Quitting Smoking Blues

[Sazerac]

Here is an article I found googling around dealing with the Quitting Smoking Blues.

This is from the Very Well Mind website

 

Depression Related to Quitting Smoking

How to Deal With the Temporary Mood Changes

By Terry Martin | Reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD

Updated August 29, 2018

 

Quitting smoking is difficult enough when you're feeling happy.

Unfortunately, it can become further challenging due to depression—a common complaint early on in smoking cessation.

Knowing what you may experience as you work to become smoke-free can better prepare you for the journey ahead.

If you start to feel depressed after quitting tobacco and your low mood doesn't pass after a few weeks or gets worse,

be sure to check in with your doctor for advice.

 

Physical and Psychological Changes

 

Nicotine withdrawal is the primary reason for the temporary depression you may experience after quitting smoking.

When you use nicotine on a regular basis, your body and brain become dependent on it,

as the nicotine bonds with your brain receptors to trigger the release of dopamine, the "feel-good" hormone.

Once you stop smoking and are producing less dopamine than your body and mind have become accustomed to,

it is normal to react with low moods and depressed feelings.

 

Lack of nicotine also means losing the "companion" that you thought helped you manage everything from anger to fatigue,

which leaves most new ex-smokers feeling empty and adrift for a time.

Luckily, for most, the condition is a byproduct of smoking cessation and is temporary.

 

 

Some common symptoms of depression that you may experience when you stop smoking include:

Sleeplessness

Sadness

Difficulty concentrating

Anxiety or an "empty" feeling

Fatigue

Changes in appetite (eating more or less)

Loss of interest in hobbies and activities

Emotional irritability

You may experience one, some, or all of these at one point or another, and to varying degrees.

 

Coping Techniques

Quitting tobacco is a big change in lifestyle, and you should expect to react, to some degree, both emotionally and physically.

You are also at an increased risk of suffering a smoking relapse during periods of depression caused by smoking cessation.

It is hard to stay focused and maintain the resolve to not smoke when you're feeling low.

 

After years of smoking, it is possible that you began to bury your feelings behind a cloud of smoke.

 Cigarettes are used to deal with everything from anger to sadness to joy, causing smokers to often lean on tobacco to avoid difficult emotions.

It is healthy and productive to let those feelings out, even if you feel a little raw from the experience.

 

For depression that comes with smoking cessation, try some of the following ideas to improve your mood:

 

Get out of a quick walk.

Fresh air is always invigorating, and exercise releases endorphins in the brain, which are known to improve mood.

 

Set goals, but don't bite off more than you can chew.

Divide tasks related to your goals into small chunks that you feel good about accomplishing.

 

Spend time with people who make you feel good. 

 

When negative/sad thoughts come up about smoking,

remind yourself that you miss smoking mostly because it was an addiction,

and once you're healed, you won't feel this way.

 

Create a list of things you can do at a moment's notice when you're feeling the urge to smoke,

like do a crossword puzzle or call a supportive friend.

 

Jolting ourselves out of a negative thought pattern is often as simple as changing what we're doing.

 

Join a support group.

Meeting people who are going through the same struggle as you can help you know you're not alone and offer some much-needed support.

The American Lung Association's Freedom From Smoking program has groups all over the country,

or do some research to find other support programs in your local area.

 

While quitting smoking, the body and mind are in a state of transition,

and it's not uncommon for new ex-smokers to struggle with their emotions.

Don't worry if you are close to tears one moment and angry or sad the next.

The balance will return in time.

 

Change Your Mind, Change Your Life

 

One of the greatest challenges new ex-smokers face is an important change in perspective.

It is that shift in thinking from seeing smoking cessation as an exercise in deprivation 

to realizing that it is, in fact, one of the best gifts you'll ever give yourself.

This is a crucial step in the process of healing from nicotine addiction,

and it is with this transformation that many see their quit-related symptoms of depression begin to lift.

 

Pre-Existing Depression

If you have been diagnosed and/or treated for depression prior to quitting smoking,

it is important to let your doctor know ahead of time that you're planning to quit. 

