May 27, 20242 yr Ugh. I smoked for 10 years, quit for 2.5, smoked for 2, and now quit again. 3 weeks and 1 day in. 21 mg patches. I am on my first vacation since quitting, and it feels like every activity is a major craving. Like I can't enjoy a single thing about it, and even worse, rather than happy or even content, just torture instead!! It feels too hard. I know it should get better but it feels impossible or so off in the distant future that it doesn't matter. Anyway I always come by here when I need to feel community and support, and finally decided to sign up. I am happy this exists, it has been a big help though I have never posted till now.
May 27, 20242 yr Congratulations on 3 weeks smoke free @StellaBlue and welcome to QuitTrain. Things do get better with time and you are doing a great thing in quitting smoking. Remember, a craving is not a command and fighting through craves does make your quit stronger. It is good to have you here..
May 27, 20242 yr Hi @StellaBlue Welcome to QuitTrain, very happy to have you here. Congratulations on 3 weeks smoke free! I know it's so very difficult, but I'm sure you know that the longer you don't smoke, the less cravings you will have. I hope you stay quit this time because who wants to keep going through the constant withdrawal symptoms. Please keep on posting and if you need our support, there is someone always onboard to help you!🙂
May 27, 20242 yr Welcome @StellaBlue, congrats on your quit, you're doing great We can all relate for how you're feeling and I promise you it won't always be like this but unfortunately the only way out of it is to go through it 😞 I used an air cigarette when I had bad craves. I just pretended I was holding an actual cigarette in my fingers and then went through the motions of "smoking" it. It did wonders at tricking my mind into thinking it was getting the real thing, maybe it would work for you too
May 27, 20242 yr Welcome StellaBlue! Glad you officially joined! I’m sorry you’re having some struggles while on vacation. What were some of the things that helped you quit before? Here, we have a mantra with several variations. NOPE - Not One Puff Ever. NOPT- not one puff today. NTAP- never take another puff. One thing that helped me- in addition to a forum like this- was telling myself every morning upon waking… “I will not smoke today.” That night when my head hit the pillow- I felt proud. Wake up the next morning, remember how proud I felt, tell myself again: “I will not smoke today- and again will reevaluate in the morning.” Craves still haunt me on very rare occasion. Never having to quit again is great motivation for keeping the quit! Please visit and post here often. It really does help! -L4L Edited May 27, 20242 yr by Lust4Life2016
May 27, 20242 yr Author thanks everybody for the welcoming me! and thank you for all the suggestions. these are the worst cravings i have experienced since quitting!! hoping something will help!! the first time i quit, while i was definitely (constantly!!) miserable for quite some time, i feel like the patches really helped with the cravings. this second time, they do not seem to be helping me as much. sighhh! also dealing with a constant feeling of tension is not enjoyable either!! lung disease is prevalent in my family. my mom has end-stage COPD at a relatively young age, and was just recently in the hospital for 3 weeks with respiratory failure. while at the hospital, i was having to leave her bedside to run outside to smoke. the consequences always seem so far off in the future, but i feel like i have a much better understanding of what can happen now. it's scary, and the fact that i am still struggling with quitting even though i know the consequences in great detail is even scarier!!!!!!
May 27, 20242 yr It will get easier the longer you go without a cigarette. Since this isn't your first time quitting, you know what will happen. Is there a stronger Mg for the patches that you can take? Maybe you need the next step? I didn't use the patch so I don't know, but some people here have so maybe they can give you advice. Jill recommended an air cigarette, I used cinnamon sticks which tasted really good. So if you like cinnamon, try doing that. I used them for about a month or so and they really helped me. I struggled for a long time with the cravings. Even now after a year I still get a craving every once in a while. The big difference from between back then and now is that now they don't last very long, maybe a few seconds and they definitely don't come very often. It will happen for you too, just don't smoke and each day will get easier and easier. We are here to help you. There is a Games section which I recommend that you try. It's a lot of fun and will take your mind off of smoking. Also, drinking water helps. Do anything but smoke! 🙂
May 28, 20242 yr Glad to gave you on the Quit Train @StellaBlue. “Firsts” are always hard… first vacation after quitting, first argument, first funeral, etc. I used patches when I quit and they definitely took the edge off. But I still got huge cravings (because I was a heavy smoker and because skin delivery is less potent). Ice cold drinks and the occasional nicotine lozenge when I was at the end of my rope got me through. You can get through, too. Until then, remember that your cravings are just your addiction throwing tantrums. You wouldn’t give a 3 year old a sharp knife - or a cigarette - just because she had a tantrum, would you? Of course not. Hang in there and post often!
May 28, 20242 yr Hello and welcome ..Glad you decide to sign up and take your seat… Congratulations on your decision to end this killer addiction .. Im sorry to hear about your Mum..I know first hand what this crippling illness can do .. I think joining in ,trying to help others ..making friends is another huge tool in your toolbox… Looking forward to getting to know you better x
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