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Will I still be me?


Jaime
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So today is my 3rd day without a cigarette. I’m 39 and have been smoking since I was 11. I have always enjoyed smoking and never really thought I would ever stop. This is a spur of the moment decision. I haven’t even told my husband. If I am going to do this I don’t want people talking about It, which will remind me to smoke. My main struggle is that everything I enjoy, I reward myself with a cigarette. What a beautiful sunset, time to smoke a cigarette and look at it. Stuff like that. I always thought of it as a choice not an addiction. Until now!!!! Whenever I get a craving or even think of smoking my lungs get really tight and painful. Is this normal? Another thing that really concerns me is that I’m going to change. Smoking is a huge part of my relationships with family and friends. . We go out and smoke a cigarette together and socialize. I’m honestly really scaired about this. What am I going to do with myself when chatting with friends. I don’t remember the last time I was in a social situation without a cigarette in my hand. How do you get through this part of it? This is making me feel really sad like Im grieving the loss. I know that sounds crazy. 

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Welcome Jaime and congratulations on taking back your life. I didn't tell anyone except my husband for about six weeks after I quit. And I only told my hubby so he knew my excuse for being a bigger biatch then normal lol. 

You WILL be a different person. You'll be a happier, healthier, better smelling person :) And you can still totally hangout with your smoking friends, maybe not now, but eventually.  I stayed close to home for the first couple of months because I didn't trust myself enough to not cave to the craves. And it was totally worth it :)

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9 minutes ago, Jaime said:

 I know that sounds crazy. 

 

That doesn't sound crazy at all.  It sounds perfectly normal for many smokers.

 

Smoking became such a huge part of all of our lives that it is hard to imagine life without cigarettes.  All of us here made changes in order to live a smoke free life.  For some, those changes were more difficult than others, but with time we see that life as a non-smoker is worth the early stress and struggles that can come with quitting.

 

9 minutes ago, Jaime said:

Whenever I get a craving or even think of smoking my lungs get really tight and painful. Is this normal?

 

As far as your lungs feeling tight and painful whenever you get a craving, I'm not sure how common that is.  Still, you are doing incredibly horrible damage to your lungs and the rest of your body when you do light up so I could see that being a reaction. 

 

Stick around this site and read up on experiences others have had in their quits.  You will see that a lot of the anxiety you are feeling is normal and it is possible to fight through it and eventually lead a healthier, smoke-free life.  Heck, you are already on your way.  Congrats on your third day smoke free.  Those first few days are the toughest but things do get better as long as you don't light back up.

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Did your cravings come in waves? I get the thought of smoking in my head and  I am able to block that out pretty good but then my lungs hurt almost like an aching feeling that lasts like a half hour or so. I’m hoping that’s normal.....

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Craves do come in waves early on but they do taper off as time goes on.   It is good that you are able to block the out pretty good and with time, that should get easier.

 

If your lungs hurt like that, you may want to see a doctor though, just to make sure everything is ok.  Your doctor will probably be happy to know you are quitting smoking.

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I might check in with the doctor if it keeps up. It just happened again and I noticed I was taking big deep breaths to get through the craving. I think it’s anxiety and I’m over expanding my lungs. Lol

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Hi Jamie and welcome to the Quit Train :) 

There are a vast number of quit symptoms and what you mention about your lungs may be one you are experiencing in the early days of your quit. You may be tensing up when an extremely strong craving comes upon you and that could be causing your pain. If you continue to be concerned about tit, please see a doctor just to be sure it;s nothing serious.

 

In terms of how we adjust to life without smoking well .... we just do the longer we remain quit. It's a journey and education about nicotine addiction is a huge part of that journey. That and the kind of support you'll find here among other quitters who have taken that same journey. You can learn new ways to reward yourself for the completion of tasks and when you get together with friends or family. One thing I can promise you is that quitting smoking will be much heakthier for your lungs than continuing to smoke. The other huge benefit is that you will be free from nicotine ruling your every move in life. No more running outside to get that fix, No more worrying if you have enough smokes to last till morning. Improved finances big time over time. The list of benefits goes on and on. Jump in - commit and follow through on that commitment. It's very doable Jamie :) 

Edited by reciprocity
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7 minutes ago, Jaime said:

I might check in with the doctor if it keeps up. It just happened again and I noticed I was taking big deep breaths to get through the craving. I think it’s anxiety and I’m over expanding my lungs. Lol

Deep breathing is an effective way to deal with cravings. Do it slowly though, as if you were smoking but you are now breathing in fresh air :) Inhale a normal volume of air, hold for a few seconds then exhale slowly. Repeat this multiple time for a few minutes. That should relax you as well as give you that inhale - exhale similarity to smoking  that you;re missing right now but without the damaging effects. Jillar calls it the Jillar Air Cigarette. Mock smoking but with no actual cigarette. 

