Robbie

Very interesting reading this post, I can understand that once we are over the initial phase of getting the addiction under control, there is much more work to be done. I hope I'm up for the challenge!

Hi everyone, I was really struggling with depression last night, very low mood and lots of tears...but I had a good sleep and made it through to a new day. I was having thoughts about smoking quite a bit as there is no doubt that it gives an artificial (and deadly) lift to the brain, that rush of dopamine which I have no substitute for. I don't even drink coffee or drink alcohol, so no relief there! I pushed myself out for a quick walk in the dark and that seemed to help a little. I am on day 31 and hoping that my brain chemistry will slowly adapt to not needing that rush, as it's supposed to, but I guess that could take some months. Meanwhile, it's tough at times while dealing with depression as well, but I'm sticking with my quit as best I can. My sense of smell and taste is slowly returning again (I missed them!), so that is something positive!

Very powerful article...thank you.

Hi Gus, my advice is to not try to stop the tears, I cried for days after quitting and still do sometimes. I read an article that states that quitting smoking can bring on symptoms similar to clinical depression and I'm sure that is true for some of us unfortunately. Don't know about you, but I'm worse (with depression) in the mornings and I think that first cigarette of the day used to sort of 'shock' my body and brain into alertness. But what an awful way to wake up with a cocktail of chemicals blasting through the brain and body! I try deep breathing in the mornings now, which sounds simple but it helps as I used to cough terribly after my first cigarette....after nearly one month I'm starting to feel my breath coming easier and it's a good feeling too. I have used a nicotine spray instead of a patch and that means I can use it when I feel an urge to smoke which may be a few times a day or not that often as things improve. I feel your pain Gus, but the benefits of being off the cigarettes start to accumulate. I am on day 28 but this is not my first quit but doing my best to make it my last! All the best to you.

Thanks everyone for your messages, it means a lot to me! Good to meet you Gus, and I'm so glad that you survived 'Hell Week', I've put myself through this a few times as I stopped smoking and then started again about four times this year...I decided I couldn't keep doing it to myself and found this forum. You are doing so well to be up to six weeks! Abbey, yes the tears are quite exhausting and one friend suggested to me yesterday that I'm clinically depressed which I'm sure that I am, but I just have to stay with it and hope that it lifts as I continue staying off the cigarettes. Luckily here in Australia we are doing well with the pandemic, very few cases and they are mostly in quarantine so are contained, we don't even have to wear masks at present which is a relief...but of course this could all change at anytime. I'm absolutely sure that I don't have Covid, because with the way my lungs are, I'd probably be dead by now if I had it. I was a little scared about the loss of taste and smell as apparently this is a symptom of Covid, but it's definitely a really heavy head cold which can cause the loss as well (thank you Dr. Google!) Fortunately it's starting to improve now, I can breathe through my nose again, but alas no smell. Your post is a great help, thanks so much Abbey. Thanks Jillar for the link to the grief article, I'm sure that's happening too as cigarettes seemed to feel like a 'comfort' but I know it was not real and they were simply killing me. Good to be writing that in the past tense. Not quite sure which stage of the grief cycle I'm in, I seem to be stuck in depression unfortunately. One thing I noticed recently is that large 'chunks' of the day disappear before I think "Oh, I haven't had a cigarette, isn't that good!" and next thing I know I can add another day to the quit list. Even though I've had to stay home a lot from being unwell and have been quite lost, the thought of smoking hasn't dominated my whole day. I'm hoping this will improve as time goes by. Anyway, a heartfelt thank you to everyone for your comments and posts here, it's wonderful to feel supported on this tough journey out of the smoky haze I've been living in!

Hi everyone, I'm battling so hard! Up to 21 days quit still, but I caught a nasty head cold three days ago and have been stuck at home on my own feeling bad. I certainly use activity as a means of staying away from smokes and it works very well I find, so I'm now on day four of just hanging around at home with not much energy or things to do and thinking more and more about having a cigarette. It is actually the last thing that I need as I have a congested nose and cough, but the long empty hours mean my thoughts turn that way more often. I struggled to the supermarket and was fearful that I wouldn't be able to stop myself from buying a pack, but I just took some extra nicotine spray and was ok. Oh and the other awful thing is that I have completely lost my sense of taste and smell! I was being rewarded for quitting by getting my sense of smell back and was so enjoying that and now it's gone. Certainly hoping that comes back soon as my enjoyment of flavours has also been reduced. Generally just feeling very, very miserable......

Dianne, most people will agree that the first three days are the worst when quitting, so you're through one of them. Do you have a plan to help get yourself through? Lots of helpful suggestions here; walking or any form of exercise, drinking lots of fluids, keeping busy and the company of a non-smoking friend if possible. Plenty of sleep will help too. You will have to trust us that it will get better! I'm only on day 14 after multiple attempts to quit and this forum has helped a lot. I have breathing problems too and for some the improvement is huge after quitting, but for me it's slower as I have damaged my lungs a lot after 40 plus years of smoking. Do you have a nicotine replacement to help you through these tough days? Some use patches but I've found a nicotine spray very good for those strong cravings. I hope things improve for you soon. All the best.

