A sudden urge
I am onto day 46 of my quit. For the last four weeks or so I have not had a craving for a cigarette whatsoever. I have been doing great and feeling great. I can be around smokers and the thought of having a cigarette doesn't even cross my mind. However, at about 3am this morning I woke from a rather unsettling dream. It was one of those sorts of dreams that seem to go on forever. When I woke I felt troubled and anxious and for some reason craved a cigarette. There was absolutely no way I was going to have a cigarette as I am past that stage (I have come so far and I am not going back!!!). I rode out the craving (which didn't last all that long) and tried to go back to sleep....unsuccessfully (today is going to be a long day!!!). What my experience highlighted to me is that I will probably never be totally free from the temptation of nicoteen. It will always be lurking there somewhere in my subconscious. I understand that I have to recognise where I am at risk of temptation and have strategies in place to be able to deal with it. What this morning's experience put into perspective for me is how people who have been a long time quit (e.g. 6 months, 12 months or even 5 years) can suddenly feel the desire to light up (and do) for no apparent reason.
You hit the nail on the head. That craving comes back unannounced and you just have to expect it. I doubt if a smoker will ever not have at some stage a desire to light up. Let's face to, it has been such a pleasurable habit for many years. Hard to forget. Unlike a non smoker who has never experienced lighting up. Now there is someone who won't be getting those cravings. At least you now know this will be on ongoing thing and you will know how to react and not cave in.
Quitting is an internal battle between your conscious self (who wants to quit) and your incredibly strong unconscious self (who has got used to the regular high of nicotine). I think smoking in dreams and cravings in the middle of the night will probably always happen but, as you say, we just have to ride them out. Every act of resistance builds strength.
Good luck with it.
You are doing great, the body craving for nictotine is strong but you have to be stronger.
Congratulations on coming this far in your quit attempts. I think in life it is trial & error with smoking. Until you finally find your way freely & completely right out of this terrible & awful addiction. Keep up the good work. And keep on trying until you totally succeed. Good luck on the road to becoming a healthy & happier
non smoker.