DenaliBlues

The addiction is deeply embedded into our brains, so it takes a while to rewire everything. The voice that says smoking feels good or is satisfying or is your friend is a big liar. That’s your junkie brain trying to slip your handcuffs back on. The TRUTH is that smoking is toxic and stinky, will give you a headache, will constrict your breathing and spike your heart rate and and will probably trigger feelings of failure. Take pride in your hard work and protect your quit! During the tough days, I found it helpful to shift my mental focus to something (just about anything) else. 100 times an hour if needed. Otherwise, if I focused on the cravings it gave them more power and evoked a lot of feelings of sadness and loss - which I didn’t need on top of all the other struggles that come with quitting. Distracting myself became kind of a constant creative exercise. You are doing the right thing to come here snd talk things through. You’re making headway.

Glazier

You can do it @Molly2310! So glad you are posting here. Stay busy and stay strong. One day at a time, and freedom from the chains of nicotine can be yours!

Good morning, @Brioski. You betcha - strong urges persisted for me for a long time. It’s the nature of addiction, because smoking was so ingrained in our emotional lives and daily rhythms. So the big cravings are not surprising… but they are flipping aggravating! It helps me to remember that I have the quitting skills to dismiss those urges. They may bug the bejeezus outa me - but they don’t own me! Smack em aside and go about the business of living your free life!

NOPE

Wonderful to see you again! So great that you are enjoying a great smoke-free road trip adventure. I look forward to seeing you around!

Attaway to shake it off, Molly! So great that you’re back on track.

nope

-20 Yay chicks!

-19

Many of us have had stutter-steps on our quitting journey, @Molly2310. It’s ok. Learn from what happened and hop back on track. There is always a seat for you on the Train.

NOPE

Hi, @Brioski. So sorry you are having a tough day. I don’t have any advice for anxiety attacks (would use the tools your doc suggests and follow the tips from folks here with firsthand experience). But I can say that in the first while after I quit, my breathing felt extremely strange at times. Sort of floaty, like I was taking in O2 but it was not “gripping” somehow. I believe it had something to do with the fact that I was a heavy menthol smoker. It took me a while to recalibrate to breathing without the pinchy feeling from smoke, menthol and chemicals. I had to get reacquainted with clean chemical-free oxygen. This weird feeling got better. But during the transition, I appreciated aromatherapy inhalers and diffusers. Different essential oils have different properties and appeal to different people. But for what it’s worth, I found rose, grapefruit and sweet birch (wintergreen) scents to be helpful during the early weeks of my quit. Lavender, rosemary and jasmine also. In any case, I’m wishing you ease and a good night’s sleep. Take care.

NOPE

6.

NOPE!

-20! Chicks rule.

-18

^^^^^ Me, too. At the outset, I had no identity as a “nonsmoker.” (Still don’t.) But I could identify as a QUITTER. Quitting was so bleeping hard that every hour/day that I didn’t smoke became something I wanted to guard and defend - I became protective and proud of them. That initial abstinence approach eventually created the space and grace to begin working on healing and recovery, which is the work I am doing now. Abstaining alone won’t cut it for me… past relapses have taught me that. I need to proactively attend to deep healing from addiction. But abstinence was the first essential tool I used to punch through the walls of my nicotine imprisonment. Sort of like those home renovation TV shows. Demolition before renovation!

-18

-15

NOPE

Congratulations, Jordan! So happy for you - and grateful for your being part of my quit. The Penguin People cannot contain their joy!