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Hey, 4 months is awesome. You’re really on your way!

Yes, I hit a number of challenges around the 4 month mark too. I was beset by triggers. My mother died unexpectedly. Work blew up. Big stuff went wrong with the house. Quitting had become a strong pattern by then, but being a smoker was recent enough that the cravings and temptations were quite vivid. I felt empty and adrift… like I’d lost the part of my identity that was a smoker and I didn’t have a mental model for being a nonsmoker. It was a strange feeling of loss and limbo. Things turned a corner for me around the 6 month mark. That’s when some switch in my head flipped from abstinence (not smoking) into true recovery (mental, emotional and relational). Give it time and you’ll find a new groove. Meanwhile, congrats on 4 months!!

So proud of you @Kdad! Living proof that quitting IS possible!

Hi @BettyBlue. There really is no perfect time to quit… if it isn’t a vacation, your addict’s mind would probably invent some other reason to procrastinate. (I used every excuse in the book… traveling, work stress, family stress, pet stress, in a bad mood, in a good mood, LOL.) Whenever you choose to stop the patches/ lozenges you will go into full withdrawal. And yes, it will be uncomfortable. But perhaps not as gruesome as you might think. By rationing your nicotine (and using the slow delivery system of a low-dose patch), you’ve already been in a prolonged withdrawal state for a while. So cutting off your nicotine supply will be unpleasant, but it won’t feel totally alien. It will also allow you to turn the corner once you’re fully nicotine free. The cravings will ease and your new freedom will finally begin! And the sooner begun, the sooner done. Withdrawal doesn’t last forever. Stay busy, stay focused. Whatever else happens, don’t let yourself lose ground by smoking again. Change situations, post an SOS here, use a lozenge if you have to - just don’t smoke or vape. You can do this!!

NOPE!

Way to go, Paula!!!

nope

Hi @Muddled Quince. It’s great to read a little more of your story - thanks for sharing. Quitting is a wild ride at first! Our bodies need to detox, and our addictions throw a tantrum. Blood sugars, digestion, sleep, emotions, etc. can all go a little wackadoodle for a while. I love your strategy of having a list of projects/tasks to check off. Staying busy and distracted absolutely helps, as does exercise. Hydration is important. Curling up into a fetal position and hiding under a blanket is also legit, LOL. Don’t be afraid to use whatever tools you need to navigate the early days of withdrawal. I was a heavy smoker for 40+ years and I used mini-lozenges and gum to support my quit at first. I disliked both enough that long term dependence was not a big risk. But they did help early on, when my quit was still new and fragile. Remember that cravings are NOT commands. They are just loud, obnoxious commercials trying to sell you junk that you don’t need or want. You have the power to mentally change the channel, push the mute button, or walk away. Like you said about Next Thought. Each time you do that, your quit muscles get stronger. I remember early in my quit I used to shout, “Begone!” or “NOPE” (Not One Puff Ever) to banish the urges. It drove the cats bananas. The thing about owls is that they can see in the dark. By yourself, you may not yet be able to see through the darkness of your withdrawal struggles. But your owl can. It sees the lightness and the freedom that awaits you as a nonsmoker. You CAN do this! Find your inner fierce and protect that precious quit!

Congratulations @Kdad. I remember all your struggles… so glad you have found your quitting groove!!

nope

So happy for you @Paul723. We all come to our “epiphany” in different ways… I’m certain your story will inspire others to quit. And you didn’t really think you would escape a dancing groundhog gif, did you?!

Whoa… 2 years already?! Time flies! Congrats to you @Stewbum!

Well done!

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