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32 minutes ago, Jaime said:

Did your cravings come in waves? I get the thought of smoking in my head and  I am able to block that out pretty good but then my lungs hurt almost like an aching feeling that lasts like a half hour or so. I’m hoping that’s normal.....

Tital waves Jaime!! But as time goes on it gets so much better I promise. Before you know it it you won't even think about them or at least very long :)  Stay strong and adjust the way you think and break your habits you used to have when you would light up. It will surprise you just how much is habit and not need. You will get passed this and feel so much better.

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>

>  Will I still be me?

>


Plot Twist:  You were never really you under the influence of the addiction. 

Once you come out on the other side, you will now and forever be free to be you. 


EZPZ

Edited by sgt.barney
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Not Crazy... and not the first to have those thoughts.

 

So when I quit most of my friends smoked.... now most of my friends still smoke... I don't. Hasn't changed our friendships at all, when I first quit I'd still go sit with them while they smoked but now if I am truthful I hate the smell so move away while they smoke. I did struggle the first few social events because I just didn't know what to do with myself but that side of it is a few weeks and you start to see who you really are without the smoke screen... not an issue socialising, even in a stressful situation without that 'psychological' support... because its really not and dunno where you hale from but we had a whole wack of ads when I was a kid about not needing a drink to have fun well smoking is the same... and you know what its so much more fun to go out and not have to sneak off to smoke or worry that you didn't bring enough smokes or realise you have been somewhere sitting under the pagola with a group of mates for 2 hours and hou have already had 15 smokes... nearly as many as you normally have in a whole day and guess what.... you can still have just a good conversation, you can still have just as much, actually more, fun and you don't miss anything.

 

So the chest pains... possibly a bit of anxiety like you suggested but it never hurts to get checked, even if it is just the peace of mind.

 

OH... and welcome... congratulations on being smoke free for 3 days... breathing through a crave is a great way to go. Reci is right, deep slow breath in, hold, then slowly out.... it is even a bit of therapy for your lungs to help them recover... gotta love killing two birds with one stone. Now you can  do this with an imaginary smoke in your hand, or a bit of a straw, or a pencil, or a pen... just be careful with a pen that you don't draw back too hard.... because you can get a mouthful of ink.

 

Keep you blood sugar levels up and stay hydrated.... fruit juice can achieve both of those for you. Nicotine withdrawal will affect your bodies ability to produce insulin, this is short term but why they suggest sucking a lolly (sweet/candy) or having juice... if you have low blood sugar your craves may be worse and your mood is likely to be more volatile. Oh and another thing that helped me beat craves was playing memory match (that turn a card and find the match game) or minesweeper... I got an app for both on my phone so I could do that. Both are short time frame and require a bit of mental focus... so if you are focusing on remembering where a matching card is, you aren't focusing on a crave or smoking thoughts. Finally educate yourself... watch the movies and videos and read the articles here. You don't only have to detox, you need to re-wire/program your brain... that's why the first year is so important, you need to get past all those firsts... and its easier than you think, it gets easier every day. Just take it one day at a time... only worry about the next 24 hours.... because you know what Jamie, you can last a whole day without smoking... you just did it 3 days in a row... don't worry about tomorrow or next week or next month... just worry about today... successful quits are achieved one day at a time.

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Welcome Jaime 

and

Congratulations on quitting smoking.

 

Read till your eyes bleed about nicotine addiction,

this is a big tool in your arsenal to succeed.

 

The Sarge is so right !

 

6 hours ago, sgt.barney said:

>

>  Will I still be me?

>


Plot Twist:  You were never really you under the influence of the addiction. 

Once you come out on the other side, you will now and forever be free to be you. 


EZPZ

 

 

I always had a cheroot in my mouth, for 40 something years !

Now, I am a Free person and what's not to love about that ?

 

You might find this post helpful, from our friend, Joel.

My Cigarette, My Friend

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16 hours ago, Jaime said:

Another thing that really concerns me is that I’m going to change. Smoking is a huge part of my relationships with family and friends. . We go out and smoke a cigarette together and socialize. I’m honestly really scaired about this. What am I going to do with myself when chatting with friends. I don’t remember the last time I was in a social situation without a cigarette in my hand. How do you get through this part of it? This is making me feel really sad like Im grieving the loss. I know that sounds crazy. 

