survived day 2 BUT

[Brittany]

Yesterday was hard, VERY hard as I returned to work.  The drive home was harder because this was the first time I havent had a smoke on the way home.  I woke up this morning (day 3) and feel like a crazy person.  I am shaky, I have a mild headache, and I just kind of feel out of it.  I also am finding myself to be taking a lot of involuntary deep breaths...is that normal?  The cravings today are worse than yesterday and it feel so discouraging because I was so optimistic yesterday.  I think at this point the only thing that is keeping me fro lighting up is knowing I dont want to go through this again.  I want one so bad, but I know it will be a temporary relief

[sgt.barney]

A little poem The Sarge penned to help you through the hard times:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easy Peasy

[MarylandQuitter]

This is all normal. Even the breathing. Your body is purging the toxins and getting used to not having nicotine and the 7000 other chemicals put into it.

 

You feel like this because you're winning the battle and not succumbing to the addiction any longer.

 

This is only temporary and you're 100% correct in that you don't want to go through this again.

 

You're doing great! Keep your chin up. :)

[action]

You still have nicotine in your system... It does all leave until 72 hours. So you have a fight on your hands. But you are strong enough. Look at your responses to yesterday's SOS while you wait for the calvary... You are stronger than your addiction, I promise tomorrow will be better

[Doreensfree]

It's normal to feel all these feelings......

Your body is going through a big change.....it has to catch up with your brain.....

Stay strong....scream n.o.p.e.......

Day 3 is great....feel proud.....

It will pass I promise..

[Nancy]

Brittany, we don't call this Hell Week for nothing.  Everything you are experiencing is perfectly normal...and it will get better.  Quitting is a a roller coaster, big highs followed by big lows, with some medium stuff in between.   The breathing is normal, too.  Try taking voluntary deep breaths, I found this article:

 

Anxiety Breathing Techniques 

 

Four-Seven-Eight Breath

Best done sitting but can be done standing or lying down.

1. Sit with your back straight and your hands resting comfortably in your lap or on your thighs.

Look ahead...try not to fix your gaze on anything in particular. Slightly closing your eyes helps.

Try to focus internally on your breathing.

All inhalations are done through your NOSE; all exhalations through your MOUTH.

 

2. Commence inhaling slowly, smoothly and deeply to a mental count of 4 seconds. Fill your lower lungs first (by pushing out your abdomen), then your middle and upper lungs.

Hold your breath for a mental count of 7 seconds.

Slowly and smoothly exhale for a mental count of 8 seconds.

As you exhale, try to let go of all your anxiety, tension & stress.

That's one round. Pause briefly without inhaling then start another round. This natural pauseis very therapeutic and relaxing.

Do 10-12 rounds to begin. Build up to 25-30 rounds several times a day AND whenever you feel anxious or nervous, etc.

Summary: Inhale for 4 seconds - Hold for 7 seconds - Exhale for 8 seconds - Pause briefly - Repeat.

 

 

Benefits

 

• Calms your mind
• Tones your nervous system
• Regulates your breathing
• Balances your emotions

 

Tips

 

• Can be done anywhere - on a bus, in a line, at work, before a test
• If you lose your breath, stop, breathe freely then try again
• With practice your pauses between rounds will naturally get longer
• Soothing music or ear plugs can help reduce external distractions

[El Bandito]

Hey Brittany - Day 3. The last day of nicotine in your system. 

 

Everything you are feeling is normal. You are making massive changes to your body chemistry.

 

So - keep breathing. Sip water, Sip juice. Take a walk. Do a crossword..distract yourself. Today is tough - but it does get easier.

 

Nobody ever got killed by a crave - but lots did by cigarettes. 

 

You CAN do this!

[ChRiSpY]

KEEP GOING FORWARD!!!!  DO NOT LOOK BACK...ONLY FORWARD.

 

You are almost past the worst part.  Smoking will not only damage you physically...it will mentally as well.

 

This is like being sick with the Flu.  It sucks and it is uncomfortable... but in time it will pass. 

 

IT ONLY GETS EASIER.  And then one day you will realize that you did not think about smoking that day.

 

Get busy.  Think about other stuff. 

 

You got this... keep on keepin on.

[Paul723]

And a cigarette won't help, it will just put you through all of this again; it's best to just keep going!

[Tink]

just keep going brittany you will get stronger and stronger

 

all these feelings you have are natural and part of the process

 

just hold on and keep to nope - it will get easier I promise - it might not seem it now but it will xx

[Still winning]

Day 3 battle on. The nicotine can only hold onto you if you let it, you are doing AMAZING. I think you are spot on with thinking "if I hold on I won't have to do this bit again" - I don't doubt this thought process saved and moved forward a lot of quits!!  However, it's ok to also think fr every crave I face down I make that part of my trigger weaker and that's the truth of it. Every situation (like thecartoday) that you say no too makes it a little weaker...so next car journey it will be a thought rather than a trigger if that makes sense.

 

The message to hold now is the craves won't kill, but smoking could well do and we are Mums, we can't be playing russian roulette with our health anymore. 

 

Strength vibes to you. xx

[joe]

Have you considered a blog?...

if you write down every day how you felt and how "bad" you thought it was, as time goes on, you will have something to compare your quit to, and you will indeed see that it DOES get better...

its sometimes hard to see the forest for the trees..

it all starts with hell week...then heck week...bad "days" seems to come on the "3's"..(3rd day...week...month,etc)

 one of the best blogs I have seen on here was Sober Julies...that woman can write!!!...I suggest you read it and see if that isnt something you could do to help keep focused...

Its just a suggestion...there are many ways to beat this thing, as long as you succeed, we are all winners !!  :)

 

All in all, I am extremely happy to see you still fighting this...

Its not easy, but, then again...I think you knew this when you made the decision ..

dont give up

 

One day at a time  :)

[JackiMac]

Brittany well done, everything you feel is completely normal, I remember the breathing freaked me out, felt like I was continually gasping, but like everything else in your quit journey it will pass, stay focused and remember when each day has passed you will never have to go through that day again, keep alert as well as the craves can creep up on you sometimes , remember DO NOT give into the crave, your body is beginning to heal you owe this to you, xx

[action]

Please let us know how you are doing Brittany!

[REZ]

Congratulations!

 

You are using your mind or the craves!

 

Each day you get stronger and the crave gets weaker!

 

Hang in there, you are doing great!