New and wondering how to quit with mental illness?

[shy]

I just had my last cigarette about an hour ago. I'm nervous about quitting with my mental illness. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia about 8 years ago. One I worry about completely snapping. Two I believe I cling to cigarettes because it was apart of me when I was considered "normal" and I don't want to lose that feeling. Three I'm recently two months sober from weed and alcohol. Fourth I live with a smoker who smokes in their room and I can smell it every time she lights up. Just struggling but I need to quit because I recently experienced chest pains and had a heart monitor on for two weeks. Still in the process of finding out what's going on there. I just feel I have tremendous odds stacked against me right now. I know I'm strong enough because I know what I have accomplished mentally over the past 8 years. Just really scared. I don't want to hurt anyone or myself. Any suggestions on how to approach a quit like this? Thank you 

[johnny5]

1 hour ago, shy said:

I know I'm strong enough because I know what I have accomplisI ched mentally over the past 8 years. Just really scared.

 

Hey Shy and welcome to QuitTrain.  Congrats on quitting weed and alcohol, although I can say from personal experience is to stay vigilant in your quit from those.  Quitting smoking cigarettes is a great decision,  You accomplished a lot.

 

I can't speak for certain mental illnesses but please use the search function on this site to look for help with different issues.

 

You can quit nicotine.  It is tough but your life and health will be so much better.  

 

 

Edited May 23 by johnny5

[shy]

Thank you. I will.

[SD2026]

Welcome @shy and well done on making the decision to quit nicotine!  You have a lot going on what with having recently quit weed and alcohol as well, I'm assuming you're an all or nothing type personality!   What coping methods are working for your weed and alcohol quit?  Maybe you can apply the same for your nicotine quit. It is tough you live with someone who smokes unfortunately, it'll just mean you'll need to keep strong and focused on the reasons why you are quitting. 

 

I'm glad you're receiving medical attention for your chest/heart issues and I hope it goes ok. Regarding your schizophrenia, I'd recommend you keep in close contact with your mental health provider.

 

You CAN do this, you just need to want it bad enough.  Stay strong. 

[shy]

@SD2026 I guess the biggest motivation for the alcohol and weed would be my young niece. I wanted her to have one sober person in her life she can always count on to be there so I just distracted myself with taking care of her needs. People smoke weed and drink here and I just ignore them. The last day I drank I seen the amount of beer cans my sister threw away that was mine and I said wow I need to get control of this. I kinda am a all or nothing kind of person. I do stay in close relation with my mental health provider and have good support through them. I recently signed up for 1800 quit now program and they have sent me patches. My hardest times smoking would be at night and early morning when my thoughts get the best of me. Thank you for your support and reaching out. I haven't had community in a long time because of my mental battle. Figured it would be safest for me and anyone else involved. But I am growing and I no longer want smoking to be a part of my identity because I am so much more.

[GonSo]

Hello Shy, welcome to the quittrain. Please read as much as possible about nicotine. I can understand you find it hard to quit given your mental health. But what about disconnect them? Our addiction told us that smoking is a reward, helps with stress, etc. But it is just the addiction talking. Nicotine does nothing good for you. 

The beginning will be tough but doable. The way you feel early in your quit is not how it will be forever. You soon will notice improvement. Focus on that!! Also your young niece deserves a non-smoking aunt.

[Reciprocity]

Chiming in as well @shy ... You have done well to quit booze & weed and now having a goal to be smoke free is also admirable. You've had much great advice here from others already and I concur that the first while quitting can be the most challenging but it does get better and better providing you stick with it.

 

You mentioned you felt that the reason you cling to cigs may be because they were a part of you when you considered yourself to be normal? I understood what you're getting at with that statement and it's likely a valid point but think of it this way ... when you were very young you didn't smoke and THAT was normal. We all got into somking for various reasons growing up and quickly became hooked by the addiction. It's a terrible addiction that plays every mind trick in the book to keep us hooked. So understand that and be prepared to resist with all you have in you. once you break free from the addiction, you will then be back to how you should be. No longer controlled by this addiction. That Freedom is the greatest gift you can possibly give yourself (and your neice).

 

Get rid of all your smoking material if you haven't already. You can smoke what you don't have. Then make that unwavering commitment to never take another puff! We call it N.O.P.E (Not One Puff Ever). We even have a daily NOPE pledge page on this board. Why not join in there. The purpose of that thread is to pledge that you will not smoke just for today. That's how you'll make it to freedom ... one day at a time  

[shy]

@Reciprocity thank you for the kind words of encouragement. Your right before I even smoked I considered that normal and I want to discover that person again. It has been challenging I did break the pledge today but I start now with everything in me to beat this addiction no matter what comes my way thank you! 

[Reciprocity]

Trust me @shy, Discovering your normal, non-smoking self makes all the struggle to get there well worth while and once you're there, it lasts for life as opposed to the short period of experiencing quit symptoms.

[Doreensfree]

Hi Shy 

Welcome to the Quittrain .