 

There is no way around it.  Making the transition from smoker to non-smoker is a process.  It takes a bit of time and there will be moments when you feel like something is missing.

 

Good new is: It will happen.  It happened for me.  It happened for Doreen.  It happened for each and every one of us who ride the Quit Train.

 

Not only will you reach a point where being a non-smoker will be your new normal, there will come a time that lighting up a cigarette will be a strange and foreign concept to you.

 

As for your relationships with family and friends...the people you love and care about will still be the people you love and care about.  The cigarette has always been there in the past but played no part in your relationships with those people.

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Welcome aboard Jamie and congrats on the 3 day quit.  All above have covered your concerns and ways to deal with them.  There are changes that will come but those changes in the long run will be much better for you  --- focus not on what you are but what you will be by keeping the quit.  Deep breathing techniques are a huge help as is drinking cold water (or juice).  This can be done one day at time that is the focus to keep!!!!

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Hello and welcome ...congrats on your fabulous 3 days smoke free....

You have been given great advice from the lovely quitters here....

We all started just where you are ....your body has alot of healing to do ...years of nicotine and poisons being taken it Daily....

We Quit one day at a time ....take the daily pledge ...this is a great way to start the day....a promise you won't smoke in the next 24 hrs...you'll be surprised how the day start to add up...

Watch all Joels video,s...on our main page....they cover most subjects.....

It's doable ...we all did it .....stay close ....

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Congratulations, Jaime!  3 days already, wow!

 

Does it help to know that we all went through the same fears, thoughts, sensations etc.  Quitting is hard but ... it's also easy.

 

Stay close to the board, post your journey and the folks here will be able to support you since we've all traveled the same road.

 

You'll be a nicer you :).  

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Hi Jaime, I am new here too, also 39. I have most of the same feelings as you do.

I am sure from reading everyone else's posts that you understand you're not alone. 

Reading up on quitting has helped me beyond words, maybe give that a try. 

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Smoking was my best friend, here is a lyric "Back and forth through my mind Behind a cigarette" ...  I felt like you did, im gonna miss it? When that one friend calls you smoke 2-3-4 just to get through the call as they are as toxic as that cigg. Best advice i can give start to notice why you want to smoke and look to replace it with something else. Every bad crave i had early on i went for a walk. Like a panic attack deep breathes help as well. Quitting because you want to or waiting until you have to? My mother had emphysema and she stopped, lungs were damaged bad and i'll echo her words "dont wait like i did, look what i did to myself". 

 

 

Will you be you? Yes you will - the cigg

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Hi Jaime, congrats on quitting! When I quit, wondering if I will "still be me" was a fear that I thought about. Smoking was an integral part of my life for 19 years . And virtually everyone in my life knew me as a smoker. But I and many others here will attest: YES you will still be you. And, a healthier, better version of you. A more CONFIDENT you, knowing that with each passing day, you conquered one of the most difficult addictions out there. All of the things that you enjoyed as a smoker - that sunset, socializing, etc. are still here for you to enjoy, and always will. And you do NOT need a cigarette for any of them

 

Re: feeling tight in chest, this is a common sensation many of us had when quitting. Please don't be alarmed or afraid enough to go back to a cigarette. Your body is going though a massive, great, awesome resetting and cleansing. It's performing natural functions (that were hijacked for years by cigarette smoking). 

 

Stay close to this board for advice, and ask any questions that you have. Keep it going!

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Hi Jamie

I was you 12 months ago.

31 years of smoking and I started at 13. 

Everything you said is almost word for word of what I would say and how I felt at the time. 

My best advise to you is:-

- no matter what happens just find a way to keep your quit and go that extra minute, hour, day. Because soon enough it will get easier and you will notice down the track how much better you feel, let alone the feeling of freedom which is awesome. Ie. not having to worry about planning you day around smoking, where are my cigs etc. 

I’m still waiting for the day however that cigs don’t come up in my routine checklist before I leave the house. ?

All the best. Be strong!

 

 

 

 

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QuitTrain®, a quit smoking support community, was created by former smokers who have a deep desire to help people quit smoking and to help keep those quits intact.  This place should be a safe haven to escape the daily grind and focus on protecting our quits.  We don't believe that there is a "one size fits all" approach when it comes to quitting smoking.  Each of us has our own unique set of circumstances which contributes to how we go about quitting and more importantly, how we keep our quits.

 

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