I hope this gets easier.

[Jules]

Hello, I quit 19 days ago and up until today felt so proud of myself but am not feeling it now.

 

I keep thinking that after 28 days I can have one drag of a cigarette - that's how long the NHS reckon you need to be off cigarettes to improve the chance of quitting. I know it's so stupid to think like that but I can't get the idea out of my head. Has anyone else had this after nearly 3 weeks smoke free? Does it go away again?

 

p.s Thank goodness I found this website, by joining it made me feel slightly better.

[action]

Hi Jules, congratulations on 28 days!!

 

I just wanted to let you know I am here... About to type out a longer response, but it might take me a while on my phone!! Please bear with me ;)

[Nancy]

Welcome to the board, Jules....so glad you found us.  Our motto here is Not One Puff Ever.  The addiction is trying to suck you back in...be strong and get through it.  One puff reactivates the addiction.  Another expression is "one puff away from a pack a day", which is so true.  If you have one puff, you will not have 28 days and you will have to start over.  I am going to comment on a thread in Quit Smoking discussions, that will cause it to come to the top of the forum....please read.  You can do this...read the material at the top of the Quit Smoking Discussions Forum, lots of great information.  We are cheering for you...and we have all been where you are now!!

[Sazerac]

Hello Jules.

Congratulations on a 19 day quit !  

The Nicotine has left your body and now you are living Free.

There is still some work to do...establishing smoke Free patterns and not giving power to craves.

Some days will be hard, some will be easy...just like life.

Your commitment to NOPE  (not one puff ever)  will ensure a successful  quit.

 

I am so happy you are here and already feeling a bit better.

Better days are here to stay.

Read as much as you can here and learn about Nicotine addiction,

education is a very useful part of a successful quit too.

 

Here is what happens in your brain after one puff

 

 

Lots of great people here to answer questions and help take your mind off smoking.

Glad you are here.

Love,

S

[Nancy]

The thread is "Think you need just one", and it is at the top of that forum, now.

 

To answer your question, Yes, it does get easier!  Quitting is a roller coaster, good moments, bad moments, good days, bad days, etc.  Before you know it the good moments and days start to outnumber the bad ones.  But there are still ups  and downs.

[BAT]

Stay focused Jules and Stay Quit.  :)

[Doreensfree]

Jules ,

Welcome to the quit train.....congrats on your 19 days....this is great....

Please read all you can here,all the links.....it does help a lot.....

Your brain is trying to suck you back in to addiction....

Be gentle with yourself.....treats are good ,they give you a little boost....

Reward yourself often....

Stay close to the board....we will support you all the way....

You can do it.....

[Tink]

hi  Jules welcome to the site :) 

 

yes what you are feeling can is normal for some even if you are months quit, the difference is knowing its normal and why and with education about nicotine addiction and support here when you need it is the key to keep moving forward

 

you can and will get through this

 

try not to fixate on dates and times just go with the flow I fixated on getting past 6 months and boy when that time lapsed I was in trouble! 

 

today I celebrate 10 months quit ~ these sticky moments do indeed pass

 

keep reading and posting the support here is great and can help you through these times all ex smokers here with different experiences and lifestyles

 

keep telling yourself you can do it just for today and tommorow tell yourself just for today what you are feeling will pass

 

massive congratulations on your 28 days - yahoo for you how awesome is that!!

[Jules]

Thank you for replying and your wise words guys. I will most definitely read up on here and I like the NOPE saying, I have already embedded that in my brain. You are right-there will be good and bad days and I'm obviously just having a bad day! I feel so much better having had contact with other people who have quit and you have all done so well! I already feel better. Thank you!

[Nancy]

Thank you for replying and your wise words guys. I will most definitely read up on here and I like the NOPE saying, I have already embedded that in my brain. You are right-there will be good and bad days and I'm obviously just having a bad day! I feel so much better having had contact with other people who have quit and you have all done so well! I already feel better. Thank you!

