Search Cranky76 so real and empowering
Hi all,
Well last night I had the most vivid dream about looking everywhere for a cigarette!! It was like I could see and feel myself squashing my hand bag in desperation for my pack of smokes. Wow over 70 days and this can still happen.
Alongside Lia, Dobbin, Steve the muso and Johnnie (all longer term quitters) a person who I admire so much is Cranky76. She tells it like it! Cravings and the habit ARE real, it's how we deal with them that matters most.
For anyone looking for inspiration, encouragement and acknowledgement of feelings, please take the time to read her stories. Her support team was huge when she needed the most and not one of them made light of how she felt!!
Gosh I love her posts and just as much, the real deal support she received.
I know when I first joined, she was truly there for me.
All I can say is thank bloody goodness it was a dream.
Kim, i had a dream similar around 2mths back. In the dream i saw myself rolling a fresh cigarette and actually lighting it and experiencing the actual smoking. I then woke up in fright and went to make a cup of tea in the middle of the night. I was so relieved it was a dream. I can only imagine that the sub conscience mind is still thinking of smoking even though we may be asleep. However, i have not experienced similar dreams since. And yes "Cranky 76" is a real inspiration. Cheers.
Hi Kim26. After nearly 2 years smoke free, "Margaret Thatcher" still visits me. She has an ongoing strategy. Get me to think I am chain smoking as I sleep. Imagine my disappointment as I slumber. Upon waking up, I realise what has happened. There is no easy way out of my this. Nor do we expect it to be. What's more, in my slumber, I actually enjoy the "cigarettes". Hang in there here.
Hi Johnnie,
I can fully understand you're fright because that's how I felt. It's funny because I can go great lengths of time now without even thinking of cigs so yes, it's in the subconscious mind for sure. What is great is that I'm able to just ride with whatever now. Stress still being my main trigger but even then, I find I'm getting better in dealing with that also. It is such a powerful addiction and I read around the 10 month mark, Cranky was getting one craving after another out of nowhere.
Power to her for never giving in. Cheers.
Hi Lia,
Love the name for your cravings haha!! I couldn't actually feel the smoke going down or anything else like that but that's what made me search and I came across Crankys posts and I thought they may help so many with this struggle. I meant every word I said though about her supporters! You guys were awesome in your responses to her because it's not an easy ride and this is just my opinion, but if I read that it is or that if someone still has urges to smoke that they are set for failure it drives me bonkers because that's so not true and can actually lead to a person feeling disempowered rather than the other way around. Most of us smoked for years, it's all we knew. Most of us are still learning new ways to deal with certain situations and I think that's okay and should be okay to say out loud. I'm sure they set this site up for that very reason knowing that it isn't easy but can be done. All our bad habits don't just disappear in a short time. We learn as we go and we learn from each other on this site also.
I'm sincerely grateful to so many who have shared their journeys because I am forever learning that this can be done. It gets better with time and we become more resilient. That being said though, I know for me personally, I could never have just one as I know what that would lead to.
I'm sticking with the mantra that Flora recently posted, Not One Puff Ever N.O.P.E.
Gosh I love that!!!
I know it was just a dream and I will still continue to choose not to smoke.
aah those dreaded smoke dreams. They are definitely nightmarish in that they seem so real. Its been well over 6 months since Ive had one but i do recall having a few of them and just how vivid they were. What a relief when reality hits us!