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Jayhawk

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  1. Jayhawk
    It's been awhile since my last post.. A Lot has happened..
     
    I have been smoke and nicotine free for over a month!
     
    I have been in a few social situations involving alcohol and people smoking (both triggers). I have made it through without issue. Big accomplishment for me.
     
    I have been exercising regularly.. breathing is getting much easier.
     
    My mind wonders ocassionally (couple of times per day) but a quick distraction or deep breath and any craving or thought about smoking goes away.
     
    Still taking it one day at a time.. I realize that I am not completely out of the woods, but I is definitely getting better!
  2. Jayhawk

    Day 1 - 24 of my quit

    By Jayhawk,

    Hello
    I wanted to start this blog to capture my quit journey and staying nicotine free.
    For me this started 22-July (24 days ago)
     
    I just had enough. I was tired of the coughing and having to plan my life around smoking breaks. In addition to being healthier, I wanted to a better role model for my kids. I didn't want to have to hide or lie about my addiction anymore.
     
    For the most part I quit cold turkey.. I did use nicotine gum for the first couple of days.
    I stopped when I realized I was just prolonging my addiction.. I realize this method isn't for everyone and NRT is better and healthier that smoking.
     
    I can honestly say that the first two weeks were hard.. I was cranky, and had cravings.. to get by, I did isolate myself as much as possible.. To pass the time (when not at work) I binge watched a couple of TV shows.. in addition, I spent slot of time on similar sites reading quit stories and postings.. I also exercised on the treadmill to distract myself and to combat any weight gain. I have actually lost 4 lbs since I quit!
     
    At the start of week 3, I had my first (of 3) dreams where I was smoking.. luckily it was just a dream.. my mind just playing a trick on me.. This phase didn't last long.. during this week I did have some nights were sleeping was difficult. During this week I took a 3 day vacation with my family.. it was great not to have to sneak off and find a place to smoke.
     
    I am now in week 4.. I feel "normal" for the most part and only minimal cravings or thoughts about smoking. At this point I am so glad I am nicotine free because I know my body chemistry is returning to normal.. I believe it is called nicotine downregulation.. basically withdrawal symptoms stop around 1-2 months and it takes 3 months for the brain to return to "normal". I am not an expert here but the addiction and withdrawals are some of the main reasons why it is hard to quit.. for me this is an important milestone..
     
    Time to pause and think of a away to reward myself.. any thoughts? I am thinking about another piece of exercise equipment.. stationary bike .. not sure but running is hard on my feet and knees so I need to supplement the treadmill., I still have 25 lbs to loose to hit my weight goal and I hope to run a my first 5k this fall..
     
    I am new to "blogging" any suggestions for future entries?
     
    I am doing this to capture my thoughts and it helps my through the process.. I also want an account of my thoughts to possibly share with my wife and kids one day.
     
    also I really hope I can be a help to people that are starting their smoke free journey..
     
    One minute/ One day at a time.. I promise it gets easier!

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QuitTrain®, a quit smoking support community, was created by former smokers who have a deep desire to help people quit smoking and to help keep those quits intact.  This place should be a safe haven to escape the daily grind and focus on protecting our quits.  We don't believe that there is a "one size fits all" approach when it comes to quitting smoking.  Each of us has our own unique set of circumstances which contributes to how we go about quitting and more importantly, how we keep our quits.

 

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