Restless

[babs609]

That's the word I used during the acute phase of my quit.  If I called it a "craving" I felt like it had power over me......as if the only thing that will ease that craving is the very thing that caused it and nothing will ever feel normal again..I will never feel relaxed or content again.  To me..the word "craving" went parrallel with "feed the craving"

 

But when I changed the wording to "restless", it took a whole new meaning for me.  Restlessness occurred because my body is going back to the state it was in before I became a smoker.  Just because I'm restless..is it really my body telling me I need a smoke?  Or is it my junkie brain that's telling me that.  There are all kinds of emotions and feelings that cause us to be restless...hunger, thirst, fatigue, anger, lonliness...and these emotions are exacerbated when we quit smoking.

 

I knew that the restless feeling was a good thing...it reminded me I was winning the battle every single day.  I knew every day I was able to co-exist along with this restlessness...that it would make me stronger and that much closer to a relaxed place where I felt content and satisfied. 

 

This newfound attitude is what got me through it.....one day at a time. Committing to NOPE.  No matter what..

 It also spilled over into helping me stay strong and take charge of my health in regards to my diet and regular exercise.  Just because I'm restless doesn't mean I'm hungry.  If I'm restless..then maybe I'm just thirsty...maybe I need to go for a run or a walk.  Maybe I need to call a friend and vent, maybe I'm horny, maybe I'm bored or tired....

It helped me to be more in tune with my body and recognize exactly what I'm feeling so I am able to address the proper issue..and not try to "guess" what the problem is.

 

Feeling restless??  Find out why....chances are..it's not a "craving" for nicotine. (especially true after Hell week)

 

Non smokers get restless too....as a matter of fact, today I feel very restless and still haven't figured out why...one thing I am SURE of..is that I'm not craving a cigarette. 

 

Now....on to figure out what exactly is it that has me feeling uneasy and aggravated....not sure yet but I will figure it out.  I have more oxygen in my brain these days so, things come to light much quicker for me now 

 

:)

[MarylandQuitter]

I'm restless right now and it ain't gotta thing to do with not smoking. :)

 

Great post. Will add more later once I get home.

[Mike.]

- snip -

 

Feeling restless??

 

You're not just another pretty face, are you?

 

I'll be reading that over a few more times.

 

Thanks.

[buMbLeB]

Feeling restless??  Find out why....chances are..it's not a "craving" for nicotine. (especially true after Hell week)

 

 

True dat. The idea that "your body knows what it needs" is only true until you start screwing with your equilibrium. It takes a while to reset, and learn how to listen again.

[bakon]

lots of chemicals in body need to leave. that takes time. its not just nicotine and 72 hour bs. the whole body is polluted and needs time to heal up. chemo patients come on average once a week to every three weeks depending on how they handle it. that's just a few hour dose. image what years of every day, all day, have done. going to take time. but also easier every day.

[Mike.]

True dat. The idea that "your body knows what it needs" is only true until you start screwing with your equilibrium. It takes a while to reset, and learn how to listen again.

 

Yep, or ... something else starts screwing with your equilibrium. Huh? like pathological and natural physiological process changes. Having said that, I know what you mean.

[babs609]

lots of chemicals in body need to leave. that takes time. its not just nicotine and 72 hour bs. the whole body is polluted and needs time to heal up. chemo patients come on average once a week to every three weeks depending on how they handle it. that's just a few hour dose. image what years of every day, all day, have done. going to take time. but also easier every day.

 

this is true....but even 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months there's "restlessness" and even now..2.5 years later..I'm restless.

I know I have no chemicals leaving my body now.....I wouldn't blame my restlessness now on withdrawal...

[Jenny]

Excellent post!  

[MarylandQuitter]

As I was reading babs post, I thought this video was very relevant.