This is lovely, I guess just knowing that people here take the time to post means that they care. Sounds very tough Kate, but you got through it!

Thanks everyone and Craig, for your heartfelt post. I had tears in my eyes reading it. I am trying to be kind to myself and just let the feelings and cravings come and go as you suggested. I realise that a lot of what I am experiencing is due to the chemical addiction and it's not just nicotine but hundreds of chemicals that my body has to adjust to going without, and that's just the physical side! The mental cravings can linger on. Mostly I'm doing alright as if I think about having a cigarette, I also think about starting to cough and trying to get my breath again...horrible! I find this forum helpful for many reasons and reading through the posts in the mornings sets up my resolve not to smoke for the day. Have noticed that my sense of smell is returning, so I make a point of smelling something lovely every day. Thanks again everyone for your support, it's helping me a great deal!

Yes I have had strong feelings like that too Barb63, I cried almost non-stop for the first three days of this quit. I also felt like I may have a breakdown at times, but I'm feeling more 'stable' now thankfully. I'm eight days off the cigarettes. You are doing so well and to not have a cough or breathlessness anymore must be a huge boost to your confidence! I'm not coughing now, but still short of breath at times, really hoping that improves. Sometimes I get an urge to smoke and it's a bit like someone punching me in the stomach, but I have to stay strong as I really can't go back to smoking. Sounds like it would be a very bad move for you too! All the best Barb.

Welcome Barb63, I am another new person too. It is really tough if you are on your own (I am) and this forum will be a big help. I am 65 and have early stages COPD after smoking for 40 plus years, it's a scary disease but I'm not too bad as long as I stay off the cigarettes. I use a little device called an 'AirPhysio' which helps strengthen the lungs after years of wrecking them. Can totally relate to those thoughts of wanting to ask people for a cigarette! The other thing I notice is when I have stopped smoking, every thing I watch on TV seems to have someone sucking on a cigarette. I'm using a nicotine spray and when things get really tough, I spray that in my mouth on the inside of my cheek...it seems to knock the craving. I am 6 days into quitting, but I have tried a few times in the past, my longest was 40 days. Best to stay away from friends who smoke (I have one), walk a lot and drink lots of water. It's great to have some support here....all the best!

Thanks everyone, some great advice and thoughts here. I'm up to day 5 and just sort of dragging myself through each day, but not in tears so much. Trying to stay strong because each time that I restart my quitting I just have to go through these fairly horrible first few days...I've started and stopped a few times this year. We are heading into Winter here in Australia and today is freezing and rainy, so that makes it hard to go out walking, but I'm also reminding myself that Winter is the worst time for me as a smoker as I seem to cough non-stop. This Winter will be better! JackiMac thanks for your post. I often used to think 'oh I'm too depressed to stop smoking' but I have to just get through it this time as I have suffered from depression for a long time. At present, I'm feeling quietly confident, but as we all know it can be 'skating on thin ice' at the start! Thanks again for taking the time to post every one.

Thanks Steven, yes it's especially tough with any mental illness. I really appreciate the support from the quit train already as I don't have any from anywhere else. I've also found walking and drinking water helpful, as is the nicotine mouth spray for when the cravings get serious. Thanks everyone!

Thanks everyone, yes I do suffer from depression and am on medication for it, but it gets a lot worse when I stop smoking. I just have to tough it out and hope that things improve. As cbdave mentioned the cost of smoking in Australia is outrageous...roughly $1.60 per cigarette these days and those are mostly fairly poor quality imported cigarettes! Our government just rakes in the taxes! Anyway I'm up to day four and going to treat myself to a massage with the money I have saved already and hope that the tears dry up today.

Hi, my name is Robbie (female) and I live in Australia. I Googled 'quit smoking forums' and didn't find much in Australia, so have ended up here; I guess the journey off nicotine is much the same the world over anyway! I have stopped smoking a few times especially this year and mostly just last a few days or weeks...my best effort was 40 days before a 'friend' offered me a cigarette and I stupidly took it and smoked it. I've been using a nicotine spray in the mouth which seems to help although I have only stopped three days ago. My biggest problem is terrible depression when I'm off the cigarettes. I basically cry a lot and feel very low in mood and spirits, so of course this is happening again but this time I'm going to 'tough it out' as best I can. I don't have any support people around me and it gets very hard at times. My addict brain tells me just to go and buy a packet, because unfortunately they do help lift the depression temporarily, but I have a multitude of health problems related to too many years of smoking. Already I find my breathing is better, but I'm very, very tearful! I mentioned it to my doctor during my last attempt but he didn't seem particularly interested and wasn't helpful. I'm sure others would have had this depression, I'm not especially irritable, just crying a lot most days. Any thoughts from other quitters? Thanks