Smoking cessation could make you susceptible to additional mood disturbances. 

 

Smoking also causes some medications to be metabolized more quickly,

so when you quit, prescriptions you're already taking might need to be adjusted.

Your doctor can monitor and correct dosages on any medications you might be on, if necessary.

 

Always be on alert for drastic mood changes and contact your doctor as soon as possible if anything out of the ordinary occurs.

If you're having thoughts of self-harm, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifelineat 800-273-8255.

 

A Word From Verywell

If the blues have come on since you quit smoking, remember that this is not uncommon.

As you are patient through this likely temporary phase, find comfort from your friends, family,

and keeping busy with healthier, more productive activities.

With time and dedication, these will become the more familiar sources of good feelings,

and smoking will become that thing that you thought used to bring you benefit.

 

You can also take comfort in knowing that millions of people have been through this process successfully before you,

and many include it among the most rewarding experiences of their lives.

Happier days are ahead, and with them will come a tremendous sense of pride and empowerment from overcoming this addiction.

 

Article Sources:

National Institutes of Mental Health. Depression. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recognize Signs of Depression. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/guide/depression-and-smoking.html

 

 

I would like to include Joel Spitzer's video and Resources Concerning Mental Health

 

 

 

 

 

[Mee]

1 hour ago, Sazerac said:

After years of smoking, it is possible that you began to bury your feelings behind a cloud of smoke.

 Cigarettes are used to deal with everything from anger to sadness to joy, causing smokers to often lean on tobacco to avoid difficult emotions.

Boy is that ever me.  Great article.  

[Sazerac]

Myself and many, many others hid emotions behind the veil of smoke.

 

It is eye opening to have emotions surface and use the opportunity to get very current and  honest with ourselves.

I feel this is one of the many gifts that comes with quitting smoking.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 30, 2018 by Sazerac

[Whispers]

When i quit smoking i lost what i thought was my best friend. When i would over think i would smoke, on the phone or watching a movie or a sporting event . When i would get angry and when i would wake up, with my coffee and after eating! The biggest time for me was when i was driving that long ride. Some days i would do nothing but i was ok if i had my pack of smokes. So this article sums it up perfectly. PS all i did was replace the cigg with a new best friend one that wouldn't be as toxic or try and kill me... Exercise and a plastic straw(after i got tired of the candy -mostly lollipops)

[notsmokinjo]

So the emotional side of quitting caught me a little off guard. A lot of the things I thought I had dealt with re-surfaced and there was a lot of stuff rearing its ugly head. Still got a ways to go to resolve a lot of it but I think in many was I am emotionally healthier now.

[Tyme2B]

Great article on what to possibly expect. Not everyone goes through this but most will in varying degrees. I did but it goes away....time heals. Just winning at quitting is a real “upper!” Totally worth it! 

[brand.new.ela]

I compare quitting to emerging from a cocoon. We are enveloped in something, not very pretty, and afterwards we emerge, new, different. This concerns both body and mind. The first weeks after quitting were a chance to observe anxiety and depression as physical, not mental experiences. That was intense but also very helpful on the further road.

[MLMR]

Nice article, I read it some months ago when I was preparing. For me, it's about finding balance. I have to stay alert for drastic mood changes on one side,  cause I know very well where they can get me. On the other hand, I try to realise that this proces takes time and also that to blame quitting for every bad mood/state just isn't right. Regardless of quitting, life continues. And life just happens to give me ups and downs and they might have been far worse if I would have been smoking.

 

I am also starting to realise the importance of the 'it's always there for me' factor.  Obviously I've learn to grow comfort in the idea of cigarettes being 'here for me'.   Though it's only two weeks, I am already a bit embarrased to look at it that way. So many things are here for me... not many of them 'always' and that's ofcourse where the temptation comes in, the temptation to look at cigarettes as if they were comfy, warm, friendly, non-judgemental and above all, ever available. etc. My friends, partner and family are here for me, but not always. So I will have to learn to ask for support in different ways. And even then, if they somehow are uncapable of being there at that moment, I'll have to learn that me reaching out means taking care of myself. My house is here for me, but it doesn't have arms and legs to clean itself, so I'll have to be more concious these days about making it a place where I feel at home and where I feel loved. Literally, the floor is here for me, the earth is there to carry me. Etc.

