Is this normal?

[deltawings]

Hey quittrain!

 

I haven't been around much lately, mostly because I've been busy, and to add up, my keyboard wasn't working. I know, lame reason! Sorry about that.

 

Since the last few months, it's been restless days and sleepless nights. I got my last smoking dream some time last month. I will be a year quit in a week, and honestly, I don't feel so confident yet. Ofcourse, it got better over the months. It's just that from time to time, the thoughts of smoking hit me. It was definitely nowhere near enough to get me to smoke. But I was wondering if this is normal? Any thoughts are welcome!

[beacon]

For me at 14 months I get some urges. I went through a small rough patch just after 1 year but I feel good now. I think this is normal. I stay on guard and come here to help and discuss if I need support.

[Nicole Diver]

Delta, so good to see you :wub:

You jet setter!

I think...that...having once been an addict, we are recovered (and free!) but of course we do not have amnesia.  We can still have thoughts from time to time.  Sometimes even the junkie will try and sneak up and goose a person.

But people think about a lot of things they don't actually do.

 

You know the old sayings "no one every regrets quitting smoking, everyone regrets starting smoking."  And "the ex smoker holds all the cards."

 

Once, a few months into my quit, I almost had the crazy thought that I had a little something over never smokers, b/c I got to experience the self empowerment of beating an addiction.  Silly, huh.  But really, when you think about it, we are all rock stars. :friends:

[Fay]

Deltawings, I think it is something we might have to live with for quite a while!  I'm at 1 1/2 years and just the other day had an urge.  But at this stage of my quit, it was just a fleeting thought and was gone as fast as it appeared! 

[Doreensfree]

After smoking being a part of our lives for so long...it's going to take a while for thoughts to disappear....if they ever do ...I donr know..

At the moment I still get thoughts....but they go quickly now....

As long as we don't act on our thoughts...it will get easier...

[Chrysalis]

Deltawing, almost a year already! Wow! Good for you!  :)

 

I'm 7 months quit and I think about smoking every day. They are brief thoughts--certainly nothing as strong as a craving-- but they are there. I really miss smoking a cigarette to relieve stress. Now I know that the only stress smoking relieves is the stress caused by nicotine in the first place. That is true. But still, smoking did relieve my stress and it was nice when all I had to do to relieve stress was to smoke a cigarette. Now I have to do something more active like go for a walk or practice yoga or something.  :wacko:

 

Now I look at smoking the way I look at chocolate. In addition to smoking, the other thing that is an instant stress reliever for me is chocolate. I LOVE chocolate!! But I don't eat it because it is fattening and also because I have diabetes. I COULD eat a few pieces of chocolate-- they won't kill me-- but I know that they are not good for me and that whatever stress I am feeling will go away eventually whether I eat chocolate or not. Same with cigarettes. I may want a cigarette but I know that they are not good for me and that I don't want to pay the price of slipping back into addiction. So I choose not to eat chocolate and I choose not to smoke. Neither one of them is a really difficult choice any more.

 

So, yes, I frequently think that I would like a cigarette. Then I immediately dismiss the thought. It's kind of annoying and I wish it didn't happen, but it does happen. So I deal with it. 

[Sazerac]

We really really messed up by having our first smoke

because we are addicts now.

The addiction does not go away.

You don't have to act on it,

it doesn't rule our lives anymore

but, the fact remains that we are addicts.

 

I use the now impotent thoughts

to keep me ever vigilant, ever committed to NOPE.

[Colleen]

Good to see you and yes, I think it's normal.  While I think it will get better as time goes by, we are never immune from those sort of thoughts.  It may stink, but I think it also serves to keep us on our toes, to never be so comfortable that we forget the hard work we put into our quits.

[action]

Hey Delta, last night I was watching a movie, and in the movie there was a chimp smoking a cigar (yes, I watch strange movies!)... I don't even like cigars, but it got me wondering if it tasted good to smoke that cigar... So, I guess the answer for meis yes, it still happens (but hardly ever)!

 

Keep on going, you are doing great!

[sgt.barney]

Nope.

 

Nobody but you every thinks of smoking.

 

It's not normal at all.

 

 

 

Easy Peasy

 

 

</sarcasm>

[MarylandQuitter]

Hey quittrain!

 

I haven't been around much lately, mostly because I've been busy, and to add up, my keyboard wasn't working. I know, lame reason! Sorry about that.

 

Since the last few months, it's been restless days and sleepless nights. I got my last smoking dream some time last month. I will be a year quit in a week, and honestly, I don't feel so confident yet. Ofcourse, it got better over the months. It's just that from time to time, the thoughts of smoking hit me. It was definitely nowhere near enough to get me to smoke. But I was wondering if this is normal? Any thoughts are welcome!

 

Completely normal!  You can't remove something that was so intertwined in your life, much less something so addictive and expect to not think of it from time to time or even often.  For everybody it's different.  Dreams of smoking are powerful and the last one I had I woke up, made coffee and logged into the forum and started reading; the entire time thinking in the back of my mind that I had relapsed!  After the powerful cup of black water sparked my brain back to life, I sighed a breath of relief that I was still reeling from the dream and in a bit of a fog.

 

I think of smoking every day.  The day I completely forget that I was a smoker is the day I could fall into a trap.  I'm not going to try and pretend that I never smoked and it doesn't bother that I used to.  I hate the fact that I used to but I can't go back and change it.  When I remember that I used to smoke I feel good about what I've achieved as a non-smoker and it just plain gives me peace.  When I was smoking the last thing I had was peace because of the inner turmoil knowing that I shouldn't be poisoning myself to an early grave.

 

Well, that's my 2¢.  :)

[bakon]

no more normal or less.  depends on whether you see it, smell it, or even taste it walking by.  I haven't smoked in over two years. went drinking the other day and when I came out of restroom I looked for my smokes on the bar. didn't want one until I couldn't find my pack. Its been gone two years and a few months

[Frezflops]

Yeah I think thats normal I am 2 years quit and although it does not happen often with me I occasionally will have a smoking dream and some random thoughts of smoking doesnt last long and it is very easy to dismiss it and laugh at the smoking dream.  

[Pippa]

Hey Delta - good to see ya ! I think it is normal - I still get thoughts od smoking - the difference now is that it is easy to acknowledge the thought and move on .... Something I never thought I would hear myself say early in my quit !! :-)