Struggling

[Linda]

Not really an sos but having a hard time today. Not feeling great today with some other issues. Does it ever get easier??? I know it must because there are a lot of long term non smokers on this this forum. But sometimes it seems like there is no end insight

[Mac#23]

Linda, things will get better. You just need faith and commitment to outlast the junkie mentality. Always remember you are a stronger and healthier person without nicotine. You will overcome this.

[Linda]

2 minutes ago, Mac#23 said:

Linda, things will get better. You just need faith and commitment to outlast the junkie mentality. Always remember you are a stronger and healthier person without nicotine. You will overcome this.

Thanks but right now I do not feel very strong

[garry mhudson]

Yes Linda it will get easier please believe me. Your in a difficult time of your quit and try to find something to keep your mind off smoking. The crave will pass. Stay close to the board and read some of the posts about quitting. Others will be here to help also. Just try not to think about it. It will pass. You have done so well. Hang in there and this will pass.

[jillar]

Yes Linda like these guys said it will get so much better but only if you stay quit! It is so much easier to keep a quit than it is to go through all these tough few days/weeks/months over and over again. So stick with it because unfortunately the only way past it is to go through it. Good on you for posting. Tomorrow will be better, it almost always is, xoxo

[johnny5]

I'm sorry to hear that you are struggling but things do get better and easier with time.  Just keep fighting.  Nothing is worth lighting back up over.

 

You are doing a great thing by quitting smoking.  Many current smokers wish they could quit but tell themselves that they can't.  You, however, are quitting.  It can be tough early on but it is very doable.  Keep the quit.

[Doreensfree]

Fight the beast Linda ....one minute of a time if you have too.....

It takes time to rewire the brain ....The only way if forward ....

Keep posting ...we will support you through the tough times ...but these will get easier ....

Think positive ....you are achieving something every smoker in the planet secretly would love to do ..Quit !!

[Mee]

Linda, you are still in the first month.  I promise it will get better.  The only thing you gain by destroying your quit, is disappointment and knowing that you will have to start again.  Just keep redirecting those thoughts and breath deep.  You can keep this quit going!  

[beazel]

I know that sometimes when reading other's posts, it's seems like it's so easy for them. I always felt like something was wrong with me.

 

But believe me that it's usually not easy for any of us. We truly understand the struggles.

 

It does get easier. Just give it time. It's a journey that you are at the beginning of and time does seem to slow down.

 

You will find strength you never knew you had. You've proven that strength for the past 10 days.

 

One day at a time.......

[Reciprocity]

You're still in the early days of your quit Linda! I know it seems like it's been forever since you had your last smoke but it's hasn't been that long actually. Part of the early process is time distortion that makes each day drag on endlessly. Seemed to me those days were filled with misery but you can control that somewhat by focusing on the positive things you are starting to see. Sure, there will be some days when you feel you have taken a step backward. That's how the process works .... very slowly.

 

Give your quit 6 weeks then tell us if we were all wrong about things getting easier or not. We were all like you. I was still pulling my hair out at times during my first month but those days just kept getting fewer and fewer throughout the first month or so. There's no specific time frame or switch, like a light switch, when suddenly we feel OK with our quit. It's such a gradual process you will not even realize it's happening. It just does, on it's own as long as you don't give in to your junkie thinking and light up a smoke (NOPE) You can also help that process along by focusing your mind on the positives you notice rather than the roadblocks your junkie brain, or what's left of it, tries to have you focus on. Positive attitude makes a huge difference.

 

The other thing you can start doing is take another look at what smoking really does to people. We tend to ignore all that stuff when we smoke because we just don't wanna know! Look up articles on diseases such as Lung Cancer, Buerger's Disease, COPD, Emphysema, Heart Disease. You will have a new perspective on things now and be much more willing to accept the truth about what smoking really does to us - it's NOT our friend! Kick your nicotine addiction in the A*s and out of your life forever!!!

[Doreensfree]

^^^^^ This ^^^^^^

[c9jane29]

I think you need to find the joy in your quit!! It's the best damn thing you'll ever do for yourself... selfishly, it's all your own. It's your precious.

My quit is covered in glitter, it smells like a rose and taste like a peach! I loved it from the moment it was born...it was my baby, I taught it how to act in public, how not to cry after every meal, or every car ride...and after awhile those nicotine receptors knew I was back in charge. Not them. 

You are in charge of your quit, my friend. Your quit is directly related to what you put into it...give yourself some rewards. Chocolate is my favorite do something that is completely out of your comfort zone...learn to paint or start a small indoor garden, these things give you a distraction, but you also learn about yourself... because a good quit will reveal the real you; who knows what the real Linda likes?! It's fun to find out!!

Find you joy, Linda!! It's so much fun to quit!! 

[Boo]

On 8/23/2020 at 1:46 PM, Linda said:

 Does it ever get easier???

 

Yes.

 

Much easier in fact.

 

I don't even remember the last time I craved a smoke.  

 

Quitting smoking is a process.  Stick with it and you will reach a point where smoking is nothing more than a distant memory.

[Linda]

21 hours ago, c9jane29 said:

I think you need to find the joy in your quit!! It's the best damn thing you'll ever do for yourself... selfishly, it's all your own. It's your precious.

My quit is covered in glitter, it smells like a rose and taste like a peach! I loved it from the moment it was born...it was my baby, I taught it how to act in public, how not to cry after every meal, or every car ride...and after awhile those nicotine receptors knew I was back in charge. Not them. 

You are in charge of your quit, my friend. Your quit is directly related to what you put into it...give yourself some rewards. Chocolate is my favorite do something that is completely out of your comfort zone...learn to paint or start a small indoor garden, these things give you a distraction, but you also learn about yourself... because a good quit will reveal the real you; who knows what the real Linda likes?! It's fun to find out!!