Jules, as you may have noticed, many of us like to keep track of our quits with quit meters in our signatures.  If you would like one, too, instructions for several types are below:

 

You make your own ticker...If you want one similar my top one click on mine, it will take you to the Ticker Factory website. Click All Tickers on the right, and then Event under Wedding, Birthday, Anniversary, and you can choose your own wording, etc.   You enter your information and create your ticker.  Then, copy the address they give you.  Come back here and click on My Profile (in drop down by your name) and the click Edit Profile.  Select signature on the left side, and then paste the address in the signature box.  When you click Save Changes the ticker appears!  

Just a note…The ticker doesn't always show up on the smartphone version of the posts, but you will be able to see it appear on the PC and tablet versions.

 

If you want one similar my bottom one go to

 

Tina's Quit Meter

 

Create your ticker, and instead of copying the address, right click on the ticker and Copy Image, and then come paste in signature box.  Lots of us have two tickers because we like the pretty top one, but like that the bottom one keeps track of the cigs we have not smoked and the money.  I hope this helps!

 

Another one that is popular comes from TickerClub.  Go there and choose the Smoking category.  Make your ticker, copy address, come back to Edit signature and paste address...when you click Save Changes your ticker will appear!

 

 

For one like the one above, just click on it and it will take you to the site.   Make your ticker, copy address, come back to Edit signature and paste address...when you click Save Changes your ticker will appear!

[action]

You should be proud of yourself - very proud indeed! 19 days (sorry, I said 28 earlier) is amazing!

 

I will tell you that 3 weeks was a hard time for me, but after I got through that, it got so much better, very quickly!

 

I am glad that you found us, and that you have reached out to us by posting an SOS - plenty of us here to help you through the bad times!

 

How are you feeling now? What benefits have you noticed most since you quit?

[Leanna]

Hey Jules!

 

Welcome to the QT. :) 

 

Having just one should never be an option, no matter how far along you are. I watched my brother throw away a 3-year-old quit because he thought he could handle just one. Don't do it -- not worth the risk!

 

It does get better, I promise. You will get to a point in your quit where you will go a long time without thinking about cigarettes. The sense of accomplishment and freedom you feel once that happens is amazing. You are still early on in your quit, so give it some time. Just remember though, it WILL get better! 

 

Stay close to the boards. We're here for you. :) I'm really happy you found us! Congrats on 19 days btw. 

[Still winning]

Hey Jules, in late, massive congrats on 19 days!!

 

There are weird points thatcome and slap you about, sounds like you just did that but it's only a thought and always a choice. It absolutely gets easier! Honest it does. Each trigger or situation where you would have smoked that you face down is easier the next time. I have whole days where I don't consider a cig at all and that happened quite quickly in comparison to smoking 30-40 per day and 20+ years. 

 

When you get the thoughts or feelings, post, get distracted and tell yourself NOPE, not one puff ever (just for today) and Smoking is not on the table. 

 

x

[babs609]

Jules....welcome to the quit train!!  You are doing fantastic. 

The junkie brain that still is struggling inside your head to get you to cave and have "that one cigarette"  well...there is no such thing...it's a lie...

pay no attention to it.  You are in charge of your future health...and in charge of your actions and reactions..not the addiction.  It most certainly does get better...beyond your wildest dreams :)

Hang in there!!

[JackiMac]

Hi Jules and welcome on board, and congratulations on 19 days, unfortunately the nicotine demon is doing his damnest to entice you back, and there is no such thing as one puff, I can honestly tell you there isn't I threw away a 7 month quit on the stupid notion of one puff will do me no harm, we are nicotine addicts and need to guard our quits I had a wobble today and jumped on my exercise bike and cycled the thoughts away, do whatever it takes hunny just do not think that you can have one puff, you will get through it, post, read and commit to NOPE, be proud of what you have achieved and do not give the nicotine demon room to grow, you are doing brilliantly xxx

[scottinpa]

Hey Jules!!

first of all welcome to the quit train!

 

and what you are feeling and going through is normal... You just need to go with it and remember that no matter what you do not take a puff ever again!!

 

You can do it... it is not as impossible as you may feel it is right now.  It is all a head game now for you so play this game smart and do what you know is best for you.

 

something about the 3 week milestone is a weird time in the quit journey... just hold on and all of the sudden you will be looking back and saying to yourself " wow.. that wasnt really that bad"

 

Remember... Head games... and you can win!!

 

Welcome and keep us posted!!!