 

How I used to hate to be 'thankful on purpose', as a way of therapeutic brainwashing, ha. But more and more I start seeing the beauty in it, even when I don't feel like it yet. Fake it until you make it. Because I do have a lot to be thankful for and when the junky thoughts creep upon me, I want to be able to feel that, to use that so I can disarm the addiction and leave it for what it is: an irreversible, sleeping brainthing that, when left alone, is harmless, faceless and has no identity. Unlike myself!   

Edited September 5, 2018 by My life, my recovery

[brand.new.ela]

Love your post, My Life. Your mindset is great. 

[Stewie]

Thats the spirit. Keep pushing forward!

[Sazerac]

On 8/30/2018 at 10:37 AM, Sazerac said:

Here is an article I found googling around dealing with the Quitting Smoking Blues.

This is from the Very Well Mind website

 

Depression Related to Quitting Smoking

How to Deal With the Temporary Mood Changes

By Terry Martin | Reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD

Updated August 29, 2018

 

Quitting smoking is difficult enough when you're feeling happy.

Unfortunately, it can become further challenging due to depression—a common complaint early on in smoking cessation.

Knowing what you may experience as you work to become smoke-free can better prepare you for the journey ahead.

If you start to feel depressed after quitting tobacco and your low mood doesn't pass after a few weeks or gets worse,

be sure to check in with your doctor for advice.

 

Physical and Psychological Changes

 

Nicotine withdrawal is the primary reason for the temporary depression you may experience after quitting smoking.

When you use nicotine on a regular basis, your body and brain become dependent on it,

as the nicotine bonds with your brain receptors to trigger the release of dopamine, the "feel-good" hormone.

Once you stop smoking and are producing less dopamine than your body and mind have become accustomed to,

it is normal to react with low moods and depressed feelings.

 

Lack of nicotine also means losing the "companion" that you thought helped you manage everything from anger to fatigue,

which leaves most new ex-smokers feeling empty and adrift for a time.

Luckily, for most, the condition is a byproduct of smoking cessation and is temporary.

 

 

Some common symptoms of depression that you may experience when you stop smoking include:

Sleeplessness

Sadness

Difficulty concentrating

Anxiety or an "empty" feeling

Fatigue

Changes in appetite (eating more or less)

Loss of interest in hobbies and activities

Emotional irritability

You may experience one, some, or all of these at one point or another, and to varying degrees.

 

Coping Techniques

Quitting tobacco is a big change in lifestyle, and you should expect to react, to some degree, both emotionally and physically.

You are also at an increased risk of suffering a smoking relapse during periods of depression caused by smoking cessation.

It is hard to stay focused and maintain the resolve to not smoke when you're feeling low.

 

After years of smoking, it is possible that you began to bury your feelings behind a cloud of smoke.

 Cigarettes are used to deal with everything from anger to sadness to joy, causing smokers to often lean on tobacco to avoid difficult emotions.

It is healthy and productive to let those feelings out, even if you feel a little raw from the experience.

 

For depression that comes with smoking cessation, try some of the following ideas to improve your mood:

 

Get out of a quick walk.

Fresh air is always invigorating, and exercise releases endorphins in the brain, which are known to improve mood.

 

Set goals, but don't bite off more than you can chew.

Divide tasks related to your goals into small chunks that you feel good about accomplishing.

 

Spend time with people who make you feel good. 

 

When negative/sad thoughts come up about smoking,

remind yourself that you miss smoking mostly because it was an addiction,

and once you're healed, you won't feel this way.

 

Create a list of things you can do at a moment's notice when you're feeling the urge to smoke,

like do a crossword puzzle or call a supportive friend.

 

Jolting ourselves out of a negative thought pattern is often as simple as changing what we're doing.

 

Join a support group.

