four months and a week...

[eriklamb]

...and horrible anxiety. this is getting harder, I think.

[Nancy]

Talk to your doctor about the anxiety...at this point it should only be getting harder if you are allowing yourself to believe that smoking will do something positive for you.  It will not relieve anxiety, it will cause it every 20 or 30 minutes when you need your next fix.   Please don't throw away four months...quitting is a roller coaster, and you are just in one of the dips.  You can do this!!

[BAT]

4 months nicotine free?

[bakon]

11 posts in 4 months- not going to be easy

[DCCXXVII]

Hi Eric...what is getting harder?

 

Are you using an nrt or anything else at this stage of your quit?

 

How often are you getting anxiety and were you suffering from anxiety before you quit?

 

Have a look at this link Erik... perhaps something might ring true in it for you

 

Also... as Nancy suggested see your doctor if your anxiety is getting the better of you

[Devil Doll]

Sorry that you are having such a hard time Erik, but to be honest my quit was rough right up until about 10 months.

Keeping occupied is what got me through the rough spots.

[eriklamb]

Yes 4 months without nicotine, and nah I have no urge to smoke again. I think its a matter of me having to relearn how to cope with everything. I spent most of my first three months patting myself on the back and saying "its okay, you are withdrawing, don't bother putting any effort into thinking or bettering yourself". Thanks for the support and such.

[Doreensfree]

Congrats on your 4 months....this is a great achievement....

All we can do is to promise you ....it really does get easier....keep climbing the magic will happen...

[beacon]

For me, it is a matter of dealing with my emotions and thoughts without the big crutch after 30 years, the little high I gave myself 20 times a day, the self medication for my anxiety. This week I am going to a intro class to TM to see if this will be one of my healthy alternatives

[Tink]

Congratulations on over 4 months, seasonal changes can also bring on new triggers not yet faced so brings along a bit of fear and anxiety, knowing the causes is a good path to investigate and eliminate

 

Try to embrace the next chapter with positives but if your anxiety continues I would recommend seeing your doctor

[Nicole Diver]

Erik, have you read Allen Carr's book? 

It truly taught me how to process and handle things (happily even) as a non smoker.  I really would not be where am I am had I not read it.  (Over and over.)

I had panic attacks almost weekly before I quit, but I can count on one hand how many I've had since I quit.

 

ETA: 4 months is a great achievement!

[JackiMac]

Erik firstly many congrats on 4 months, sometimes after the first few months of quitting we can become complacent which is possibly what is happening, as you said you have no desire to smoke but the addiction is still lurking a little, the high is maybe wearing off, keep reminding yourself of what you are achieving, high five yourself every day and keep patting yourself on your back. xxx

[babs609]

that first year has it's moments....I was trucking along and at 11 months....I had anxiety and automatically assumed I wanted a cigarette and those obsessive thoughts prompted me to post an SOS.   Even at 11 months!!  But...that was my last time...and since then...if I do get anxiety I know without a shadow of a doubt that it has nothing to do with quitting smoking.

 

Great job Erik!

[El Bandito]

Nice quit Erik.

 

I smoked for thirty years. So I figured it would take a wee while for my mind and body to sort themselves out.

 

You have done a great thing - and every day you are a little bit healthier, physically and mentally. 

 

It gets better.