Brain tells me that smoking will stabilize my emotions

[Shanakor]

Since yesterday I feel high levels of anxiety. I do not know if this is because of the nicotine withdrawal or because of other things that happen right now. 

However, my brain constantly tells me that a cigarette will calm my mind and help calm my emotions. With a cigarette I could finally sit down and think calmly about my situation. 

I feel so stressed out right now, because I DO NOT WANT TO SMOKE. But I do not know how I should push through this any longer. (I am in the 7th day of my quit by the way)

 

Can the nicotine withdrawal cause such irrational anxiety levels (because then all I have to do is wait) or is this something else that I should be paying attention to in my life?

[Dee]

 7 days in the nicotine is out of your system what you are dealing with now is the mental aspect of the addiction. Like any addiction smoking should be handled the same way. Do you have hobbies or things you enjoy doing? focus on those. Go for a walk, exercise is really good for passing the time and once you are out of breath smoking won't be a thought. Do you suffer anxiety normally? If so how do you do deal with it.

Most important be patient with yourself it takes time to calm the mind down. Just posting is a good start.

[Dee]

I haven't mastered this site yet I have posted a response for you. Hopefully you see it

[Shanakor]

Actually, when I think back on the last years. Yeah, I think I do suffer from anxiety from time to time. 

And also smoking never helped me. Most of the times I just waited until the anxiety levels go down again. Smoking just additionally took some more energy from me.

[Reciprocity]

It's very natural to have increased levels of anxiety in the early stages of quitting. I was a nervous wreck for a good portion of the first month of my quit so I just had to wait it out, knowing it would get better at some point and guess what ............. it did :)

 

Don't listen to that voice in your head telling you that smoking will fix your anxiety. That's not true. You are still in the very early part of your quit and your brain hasn't retrained itself to deal with day to day life as a non-smoker - hence the increased anxiety. What to do with all that extra time you have now. How to deal with being happy or sad and not including smoking. How to deal with stressful situations without smoking. The list goes on and on. This process of your brain retraining itself WILL happen but it takes time so, do whatever you have to but just don't smoke.

 

If you smoked a cigarette right now, it would NOT be the pleasurable mecca you think it would be. The taste would be horrible, you would likely choke and cough. Emotionally, you would regret it as soon as you had done it because your shiny 7 day quit would be gone! And, within 30 minutes of finishing that cigarette, your brain would be screaming for more nicotine. Remember? You're an addict and you would be re-introducing nicotine back into your body again - don't do it!!

 

Would you really want to ever go through those first 7 days of quitting again as well?

 

We all go through this stuff Shanakor and so can you. Stay committed and it WILL get better.

[Boo]

 However, my brain constantly tells me that a cigarette will calm my mind and help calm my emotions. With a cigarette I could finally sit down and think calmly about my situation. 

 

The addicted mind always finds the easy answer to all of life's challenges.  Simply administer the drug of choice and all of life's problems will melt away.  The addicted mind offers up a cigarette as your fast-track to utopia.  As addicts, we came to view the cigarette as a kind of elixir that calmed us during challenging times and enhanced the enjoyment during the good times.

 

It all sounds good until you remember that it's a load of bullshit.

 

This is a process.  Years of mental conditioning led us to turn to the cigarette.  You quit smoking and are now in the process of creating new neural pathways.  The old pathways still exist in your mind.  Stay the course (keep the quit) and eventually the new pathways become ingrained and the old pathways dim and eventually vanish.

 

Be patient with the process.  Freedom is a journey not a sprint.

[Doreensfree]

You have had great advice already...I can only add..

Why should we expect after smoking for decades ,that in a few days of quitting we will be over all the bad stuff..

And don't understand why we are not..

Our bodies have have been fed heaps of chemicals 20 plus times a day..all of a sudden it has to cope a different way.

Time to heal..this is what is needed..your healing.. Keep telling yourself this..

Whatever I'm feeling now will pass..

[bakon]

Your brain is an idiot if you believe it will help.

[Reciprocity]

^^^^ All of this stuff above Sahnakor. It's all true and YOU can do this; just like many of us here have done it. There's no short-cuts, you just gotta do it and you have a great start on it already so, be proud and keep refusing to smoke!

[Stewie]

The brain is an asshole sometimes, just tell it to piss off. Just saying...

[sgt.barney]

Just.

Say.

No.

 

 

EZPZ

[Sirius]

“The mind commands the body and is instantly obeyed. The mind commands itself and meets resistance.”

― Augustine of Hippo, Confessions

[Oldybutmouldy]

Always keep this in one of your little thought bubbles... and remember to never let it drift away... no matter how much brain fog clogs up your life....

 

THE BRAIN TELL's LIES!!

 

Cigarettes were never the anchors in our lives that hold us steady....  they were the ropes that kept us tied to the dock while life sailed by! - jwg

It is not because you quit...it is because you smoked.  It will pass! -  Nancy

[Doreensfree]

Don't over think !!!!...our minds can be our worst enemies.......

One day at a time...one minute at a time if need be....

Just keep telling yourself....what will smoking change / alter...........nothing.....

[Tyme2B]

So true! Our minds trick us into thinking a smoke will help because that’s what we’ve always done. So now find a new way to stimulate that dopamine fix....candy, gum, a walk, talking to us on here. Something to keep your hands busy & your mind on other stuff. Trust me, you don’t want to go through this again & again....it’s best to move forward & just refuse to cave.