 

Going Back To Normal After Quitting Smoking

Video discusses how after quitting smoking a person will eventually get back to normal. Normal does not mean going back to the normal they experienced when they were smoking but more accurately, what they were like before they ever took up smoking with effects of aging now thrown in.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUKBBcZ26BQ

 

...and of course one my favorite GL tunes.  :)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKb2XvemUeI

[JackiMac]

Great Post Babs, I refer to it as my Emptiness, its as though something is missing, its re-learning to replace the emptiness with ......running, cleaning, singing, shopping, living, whatever makes you feel good, although we thought in the past that smoking made us feel good, we all really know that it was the chemicals creating a feeling of euphoria, we can replace this feeling with natural processes, I love my exercises in the evening, plug in my music and my feel good factor goes sky high, in the early days, this feeling of "restlessness" "emptiness" whatever you wish to call it "Cravings" seem to occur constantly and we battle with them  daily sometimes every few seconds.  Further on down the quit they come along rarely but its the way that we deal with them that is important, learn to recognise them for what they are thoughts that can be dismissed by remembering how far in our quit we have come.

[babs609]

Great Post Babs, I refer to it as my Emptiness, its as though something is missing, its re-learning to replace the emptiness with ......running, cleaning, singing, shopping, living, whatever makes you feel good, although we thought in the past that smoking made us feel good, we all really know that it was the chemicals creating a feeling of euphoria, we can replace this feeling with natural processes, I love my exercises in the evening, plug in my music and my feel good factor goes sky high, in the early days, this feeling of "restlessness" "emptiness" whatever you wish to call it "Cravings" seem to occur constantly and we battle with them daily sometimes every few seconds. Further on down the quit they come along rarely but its the way that we deal with them that is important, learn to recognise them for what they are thoughts that can be dismissed by remembering how far in our quit we have come.

Well said. :)

[bakon]

you too just need a BOB

[MarylandQuitter]

One thing that I'm beginning to learn (very recently!) is that when I'm restless, it's my ego listening to all the chatter in my mind; trying to sort everything I have to do at work and at home, all things going on in life that need my attention and what it will take to fix it all or get it all done.  I'm learning to live in the "NOW" and not let the ego guide me or take control of my mind.  One thing at a time.  This very moment that we're all in will never exist again so it's best to simply embrace it.

 

“You need nothing more than the experience you are having right now. It is enough. It is plenty. It is perfect just as it is. It was designed for you, given to you for your experience. All you have to do, and all you have ever had to do is accept this gift. Take it and let it in. Let yourself experience the present moment just as it is. It doesn't get any better than this. This is the simple truth the ego refuses to accept, and it will suffer as long as that is the case.”

 

After nicotine has left your body and you're still struggling, perhaps it's your ego trying to satisfy what it never can, whether you choose to smoke or not.

 

“When you find yourself wanting a better moment -wanting something else in the future- it can be helpful to ask: What will that give me? We think we will finally be happy when that moment arrives. What we discover when we do get what we want is that even that wonderful moment disappears. Life keeps moving on, bringing us a mixture of what we like and don't like. Why not like- love - it all because it won't be here for long, it will never be this way again, and it's all you've got.”

[babs609]

:)

 

The ego is never satisfied.

[Humbled]

Great post indeed - the body and mind are remarkable - restlessness does occur at times for everyone whether they smoke now ever did or never have at all. I certainly fell more fulfilled then I used to. In the past if I was bored, I would smoke, if I was hungry and had to wait to eat, I would smoke, If I got angry or anxious or nervous I would smoke, If I was celebrating with friends, I would smoke - hell I smoked when I woke up in the middle of the night because I thought it was the only way I would fall back to sleep. I still feel restless quite often but now that I look at back I have always been restless even before I smoked - the only difference is now I am finding a newer and better way to fill my voids and occupy my "restless times"  During the day I run and exercise or do things with the kids when I have them, I clean my house and finish my own to do list, I listen to music to clear my mind, I have smaller more frequent healthier meals and snacks etc.. at night if I wake up as I always do - I have a glass of milk or water,  sometimes I just do some pull-ups and push-ups - I have found those things help me get past the restlessness even better then a cigarette used to. I feel better now then I did for 2 decades and it has only been a little over 6 months since I became a non-smoker -I can't wait to see how I feel in 6 more. 

[El Bandito]

Restless. It's human.

 

There are MILLIONS of websites, blogs, videos and books out there on living in the moment. As smokers, we absolutely used smoking to distract from this and therefore created a false association between smoking and relief from restlessness. Increasingly, I am realising that the restlessness is a prompt to advance, to move, to do something.

