New to group

[Heterophemy]

Hi all! It’s been 4 days since my last cigarette. This is my 2nd time quitting. I’ve been A Pack a day smoker for 25 years. This is the first day the cravings have been intense. Just ordered a ton of sushi to tide me over! Lots of deep breathing. How long does the insomnia last for most people? I’m SO tired. 

Benjamin

[jillar]

Welcome aboard Benjamin and congratulations on taking your freedom back! The insomnia is frustrating but will go away. I took an OTC sleep aid here and there and that helped. 

You'll find tons of useful tips and information on our addiction so look around. The pinned threads at the top of each forum are a good place to start.  

 

[intoxicated yoda]

Welcome aboard, Benjamin.  What worked the best for me for withdrawal symptoms more than anything was walking.  I walked alot.  Try a 10 to 20 minute walk after meals and see if that helps.  sooner or later it will resolve but for me it lasted a few months.  That was my experience anyhow.

[Doreensfree]

Welcome aboard Benjamin . 
Unfortunately insomnia is very common when your early in your quit , it does settle down , and is different for each person . 
Everything will be temporary , your body is going through some massive changes, 

Its used to being fed poison for decades , 

Be kind to yourself .

Stay close

[Mac#23]

Welcome aboard Benjamin,

  You have just made the best decision of your life. Go ahead and grab a seat. You will have a few bumps in the road early but just know you can get past them. Always remember you are stronger than the addiction. So, just take it literally one day at a time. The days will slowly start adding up and before you know it you will wonder why you ever smoked in the first place. You got this.

[Gus]

Welcome aboard Benjamin! I hope that all is going better for you today. The sleeplessness will get better, as with all the suffering of withdrawal. I hope that your quit is still coming along. You can do this and we are here to assist. Hanging around this site can be a real game changer and I hope you make use of the resources available to you here. See you around!

[catlover]

Welcome Benjamin and congrats on a Week now, i hope all is going well with your quit.

 

[despair not]

Hi welcome

How are u managing?

Let us have the updates and people here will keep encouraging and supporting you. 

[Penguin]

I used a mild dose of melatonin and ASMR videos when I couldn't sleep. ASMR is a weird animal, but what works for me could be described as "guided sleep meditation," rather than the barbershop roleplays and such.

 

My recommendations:

- Recognize the events that trigger cravings. When in your routine do you normally smoke? I used to have a cigarette after meals. Knowing that I'd be craving a cigarette, I found it helpful to distract myself in those times with a brisk walk, a bowl of some sweet treat (like Skittles or M&Ms I could suck on while watching a movie or reading a book).

- Embrace the suck. It's going to be uncomfortable, but think of the discomfort as steps in a journey toward healing. It's like the pain of an open wound as it closes; it aches and irritates, but you know you're getting better. Take comfort in the fact that if you succeed, you don't have to go through the discomfort again.

- Indulge. If you're not an alcoholic, have a drink to reward yourself for not smoking. If you don't have health issues with fatty foods, have a sweet dessert. Get the fancy coffee. Spend some money on a movie. Enjoy things in your life--within the law and morality--that maybe aren't precisely healthy, but aren't as insanely dangerous as cigarettes. Reward yourself for not smoking, so long as your rewards aren't breaking the law, your morality, or putting yourself in grave peril (like alcohol with alcoholism). Just, whatever you do, don't smoke.

- Exercise. Physical activity of, well, really any kind can be good for you, if you don't have doctor's orders against it and you're physically capable. Go for brisk walks, ride a bike, punch a bag, do anything physical to get the blood pumping and the lungs working the air.

- For some people, keeping track of the days, the cigarettes not smoked, the money saved, etc. can be helpful. For others, it's torture. If it works for you, do it. If not, don't feel like you have to.

- If you fall off the wagon, get back on it immediately. Just because you slipped off the wagon and fell into the mud doesn't mean you can't get back on, muddy boots and all. Even if you're still smoking, get yourself here and check in. Talk through it. You're going to get some tough love for it, but don't run away just because you've started smoking again (if that happens).