Meeting people who are going through the same struggle as you can help you know you're not alone and offer some much-needed support.

The American Lung Association's Freedom From Smoking program has groups all over the country,

or do some research to find other support programs in your local area.

 

While quitting smoking, the body and mind are in a state of transition,

and it's not uncommon for new ex-smokers to struggle with their emotions.

Don't worry if you are close to tears one moment and angry or sad the next.

The balance will return in time.

 

Change Your Mind, Change Your Life

 

One of the greatest challenges new ex-smokers face is an important change in perspective.

It is that shift in thinking from seeing smoking cessation as an exercise in deprivation 

to realizing that it is, in fact, one of the best gifts you'll ever give yourself.

This is a crucial step in the process of healing from nicotine addiction,

and it is with this transformation that many see their quit-related symptoms of depression begin to lift.

 

Pre-Existing Depression

If you have been diagnosed and/or treated for depression prior to quitting smoking,

it is important to let your doctor know ahead of time that you're planning to quit. 

Smoking cessation could make you susceptible to additional mood disturbances. 

 

Smoking also causes some medications to be metabolized more quickly,

so when you quit, prescriptions you're already taking might need to be adjusted.

Your doctor can monitor and correct dosages on any medications you might be on, if necessary.

 

Always be on alert for drastic mood changes and contact your doctor as soon as possible if anything out of the ordinary occurs.

If you're having thoughts of self-harm, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifelineat 800-273-8255.

 

A Word From Verywell

If the blues have come on since you quit smoking, remember that this is not uncommon.

As you are patient through this likely temporary phase, find comfort from your friends, family,

and keeping busy with healthier, more productive activities.

With time and dedication, these will become the more familiar sources of good feelings,

and smoking will become that thing that you thought used to bring you benefit.

 

You can also take comfort in knowing that millions of people have been through this process successfully before you,

and many include it among the most rewarding experiences of their lives.

Happier days are ahead, and with them will come a tremendous sense of pride and empowerment from overcoming this addiction.

 

Article Sources:

National Institutes of Mental Health. Depression. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recognize Signs of Depression.

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/guide/depression-and-smoking.html

 

 

 

Well darling nicotine free creatures,

Since January is almost over, February approaching and the Sun is thin,

many feel dark as well, some have SAD, some ARE sad.

Turn on your sun lamps, find the sun and expose your face and hands, take your Vit D3 and B's and C's.

 

Hang in there, the Light is coming back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sazerac]

bump for @FUNKYFUNJO

[Sazerac]

bump for @Ikea

[Roark]

This is very true.

 

A few days ago I thought about my dog that passed over 2 years ago.  I reached for my pack of cigarettes before I even realized I had done it.  They weren't there.

 

I ended up having to pull my truck over to the side of the road.  I cried for half an hour.

 

The cigarettes helped me suppress the loss.  Is that a good thing?  I don't know.  Maybe.  The loss of that sweet dog (at 19 - she was tough) almost killed me at the time and I had a hard time holding it together.  But since then I have clearly been hiding from it.  That's why my hand reached out for that pack that wasn't there.

 

I've also been dragging around a craving for days since then.  And I also think a lot of the depression I have been feeling since quitting isn't about "my friend, the missing cigarettes" but about all of the issues I've repressed in the 20 years I was smoking.

 

Guess I'll get to cry on the side of the road more.  Joy.

 

Better than smoking.

[jillar]

@Roark, the emotions you're feeling are completely normal for where you are in your quit. Some of us get angry and others get sad. And yes, it is much better than smoking!

You are doing great and just keep reminding yourself that this too shall pass and once it does you'll see just how worth it all this misery was

[Mee]

1 hour ago, Roark said:

The loss of that sweet dog (at 19 - she was tough)

Wow 19 years is a long life for a dog.  Roark, you do reach a point where you can grieve without reaching for those cigarettes.  

 

[Reciprocity]

Hey Roark! We all used smoking to hide from real life issues in some manner or other.

Don't be sad for your past; be happy for your future because now you're quitting and that's something you can control!  

