how to not start up again! or. Smokeaholics?

[rajjer]

I had a stent placed in an artery ( blockage from smoking) six months ago. My last cigarette was the day before the stent. So I quit for six months. Cold turkey, no patches or gum. But it still nags me to have 'one". Like when having a drink. I'm afraid if I have that one, I'll be starting up again. I guess what I'm asking is is smoking like being an alcoholic, an alcoholic can quit and still be an alcoholic. Am I a smoker for life, who fights it every day, but is still a smoker even thou he doesn't smoke? How does one keep from stating up again?

[teko]

People that I know have quit smoking and some of them said that after years and years, all of a sudden they still would love to have a smoke. I think it is because we all enjoyed it and did it for that reason mainly. We quit because of the health associations, not because we hated doing it.

Most tell me that you think mostly about it for the first year, not so bad you cannot handle it but more during that first year and then it goes to once in a great while or when in situations where smoking was dear to your heart like in a social setting or when something tragic happens. The key is mind over matter. How to stay quit is to never ever take that first puff. If you do.... game over......

[Jade59]

Yes, rajjer, congrats on 6mos!  

I c/t quit 10mos ago (my 5th try in nearly 4yrs because I thought I could take that "one" puff) and I am now an ex-smoker who is an addict of nicotine and always will be.  I can never have that "one" puff and the way you stay quit is to never pick them up again.  View your quit as a precious gift and guard it with everything in you. I will think of that "one" if I'm very stressed out, but know the craving will pass as soon as I calm down.  I won't lie, I've not been perfect, but has been 5mos since literally a moment of error in judgement.  
--
10m 2d 11:33 smoke-free, 3,082 cigs not smoked, $847.55 saved, 1w 3d 16:50 life saved

[female35yrs]

Congrats on your quit!  I am only 18 days into mine, but I have had past quits that were much longer (2 + yrs).  What I learned from it is that I am a smoking/nicotine addict.  I am currently quit and now an ex-smoker, but I will always be an addict.  The only way to not become an active addict/smoker again, is for me to NEVER have even 1 drag of a smoke ever again.  

In the past, I figured that since I was quit for so long that I could get away with just a drag here and there and that would be ok, but as soon as I took that drag I ended up being a full on smoker again within a short time.  Other people who ended up smoking again after a quit have told me similar stories.  I think that as long as you and I don't have even a drag off a smoke and remind ourselves why we quit, then we should both be fine.  In my opinion, we are like alcoholics who quit and have to remember to not have even 1 drag as we will become full on smoking addicts again if we do.  One smoke becomes a million.  Again, congrats on your quit, it's a great gift to give yourself and worth it!!

[brice1967]

Yes sir.... you're probably always going to be thinking of having "just one".  I quit once for about 4 years.  It got to the point where I wasn't thinking about it often.... but when the thought did hit me it hit like a ton of bricks.

I am only 52 days into this quit.  I can drink and not crave any tobacco.  I talked to my mom yesterday who is an ex smoker. (She smoked for about 45 years)  She told me that the only time she craves a smoke is at gatherings with friends.... while everyone is having cocktails.

It's our cross to bear.  Just remember that you're far healthier without it.  Your heart is thanking you too by the way.

Be strong man....

[opus88]

hi, your questions are all ones I struggle with myself too....for me its been just over 100 days and yes I too could still grab one anytime and start the slippery slope.
I do believe its the same as an addiction to alcohol or anything else...once an addict always an addict and we are all just a heartbeat away from being right back in the throw of things...
We will have to fight it everyday rajjer, I'm just hoping time will make the fight easier.
Do we still have to refer to ourselves as smokers? No, I call myself an ex-smoker or ex-smokeaholic!!
Keep up the fight!