9 Month Issues

[Ramona]

Seems to me that months 9-12 are going to be more challenging than months 6-9.  Why??!?

 

In 2009 I relapsed in the middle of my ninth month.  I've definitely been experiencing a heightened crave level.  What's going on??????  Are there any articles or resources which speak to this phenomenon?  It's really irritating to say the least!

[El Bandito]

Spooky.

 

I just posted on this on Jess' confession thread.

 

"The thrill is gone. It's done. You know that you can quit, so why not start again? I'm young, I may as well enjoy myself...then the day before the smoke that guarantees me an agonising death, I'll stop."

 

Simple right?

 

I threw a quit at 9 months. Not once, but twice.

 

I believe that the real issue was not killing the illusion that I enjoyed smoking. In my heart, I still believed that I would smoke if I knew that there would be no damage. This time, I have truly understood the nature of the con, of the addiction.

 

Laugh at your own mind playing tricks on you TEW. Say it really loud

 

Not One Puff Ever

[Still winning]

Yeah, that period of time does seem to see a mini revival for some. I think my crazy thoughts were a little earlier but I bought a rug, something more expensive then I would usually buy but very visual, so I could literally SEE how I could have nice things if I didn't spend the money on cigs. So that's my advice, buy something visual you love to remind yourself, yes I know it's not just about money but it did something to reset me.

 

Also there's something stuck in our heads about our "best ever quit time" I think. It's not a wobble as such but I wonder if something subconcious says, we did it before we could do it again. 

 

So that's the empathy part of it. Here's the real talk. You're free of nicotine now. What can get out of your body is gone. But you are still healing from it, you will forever be healing because our bodies are simply amazing and busy trying to fix all the damage we did. Let's be real, as humans we have a lot of dumb thoughts but we don't have to act on them. Try reading some bits again. Take a newbie under your wing so you can really remember what it was like in those early days I(I did this and it was a mutual win) and or just dig in. It is so frustrating and I know you don't plan to smoke but take some steps to help yourself feel better and back in control. Also simply telling myself smoking is not an option no matter what I faced helped and may help you. Once it's off the table you kinda have to find new ways :)

 

x

[Still winning]

Oh and I don't think it's a 3 month wobble! Not like the first 3 months or even close, it's just a few more thoughts than we're used to having and if we let them become something, they gain strength. Classic romancing the cig time but please don't talk yourself into 3 months of hell because you control these thoughts TEW, not the other way round. So take owndership, tell yourself you've come too far and the only way is forward as many times as you need to, and keep talking! Don't throw yourself off a great quit because you might find a bit of life harder...life does that, up's and down's. xx

[DCCXXVII]

TEW I believe you have come a long way since 2009... it won't happen again if you don't let it... you are much more the wiser so have a little faith in yourself

 

an irritation/crave won't kill you... you know you've got this... positive thoughts and energy your way :)

[Tink]

I was also struggling at the 9 month mark not a usual thing but it's not unusual either, but it really is in our own heads and we have complete control over it

 

could be many reasons for this:

 

Change in personal circumstances (that was mine)

 

Boredom

 

Fear of success (closing in on the year Mark - addict thinking this is it quit for good - fear and panic)

 

Reaching or passing a previous quit record (fear and lack of challenge, this happened to me after 6 months)

 

And there could be a whole host of other reasons

 

Tew, have a real sit down with yourself analyse what's really going on with YOU and the answer will present itself

 

You will always have the answer and the control,it's just a matter of finding it and when you do bingo you can Move on again xx

[beacon]

One reason this board was helpful in my quit was that I learned about common hot spots in the journey of a quit. I knew that at certain times, such as three months or 11 months, or at the change of seasons, etc,, some new quitters had more than usual craves. So when this happened to me, I knew it was normal and if I could use my tools and strength to ride them out, the craves would go away., and this is what I did. I craved because I had smoked for over 30 years and smoking is highly addictive. Simple as that. So please hold out, be strong, ignore the craves, because you are almost there when you will not have craves anymore.

[babs609]

man I remember 9 months being a tough one....AT TIMES...not all the time, but it sure did feel like it.  It does get better.....it really does....I even had a bit of irritation at the 11th month but I just told myself...one day at a time. This too shall pass...this too shall pass....and it did  :)

 

you are restless....that may be true.  Explore that...and you will probably find it has nothing to do with smoking....find out what it is.  Funny how are lizard brains automatically go there...blaming the quit.  All lies.  :)

[babs609]

oh and TEW...try not to anticipate that 9-12 will be hard......say it will be hard..and it sure will be.  Easy Peasy...you will make it to the lido deck girl....and you'll do it with a smile  :)

[Ramona]

Good advice here.

All very true and important to keep in mind.

The revival of my adrenaline system has got me real shook up...it's unbelievable.  

And I think the restlessness/boredom is another part for sure.

AND the mourning because this IS it.  Incredible challenge.

[Evelyn]

I suspect my hotspot CAN be orCAN NOT BE september, my crap and bull month, new season change, bleh but WHY keep a quit for nine months, standing strong and that throw it away like ash. I think and maybe I'm a bitch but it's really bull to loose your quit at that point, I felt agrivvated in Jess topic. Will there be wobbly days Teary AND JESS hell yeah but I don't care how crap i feel i rather break down the house so to speak then to light one. Am I tempted oh yeah I live amung smokers, breathe their smoke and discovered today an asswhole also smokes in the livingroom at nights which makes me pissed off like f it!!!

Am I having junkie thinking yup, pity smokers (yeah even let them buy smokes from my money) BUT I rather do a lot of others nasty things before I smoke. If I use it as an excuse for my mental health problems I'd never be able to quit, so do I occasionally harm myself yeah, do I throw mugs thru the room, yeah, cry? Yeah Yell, scream all of that YEAH!!!! BUT NO DAMN SMOKING!

 

If I EVER light sneaky one I'm back to squere one with excuses and pity for myself. I'm a tough lovenow yeah but also for myself.

 

Don't worry about my SH it's rare but it's to show that I rather pt one cut then EVER light one. Scars heal. Lungs are forever practicly damaged.

 

I hope I don't get misunderstood I never encourage someone to cut or ANYTHING if they have that problem but for me it works this way and I accept it and even if I ha'n't quit it would be like this anyway :) PLEASE I'm giving an example of how hard I draw the line no matter what; NOPE no matter what!!!

 

I'm a more ballanced yeah, wiser, yeah, less stinky ;) yeah, a tough love b*tch who starts to gets resemblings of St. and Bakon, yeah. BUT THATS WHAT addiction NEEDS!

 

Do I care for you Jess and TEW yea a lot. I hope did the right thing posting this and sorry it got so personal but it's my way of explaining how deep you need to draw the line in the sand smoker / no smoker!!!

 

Okay I really feel now like I'm gonna hurt someones feelings and I hope people, anyone who needs this post can look further then the kick under the *ss because for real I AM CARING and trying to HELP

[Evelyn]

I'm gonna copy and paste this to Jess' topic because I want to help her :)

[Ramona]

Evelyn - thanks for your honest post!!!  I can relate so much.

I, too, feel the line has to be drawn with that level of ferocity.

Let's do this, eh?

[Evelyn]

Yeah kick some fags ass!

[Evelyn]

And thanks for appreciating my honest post :)