[Kristin]

Great post indeed - the body and mind are remarkable - restlessness does occur at times for everyone whether they smoke now ever did or never have at all. I certainly fell more fulfilled then I used to. In the past if I was bored, I would smoke, if I was hungry and had to wait to eat, I would smoke, If I got angry or anxious or nervous I would smoke, If I was celebrating with friends, I would smoke - hell I smoked when I woke up in the middle of the night because I thought it was the only way I would fall back to sleep. I still feel restless quite often but now that I look at back I have always been restless even before I smoked - the only difference is now I am finding a newer and better way to fill my voids and occupy my "restless times" During the day I run and exercise or do things with the kids when I have them, I clean my house and finish my own to do list, I listen to music to clear my mind, I have smaller more frequent healthier meals and snacks etc.. at night if I wake up as I always do - I have a glass of milk or water, sometimes I just do some pull-ups and push-ups - I have found those things help me get past the restlessness even better then a cigarette used to. I feel better now then I did for 2 decades and it has only been a little over 6 months since I became a non-smoker -I can't wait to see how I feel in 6 more.

I feel so alive now it's unreal! :)

[babs609]

I feel so alive now it's unreal! :)

 

Like, anything's possible, right?  An amazing feeling.   Gives you great confidence in all areas of your life.  Great job Kristin!

[El Bandito]

I feel so alive now it's unreal! :)

You quit smoking.

 

You can do ANYTHING!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PS. Please send Bakon a naked selfie

 

 

 

 

 

PPS (I do my best for you Porky)

[Mike.]

Ego From here.

 

"(Psychoanalysis) psychoanal the conscious mind, based on perception of the environment from birth onwards: responsible for modifying the antisocial instincts of the id and itself modified by the conscience (superego)".

 

The "id" is likened, to a small child.

 

A two year old child and younger, hasn't any "superego".

 

I once watched a two year old, grab a toy from another. Before he started playing with it himself, he first used it as a weapon, to "bonk" the other. Now, I don't know what that illuminates, except that the "id" does what it wants to do.

 

I guess smokers can be thought of as a small child (id), doing only what it pleases them. Irregardless of the consequences.

 

Maybe I need to accept the awareness of the "ego" and the modification of the "superego" and strike a balance.

[babs609]

I think after smoking for so many years we conditioned ourselves to have a low tolerance for discomfort, period.  Any time something was wrong...we reached for that cigarette.  Instead of just sitting with that anger, shame, embarrassment, sadness,and pain..processing it, feeling it...and moving on--we grabbed for that cigarette.

 

Tuning in and allowing us to just feel these emotions makes us more aware of the consequences of our actions and therefore, eventually we stop reacting and making these poor choices because we know exactly how that action makes us feel.

 

My fitness instructor is constantly saying "go out of your comfort zone"--in fact, when I'm about ready to give up...those words are in my head and they keep me going.  Same holds true for emotions.  

 

Nobody ever died from being uncomfortable.  It's a part of the human condition.  Learning to live with it...sit with it....and not run from it...that's serenity.

 

It's actually great practice when you start small.....in traffic, standing in line at the grocery store, when something says something that irritates you a little...instead of reacting,,,sit with it.  You'll see by the time you acknowledge the feeling that arises....you're pretty much over it.  It's kinda cool.

 

I have a long way to go...I'm guessing the rest of my life.  But I think that's the whole point.  That's what we are here for.  To experience, to enjoy, and to learn.

 

I might not be where I wanna be...but I'm closer than I was yesterday....and I can do it...happily...without a cigarette.  

[Doreensfree]

A brilliant post babs....I agreed with all you wrote..

[Still winning]

I often have to remind myself it's ok to wait for things. Not everything is now. Smoking was very much an immediate hit, nothing else really is. Restless is just a way of describing normal now. When it's time to do something but that is not immediate and will take some time. x

[Markus]

.

[Rob]

Something is missing, what is it?

 

An unsatisfied need and miles to go.

 

A twinge, a twitch, a memory of something past, even before you existed.

 

Born with it seems like, die with it maybe, and yet never can you explain it or get your arms around it.

 

A desire, a dream of something on the horizon.

 

A measure of comfort needed.

 

Inner peace somehow, an end to the turmoil.

 

You have done enough, and you are deserving, and it will come to you if you let it find you.

 

Don't go looking, it will come when you are ready, and not before...

Brilliant.