[Doreensfree]

I find I can deal with life challenges better now I don't smoke ,I don't have the nicotine withdrawal to cope with on top of everything else ...it does get easier R ...I've just lost my lifelong partner....

And never once thought a smoke would make it better ...it never even entered my mind ...

When i was a smoker ..the least tiny problem i would smoke more ...smoking gets us all wound up ...

Take some really good deep breaths ...take in that lovely fresh air ...

[Sazerac]

10 hours ago, Roark said:

I've also been dragging around a craving for days since then.

 

This is a huge red flag.  This trigger, if not stomped out, can lead you NOWHERE.

Do not let smokey thoughts get any kind of traction in your brain, Roark.

Flush them out and replace them with thoughts of kindness, thoughts of beauty, re-visit a treasured memory

or, 'move a muscle, change a thought'.

These thoughts are junkie thoughts and all about addiction...nothing about YOU.

 

Your emotions will settle down and you will learn how to care for yourself, how to trust yourself, how to listen to yourself.

Please treat yourself with extra kindness through this time where you may feel very exposed and vulnerable.

Bank up the fires of your inner strength and power.  Protect your quit.  You are winning.

 

You may find this post about Red Flags helpful.

[Roark]

Thank you for the article @Sazerac

 

 

[Sazerac]

6 minutes ago, Roark said:

Thank you for the article @Sazerac

 

 

 

 

I am so glad you found it useful, Roark.

The more you communicate your concerns and experience the easier it is to send things that might help your way.

You will also resonate with many, we have our personal quits but, we often are in solidarity over concerns and anxieties involved in all of our quits.

 

Congratulations on your quit.  Protect it and be really kind to yourself.

[Roark]

On 8/30/2019 at 9:26 PM, Linda Thomas said:

Wow 19 years is a long life for a dog.  Roark, you do reach a point where you can grieve without reaching for those cigarettes.  

 

 

@Linda Thomas - She was a good girl.  She deserves honest grieving and I'm working that way.

Edited September 1, 2019 by Roark

[Sazerac]

On 8/30/2018 at 10:37 AM, Sazerac said:

Here is an article I found googling around dealing with the Quitting Smoking Blues.

This is from the Very Well Mind website

 

Depression Related to Quitting Smoking

How to Deal With the Temporary Mood Changes

By Terry Martin | Reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD

Updated August 29, 2018

 

Quitting smoking is difficult enough when you're feeling happy.

Unfortunately, it can become further challenging due to depression—a common complaint early on in smoking cessation.

Knowing what you may experience as you work to become smoke-free can better prepare you for the journey ahead.

If you start to feel depressed after quitting tobacco and your low mood doesn't pass after a few weeks or gets worse,

be sure to check in with your doctor for advice.

 

Physical and Psychological Changes

 

Nicotine withdrawal is the primary reason for the temporary depression you may experience after quitting smoking.

When you use nicotine on a regular basis, your body and brain become dependent on it,

as the nicotine bonds with your brain receptors to trigger the release of dopamine, the "feel-good" hormone.

Once you stop smoking and are producing less dopamine than your body and mind have become accustomed to,

it is normal to react with low moods and depressed feelings.

 

Lack of nicotine also means losing the "companion" that you thought helped you manage everything from anger to fatigue,

which leaves most new ex-smokers feeling empty and adrift for a time.

Luckily, for most, the condition is a byproduct of smoking cessation and is temporary.

 

 

Some common symptoms of depression that you may experience when you stop smoking include:

Sleeplessness

Sadness

Difficulty concentrating

Anxiety or an "empty" feeling

Fatigue

Changes in appetite (eating more or less)

Loss of interest in hobbies and activities

Emotional irritability

You may experience one, some, or all of these at one point or another, and to varying degrees.

 

Coping Techniques

Quitting tobacco is a big change in lifestyle, and you should expect to react, to some degree, both emotionally and physically.

You are also at an increased risk of suffering a smoking relapse during periods of depression caused by smoking cessation.

It is hard to stay focused and maintain the resolve to not smoke when you're feeling low.

