]

I could never smoke when it was super hot outside either. But what I did when strong cravings hit was go some place that I didn't smoke and the crave would disappear. For instance, I never smoked in my car so if a really bad crave hit and my air cig didn't work I would get in my car and take a short drive. And any thoughts of smoking would completely go away. Maybe try that?

[Sunshine59]

Thanks for the suggestions jillar ,

 

Maybe i should watch a good movie instead .

 

And stop listening to too much Amelie lens , which is what i have been doing from the morning today

Thanks for all the quick replies , I feel better already .

 

Its so important to talk to other people when one feels confused , Lol

 

[jillar]

Glad you're starting to feel better redemption. You did good posting, be proud of yourself  

[Lilly]

Great idea from Jillar - so pleased you are feeling better. 

[Ankush]

One of the things I do when I get a craving for a cigarette is I submit to the craving by saying to myself "Yes, off course I want a cigarette, but I am not going to have one because that will lead to all the crappy health issues that will occur in future with all the other cigarettes."

 

Here's a video that may help.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTb3d5cjSFI&list=PLFSPvz6xN0rw0Sa26OUxOtyF5xPtrdrHe&index=1

 

Edited April 18, 2019 by Ankush

[Doreensfree]

You could be in No man's Land ...where the nice newness of your quit has dissapeared ...this can happen around the 3 month mark ...

Whatever your feeling ..it will pass ...you just have to fight through it ...

I'm have forwarded a post about No Mans Land Land 

[Mee]

Hey Potts, you are doing great.  You definitely do not want to blow it.  I am so glad you posted your sos.  Just breath deep and be proud you have finally been able to quit. 

[Reciprocity]

Remember too that smoking triggers will come out of nowhere as seasons change. You mentioned it is really hot there now with monsoon season coming. Perhaps this is the first time you have faced this seasonal change since quitting and so memories of what you used to do at this time of year are creeping into your head. You have already built a tool chest of ways to ignore these sudden cravings so put those to work. Once you get by these seasonal change cravings, you will never have to worry about them in the future. because you will have already dealt with them. Keep going forward. You are getting to where you want to be. Permanently smoke free!

[abbynormal]

I've read that it takes about a year to face all of your usual triggers. That's because, as @reciprocity said, you have to face all of the changing seasons. It's often called the year of "firsts"--the first warm sunny day after a long winter...the first campfire...the first outdoor barbecue...the first pile of leaves raked...the first chilly day...the first fire in the fireplace...the first snowfall...the first family gathering for the holidays (this will be a tough one for me this year.) These "firsts' can all trigger a craving. And it takes a full year to face the majority of them.

 

It helps me to remember that with each craving I am forming new associations, so the next time I face the triggers it won't be so hard!

[johnny5]

Good job on posting an SOS and not lighting up, Redemption.  As reci and abby said, changing seasons can bring on different memories and feeling that may trigger a crave. 

 

Keep going strong.  Each time you fight through something like this, your quit gets stronger.

[Sunshine59]

Thanks a lot for all the replies jillar , lilly , ankush , doreen , linda , reciprocity , abbynormal , johnny5

 

Yup good days , bad days , hangover of bad days

 

That is what i have been going through .

 

Monsoon is my favorite season here in India .

 

So i am waiting for it too

 

Also planning to change the diet a bit , I was thinking about eating a bit less every time i feel like eating 

[Pearlie]

Because you are an addict!  You can have a crave anytime.  In time, they should become less often and less intense.

[Sunshine59]

On 4/18/2019 at 10:40 PM, Doreensfree said:

You could be in No man's Land ...where the nice newness of your quit has dissapeared ...this can happen around the 3 month mark ...

Whatever your feeling ..it will pass ...you just have to fight through it ...

I'm have forwarded a post about No Mans Land Land 

 

On 4/20/2019 at 2:45 PM, Pearlie said:

Because you are an addict!  You can have a crave anytime.  In time, they should become less often and less intense.

 

I think  Doreensfree post above was the problem

 

[Pearlie]

5 hours ago, Redemption3 said:

 

 

I think  Doreensfree post above was the problem

 

 

You and Doreen are probably right.  However, don't be surprised if you have craves further on down the road.  It's just the nature of the beast and should not in any way make you doubt the value of your quit.

[Martian5]

I am with Doreen ion this, the three month mark can throw you some real tough ones.  At this point in your quit you are doing well.  When these strong craves come on take the resolve to ride it out (which you are doing).  Post if you have to (which you are doing).  Learn from each strong crave (which you are doing).  You are doing much better on this quit, keep it going and you will make it thru this -- great job!!!!

[Sunshine59]

Thanks for the reply everyone ,

 

I thought i had this under my control especially after 3 months without smoking .

 

I did not know that i again had to play these mind control games .

 

Anyway one more time , I am not touching a cigarette with a 10 foot pole ever .

 

 

[Ankush]

I wouldn't call them mind control games. I don't know how to put it, but I think its more like supporting and encouraging yourself to keep the quit going.

[Reciprocity]

You need to appreciate that although the really hard cravings to get past all pretty much happen in the first month or so, you will still be challenged at times and some times there is no clear reason why but, the challenges you will have to face will become fewer and less intense as time goes by. That's just how it works for all of us. Slowly .... very slowly you will become more and more comfortable as a non smoker. It's pretty common knowledge that you need to pretty much put in a whole year as a non smoker to have faced all the challenges you are likely to face. Even after that, you will still think of smoking you just won't want any part of it because you will realize that it never did even one good thing for you (or at least you should realize that after 1 whole year). So, carry on and trust in both the quitting process and yourself. If you have made it to the 3 month mark, there's no reason you can't be a non smoker for the rest of your life  

 

 

 

[NADA]

I have a phone app that enabled me to keep a quit smoking journal. I did it almost daily my first year and fairly often my second year. Here’s what I wrote just a few days shy of 4 months (the same time frame you are now experiencing).

March 17, 2016

F%€£ing intense and sustained cravings all day long! #%¥& sh&t whore!!!!!

I look at that now and laugh .

What I do want to get across is that you will have some tough moments ahead even though you think it should be over by now. It can take a while before you stop having strong cravings that seemingly pop out of nowhere.

Be assured that they do eventually disappear and life becomes infinitely better.

Hang in there. 

[Sunshine59]

@Ankush , reciprocity ,BKP

 

Thanks for the replies .

 

Maybe this 4 months period is a mark where the body is flushing out all the toxins in the body .

 

I am sure my body is clearing the nicotine in the body , because my breathing has improved at least by 90% . my ability to cope with stress has improved a lot too .

 

That is what average normal life is .Full of stress , strain and lots of work .