I quit this morning and it is sooo hard. Mental demons. Need all the support I can get.

@KdadWelcome and congratulations! It is hard until it isn't. It stays hard as long as we keep using nicotine. Once you get through the withdrawal, life takes on a different glow.

In terms of help, read everything on the site. Drink lots and lots of water. Distract yourself mentally by doing whatever it is that you can to occupy yourself. I worked out a lot, cleaned and stuck close to the QT.

I made flashcards to remind myself of why I was quitting and to remind myself all I was giving up was an early death. 

Keep reaching out and, whatever you do, do not smoke. That just starts the whole darn thing all over again.

Karen

It looks like you have been here before @Kdad, maybe a few times? Like all of us?

I am attending on line support meetings (Nicotine Anonymous). You may find the fellowship helpful. I certainly am and if I needed any impetus to quit, its understanding that it doesn't get any easier and becomes seriously fatal.

Here's the link: http://www.voicesofnicotinerecovery.com. Hope to see you there.

 

Welcome back, @Kdad  You can do this.  Life without cigarettes is so much better than life being controlled by nicotine. 

 

I've seen you here many times before which means you really know you need to quit.  Read our posts in the quit smoking section of our site, check out @KEL's link to "Voices of Nicotine Recovery".....I never saw that site before but I'm sure it could help.  Also, if you haven't, check out Allen Carr's book "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking"  which is available both in print and online.

 

You need to quit, Kdad, and I hope you can get that support here but check out other resources also.

Sorry @Kdad. The withdrawal from nicotine is the worst. It is necessary though. Please do whatever you have to do to keep from smoking. You’ve done so well just by reaching out for support. That shows you really want to be done with nicotine controlling every aspect of your life. I hope that you stick close. Reading as much as possible on this site helps so much. Drink plenty of cold water and cranberry juice. Also, take off out the door and make a couple  of laps around the yard, down the street and back.  It helps. It really does!

@Kdadyou can do this.  just take it one step at a time.  each step maybe a day or and hour or a minute, just take that next step and don't light up.  as cliche as it sounds, you really find out how strong you are when you feel you are at your weakest.  

@Kdad, you've quit before so you know you can do it. 

Edited February 9, 20224 yr by jillar

@GusI know what you meant but I am going to posit something different: The "worst" is dying of this addiction. Withdrawal (at least that is how Allen Carr hooked it up) is the release of the disease-a cause for celebration!

We have to be willing to go through the discomfort to get to the other side.

Sending love and blessings to everyone on the QT tonight.

 

@Kdad I am not going to speak of your pain or your struggle. I do not know the depth of your hurt or anguish.  What I do know is you want to quit smoking. That could be for health problems, that you want to have a future with your loved ones.  Whatever the reasons are to you, they mean something to you.  You are the one that has to dig deep and decide what you are going to do.  Once you have done that you will give yourself permission to know that you deserve this, that you have value to your family, friends and all those in your life.   You deserve to go thru everyday feeling good physically and mentally.  I know it is hard, it is hard for all of us.  We are just as addicted to a bad thing as the homeless on the street.  We try to pretend otherwise but we know deep down they are struggling thru life just like us with our own problems and addictions. We all come to a point that we have to decide the direction our lives should take.  You are there and you know the answers, now you just have to stay strong.  Save yourself, you are young with so much in front of you, don't waste time, make it count!!

Hi @KdadNice to see you here. This is a tough process but a worthwhile one. Try to do as others have said. Drink loads of water it really does help with the cravings. Remember  with each craving your body is healing. You can do this 💪 

 

Hi Kdad...

You have been given good advice ...

Go back and read all the info again ....it seems you are still romancing the cig ....

We can give you all the help you want ...but only you can quit for you ....

You have to make a choice whether you want to quit or not ...

This is your health ,your life ,your fighting for ....

Make the choice never to smoke again ...no matter what ....it does get easier as you go on ...

Some things are worth fighting for ...let's do this !!!!

I am still having urges too, but they are already less intense and less often after only 3 days. I am trying to just wait them out without smoking. So far, so good. If I can do this so can you!

Great to hear. So far I'm letting the urges come and just try to observe them. It seems to work. I try to remain as an observer, curious and detached. It is helping so far.

@Kdad Keep up the good job!! You can do this and you know this

keep hanging in there Kdad. You know that they will recede and you will be the stronger for it. Good work. Best wishes.

Keep that quit, Kdad!! 😎

Major urge right now. Thinking about just going to the gas station down the street and buy a pack. It would be so easy to start again. I am worried about Monday when I will be all alone in the house. I am on disability but my wife works and daughter is at school.

Just now, Kdad said:

Major urge right now. Thinking about just going to the gas station down the street and buy a pack. It would be so easy to start again. I am worried about Monday when I will be all alone in the house. I am on disability but my wife works and daughter is at school.

 

Yes, buying a pack and starting again may be easy but quitting again will be really hard.  Fight the urge, it will go away.

 

Don't worry about Monday, worry about today and making it through this crave.  Not giving in will be a huge victory that you can build this quit on.  Keep the quit, you will not regret it.  You will regret smoking again, though.

 

You can do this, Kdad.  Don't smoke.

@johnny5 is right @Kdad worry just about today by Monday you will be that much stronger. The crave is temporary, you know as you know so distract yourself until it passes. Have you tried my JAC(jillars air cigarette)? It worked great at tricking my mind into thinking it was getting the real thing. Maybe it'll help you too...

@Kdad, you don't know how many times I have wanted to go do that!  Guess what, I have not done it.  It always passes, you have not died by NOT smoking.  It has been uncomfortable, has made you anxious and more, you will handle Monday when it gets here.  Just know what you are doing here is not only for your health but for your family's security.  Would you be so willing to give them up, NO, they need you to STAY STRONG.  That may the thing to do, look at them and realize they are the most important thing not cigarettes.

@KdadDo not do it!! I am 5 minutes from the gas station and felt that way too!

But I did not give in. You will be sorry if you do. One day at a time!! Eat some candy

drink some water take a shower just don't SMOKE!!

@Kdadit will pass. I read something awhile ago which has stuck with me. "Choose your pain" choose the pain from quitting (now) or the pain from not! (Later on)

Stay strong....

If you smoke ...you will only wish you were back to where you are now ...

Have to agree with everyone ...Monday is another Day...

Our brains can be our worst enemy....

Take it one minute at a time if you have too !!!

Ahhhh. I want to buy pack so bad. This is the worst it has been, quitting that is. I am chewing regular gum and that is helping.

It'll pass @Kdad, try using the air cigarette to trick your brain or do something that you never smoked while doing. That helped me a lot. I didn't smoke in my car so I would get in and drive around the block and as soon as I started driving the crave went away.