Find you joy, Linda!! It's so much fun to quit!! 

Thanks for the positive info. I am not finding to much joy in this right now

On 8/23/2020 at 2:08 PM, Mac#23 said:

Linda, things will get better. You just need faith and commitment to outlast the junkie mentality. Always remember you are a stronger and healthier person without nicotine. You will overcome this.

Thanks but right now I do not feel very strong

[Mona]

@Linda, just curious if you have spent some time learning about nicotine addiction.  That is something that really helped me.  I'm assuming that you are still using the nicotine patches.  The patches should help you with the phyical withdrawal symptoms but you still need to work on the mental aspects of quitting.  This is where education comes into play.  If you don't educate yourself, you'll likely feel like you're really missing out on something by not smoking.  This is not the case at all and educating yourself on nicotine addiction will help you to see this which will make sticking to your quit easier.

Edited August 25, 2020 by Mona
typo

[Doreensfree]

Linda ...you need to be patient ....

Your body has Alot of healing to do ....you,ve abused it with poison,s for a long time ...Decades....

Don't over think ....

Just take it one day at a time ...it will get better ....and the rate it gets better differs to each person ....

This is why we call it a journey ....not a race ....keep going ...

[Linda]

1 hour ago, Mona said:

@Linda, just curious if you have spent some time learning about nicotine addiction.  That is something that really helped me.  I'm assuming that you are still using the nicotine patches.  The patches should help you with the phyical withdrawal symptoms but you still need to work on the mental aspects of quitting.  This is where education comes into play.  If you don't educate yourself, you'll likely feel like you're really missing out on something by not smoking.  This is not the case at all and educating yourself on nicotine addiction will help you to see this which will make sticking to your quit easier.

I have read a lot about the nicotine addiction . Some days it just doesn't make a difference. Yes I am still using the patches

[jillar]

@Linda, Some days just won't make a difference early on but between all of us there are a lot of great ideas to get past those days. did you try the air cigarette with your licorice sticks or a cut straw or my invisible JAC? Have you tried distracting your brain from the constant thoughts by maybe checking out our social section, playing games? Looking at the cute cat, dog, bunny, goat and pig threads?

[Doreensfree]

You keeping your mind busy Linda ???

Try taking up a new hobby ...we have had folks learn to paint ,knit .ect...

Is there something you fancy learning ...

Jillar also mentioned our games section ...could always use another chick in the counting game ...

Don't have too much time on  your hands ....

I learned QI Gong .. check it out on You Tube ...great way to calm the mind ...

 

[Linda]

1 hour ago, jillar said:

@Linda, Some days just won't make a difference early on but between all of us there are a lot of great ideas to get past those days. did you try the air cigarette with your licorice sticks or a cut straw or my invisible JAC? Have you tried distracting your brain from the constant thoughts by maybe checking out our social section, playing games? Looking at the cute cat, dog, bunny, goat and pig threads?

I don't know what the Mac is or the air cigarette is I have are about 20 pounds of licorice lol

[jillar]

In the beginning of my quit I got the clue about pretending to hold an actual cigarette and then going through the motions of "smoking" it. I used an invisible one but some people use cut straws, pens, even biting off both ends of a licorice whip and pretending thats a cig. I went through the actual motions drawing in deep drags of beautiful clean air. The best cig I ever had  It really did work great for me and others even if I did look stupid smoking an invisible cigarette. I probably used it for the first six months of my quit whenever a bad crave happened.

You can also try doing things you never smoked at while doing. I never smoked in my car so sometimes just a quick drive around the block or to the post office was all I needed to make the crave go away 

[Linda]

10 minutes ago, jillar said:

In the beginning of my quit I got the clue about pretending to hold an actual cigarette and then going through the motions of "smoking" it. I used an invisible one but some people use cut straws, pens, even biting off both ends of a licorice whip and pretending thats a cig. I went through the actual motions drawing in deep drags of beautiful clean air. The best cig I ever had  It really did work great for me and others even if I did look stupid smoking an invisible cigarette. I probably used it for the first six months of my quit whenever a bad crave happened.

You can also try doing things you never smoked at while doing. I never smoked in my car so sometimes just a quick drive around the block or to the post office was all I needed to make the crave go away 

Thanks for the tips❤❤

[Mee]

Linda, I think one of the keys to quitting is redirecting those thoughts.  When the urge would strike, I would close my eyes and breath deep; picturing the clean air filling my lungs.  Another thing I did was truly look at people standing outside smoking.  Look at their demeanor, and how sad they look.  Think what life would be without that addiction.  Learn to focus on the good it will bring you not on the urge!!    I loved the people on this forum.  I couldn't believe how fun they were and how they made me feel important.  Stay close and play some games.  YOU CAN DO THIS.  

[Linda]

8 minutes ago, Mee said:

Linda, I think one of the keys to quitting is redirecting those thoughts.  When the urge would strike, I would close my eyes and breath deep; picturing the clean air filling my lungs.  Another thing I did was truly look at people standing outside smoking.  Look at their demeanor, and how sad they look.  Think what life would be without that addiction.  Learn to focus on the good it will bring you not on the urge!!    I loved the people on this forum.  I couldn't believe how fun they were and how they made me feel important.  Stay close and play some games.  YOU CAN DO THIS.  

Thanks for the encouragement

[Oona]

On 8/23/2020 at 10:46 AM, Linda said:

Not really an sos but having a hard time today. Not feeling great today with some other issues. Does it ever get easier??? I know it must because there are a lot of long term non smokers on this this forum. But sometimes it seems like there is no end insight