[ChRiSpY]

All part of the routine... quitting is hard and it really "sucks" sometimes.... but stay strong and hold on... the prize at the end is amazeballs!!!

[comrade simba]

Have you kept track of the number of craves you have already made it through? Five or six? Maybe a dozen or so? Perhaps more than that? You might also have gone through the same number as most of us - like HUNDREDS Auugh! Auugh!

 

The next crave will be no worse than the last, And by the same mechanics, less frequent as time goes on.

 

It'll be okay.

[Nicole Diver]

Welcome!

I sometimes got to the point that I wanted to box someone's ears in if I heard one more time that it would get easier.

 

But it really and truly does. And we are all here to support you 24-7

[Jeffrey]

Jules- Welcome. Hey I'm still wet behind the ears with 7 weeks and every day I stay quit

has made the coping and the experience easier. There is so much great  information posted

before me by all the knowledgeable and caring people. These are the same people who

reached out to me and told me the truth.

As it is, everyone's quit is different but Sazerac sums it up well saying, "Some days will be

hard, some will be easy...just like life."

I just didn't, "read," I "studied" all the posts before me....the people here today helped you,

me and themselves. I won't find this care and support in a pack of cigs.     All My Best,  Jeffrey

[queen greenlover]

Trust us Jules, NONE of US or at least very few of us would be free for some yrs if being quit was always suckey like it is early into your quit. Basically having it be "painful" is nicodemon's way of brainwashing you into returning to the smoking team. Just keep a diary about how thing are so down the road when things get sooooooooooooooooooooo much better you won't get cocky & think you can cheat. This is why we harp about NOPE all the time-trust me one puff & you're right back at zero days free. :rolleyes:  :rolleyes: 

[El Bandito]

Morning Jules!

 

Congratulations on 20 days.

 

Yep. It gets easier and easier.

 

Of course, you can have just one. It just makes life so much better. You stink again, you feel like you have let yourself down and of course you have the joys of the first few days withdrawal symptoms again.

 

Hmmmm...

 

Jules, there is no 'one' and if there was, why would you want it?

 

You are doing great, make sure you get yourself something cool to reward yourself. Tomorrow it will be 3 weeks!

[action]

Morning Jules, hope you are felling a bit better today - and hope to see you today, too :)

[Pippa]

Hey Jules - welcome aboard and to answer your question - it does get better ... Read up and stick close - you will find great support here

 

Oh - and congrats on a great quit to date ... Doing great

[Jules]

Jules, as you may have noticed, many of us like to keep track of our quits with quit meters in our signatures.  If you would like one, too, instructions for several types are below:

 

You make your own ticker...If you want one similar my top one click on mine, it will take you to the Ticker Factory website. Click All Tickers on the right, and then Event under Wedding, Birthday, Anniversary, and you can choose your own wording, etc.   You enter your information and create your ticker.  Then, copy the address they give you.  Come back here and click on My Profile (in drop down by your name) and the click Edit Profile.  Select signature on the left side, and then paste the address in the signature box.  When you click Save Changes the ticker appears!  

Just a note…The ticker doesn't always show up on the smartphone version of the posts, but you will be able to see it appear on the PC and tablet versions.

 

If you want one similar my bottom one go to

 

Tina's Quit Meter

 

Create your ticker, and instead of copying the address, right click on the ticker and Copy Image, and then come paste in signature box.  Lots of us have two tickers because we like the pretty top one, but like that the bottom one keeps track of the cigs we have not smoked and the money.  I hope this helps!

 

Another one that is popular comes from TickerClub.  Go there and choose the Smoking category.  Make your ticker, copy address, come back to Edit signature and paste address...when you click Save Changes your ticker will appear!

 

 

For one like the one above, just click on it and it will take you to the site.   Make your ticker, copy address, come back to Edit signature and paste address...when you click Save Changes your ticker will appear!

Thank you Nancy and I'm going to make time to create a proper profile. After one SOS message I'm overwhelmed by the support I've received. Everyone has been so nice and offered amazing advice and I definitely feel much better today! BUT, I know this is going to be an ongoing battle and I will need support for a long time to come. Thank you to everyone who took the time to message me, it means a lot. x