 

After years of smoking, it is possible that you began to bury your feelings behind a cloud of smoke.

 Cigarettes are used to deal with everything from anger to sadness to joy, causing smokers to often lean on tobacco to avoid difficult emotions.

It is healthy and productive to let those feelings out, even if you feel a little raw from the experience.

 

For depression that comes with smoking cessation, try some of the following ideas to improve your mood:

 

Get out of a quick walk.

Fresh air is always invigorating, and exercise releases endorphins in the brain, which are known to improve mood.

 

Set goals, but don't bite off more than you can chew.

Divide tasks related to your goals into small chunks that you feel good about accomplishing.

 

Spend time with people who make you feel good. 

 

When negative/sad thoughts come up about smoking,

remind yourself that you miss smoking mostly because it was an addiction,

and once you're healed, you won't feel this way.

 

Create a list of things you can do at a moment's notice when you're feeling the urge to smoke,

like do a crossword puzzle or call a supportive friend.

 

Jolting ourselves out of a negative thought pattern is often as simple as changing what we're doing.

 

Join a support group.

Meeting people who are going through the same struggle as you can help you know you're not alone and offer some much-needed support.

The American Lung Association's Freedom From Smoking program has groups all over the country,

or do some research to find other support programs in your local area.

 

While quitting smoking, the body and mind are in a state of transition,

and it's not uncommon for new ex-smokers to struggle with their emotions.

Don't worry if you are close to tears one moment and angry or sad the next.

The balance will return in time.

 

Change Your Mind, Change Your Life

 

One of the greatest challenges new ex-smokers face is an important change in perspective.

It is that shift in thinking from seeing smoking cessation as an exercise in deprivation 

to realizing that it is, in fact, one of the best gifts you'll ever give yourself.

This is a crucial step in the process of healing from nicotine addiction,

and it is with this transformation that many see their quit-related symptoms of depression begin to lift.

 

Pre-Existing Depression

If you have been diagnosed and/or treated for depression prior to quitting smoking,

it is important to let your doctor know ahead of time that you're planning to quit. 

Smoking cessation could make you susceptible to additional mood disturbances. 

 

Smoking also causes some medications to be metabolized more quickly,

so when you quit, prescriptions you're already taking might need to be adjusted.

Your doctor can monitor and correct dosages on any medications you might be on, if necessary.

 

Always be on alert for drastic mood changes and contact your doctor as soon as possible if anything out of the ordinary occurs.

If you're having thoughts of self-harm, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifelineat 800-273-8255.

 

A Word From Verywell

If the blues have come on since you quit smoking, remember that this is not uncommon.

As you are patient through this likely temporary phase, find comfort from your friends, family,

and keeping busy with healthier, more productive activities.

With time and dedication, these will become the more familiar sources of good feelings,

and smoking will become that thing that you thought used to bring you benefit.

 

You can also take comfort in knowing that millions of people have been through this process successfully before you,

and many include it among the most rewarding experiences of their lives.

Happier days are ahead, and with them will come a tremendous sense of pride and empowerment from overcoming this addiction.

 

Article Sources:

National Institutes of Mental Health. Depression. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recognize Signs of Depression. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/guide/depression-and-smoking.html

 

 

I would like to include Joel Spitzer's video and Resources Concerning Mental Health

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bump

[Angeleek]

I have a case of the post-nicotine blues! I think it's my nicoti e receptors leveling off and my natural dopamine production regulating itself. I knew this would happen from a prior quit. The cool thing is it won't last much longer with spring arriving now and summer around the corner. I have accepted just feeling a little ho-hum for a while.  Peppered with moments of Karate-squeal-pose, "I am OFF the cigarettes!!"

[Sazerac]

It is great you understand what is going on, @Angeleek. This really helps you to deal with any issues that come up.

 

5 hours ago, Angeleek said:

nicotine receptors leveling off and my natural dopamine production regulating itself.

 

Exactly right !

 

As the days pass, your self-confidence and trust in yourself will get a huge bump.  You quit smoking !