We have tons of great information to help you along . 
Congratulations in all you have achieved .

Smoking takes all you got to achieve being free .

I wish you good fortune in your journey ahead 

My advice is simple , stay very close to the board . Never stick anything in your mouth and set fire to it .

[SD2026]

20 hours ago, shy said:

@SD2026 I guess the biggest motivation for the alcohol and weed would be my young niece. I wanted her to have one sober person in her life she can always count on to be there so I just distracted myself with taking care of her needs.

And a very important reason to quit and a great motivator to keep going when it gets tough. 

20 hours ago, shy said:

I do stay in close relation with my mental health provider and have good support through them. I recently signed up for 1800 quit now program and they have sent me patches. 

Good to hear and I'm glad you have a plan in place and will use patches to help you. 

 

Stay strong!

[QuittingGirl]

Welcome @shy  So glad you decided to quit smoking and other things.  Everyone has given you great advice.  There is also a ton of information on this site for you to read.  Stay close to the board, do the daily nope pledge everyday and you will succeed.

[shy]

Well I have done a horrible job so far sticking to my quit. I feel like a failure. But I do try every day. I guess I should just stop trying and just do it. Accept that it is going to be hard and I'm not going to feel so great for awhile and just quit smoking. I do thank you all for the support sorry if I let anyone down but I will not give up on giving up cigarettes. I start once again right now. Not one puff ever! 

[Reciprocity]

You only let yourself down when you smoke again so don't wory about us - worry about yourself & be kind to yourself! It's great that you still want to quit and what you said above is very true ... "I guess I should just stop trying and just do it. Accept that it is going to be hard and I'm not going to feel so great for awhile and just quit smoking."

 

Also, as I mentioned yesterday ... get rid of ALL smoking material! Take that easy option away from easy reach.

 

Adjust your thinking to take smoking completely off the table - it's no longer an option for you no matter how badly you want to smoke. Abstaining from smoking won't kill you, although it may be very uncomfortable at times. The end prise you are fighting for is better health, more wealth, and freedom from having to sneaking away to get your fix every hour every day and when you reach that point it's totally worth every minute of the quit symptoms you have to endure while quitting - trust me; I know because I've been through it all and am now a very comfortable non-smoker!

[Doreensfree]

Never give up trying to give up 

Keep on reading all the information here 

You still believe the cigarette gives you something 

It’s all lies … it’s a addiction and needs to be treated like any other addiction.

i wish I could let you see how much better your life would be smoke free 

I carnt you have to find this out yourself 

You have to promise yourself never to smoke again 

Even if your arse was on fire .

Keep close and keep posting

[SD2026]

7 hours ago, shy said:

Well I have done a horrible job so far sticking to my quit. I feel like a failure. But I do try every day. I guess I should just stop trying and just do it. Accept that it is going to be hard and I'm not going to feel so great for awhile and just quit smoking. I do thank you all for the support sorry if I let anyone down but I will not give up on giving up cigarettes. I start once again right now. Not one puff ever! 

Don't be too hard on yourself, you've acknowledged you have failed one day (yourself only) however onwards and upwards!  You'll have many more days you'll find difficult, there's no point in saying you won't unfortunately, Yes I do love to bring good news lol  Today is a new day!  Focus on today, tomorrow can wait. 

[SD2026]

4 hours ago, Reciprocity said:

Adjust your thinking to take smoking completely off the table - it's no longer an option for you no matter how badly you want to smoke. Abstaining from smoking won't kill you, although it may be very uncomfortable at times. The end prise you are fighting for is better health, more wealth, and freedom from having to sneaking away to get your fix every hour every day and when you reach that point it's totally worth every minute of the quit symptoms you have to endure while quitting - trust me; I know because I've been through it all and am now a very comfortable non-smoker!

Yes to this! I recall you @Reciprocity and many others giving me this advice earlier in my quit, it was hard to adjust to a different way of thinking but reading it now it really does help, it just took a little longer for my stubborn mind! 

3 hours ago, Doreensfree said:

Even if your arse was on fire .

  

[shy]

Thank you all. Today is a new day and I will do this finally. 

[shy]

1 hour ago, shy said:

Thank you all. Today is a new day and I will do this finally. 

Just cleaned up and put on my patch ready to face the first day as a non smoker

[QuittingGirl]

You can do this @shy just like we all did. We all know how hard it is and you will get amazing support from us, but you have to make up your mind that you won't smoke anymore, not even one puff ever!  We are addicts and always will be.  I can promise you that the withdrawal symptoms will go away, you just have to give it some time.  Did you see the Games section that we have?  Play some of the games because they will keep your mind off smoking.  You can definitely do this!!

[shy]

22 minutes ago, QuittingGirl said:

You can do this @shy just like we all did. We all know how hard it is and you will get amazing support from us, but you have to make up your mind that you won't smoke anymore, not even one puff ever!  We are addicts and always will be.  I can promise you that the withdrawal symptoms will go away, you just have to give it some time.  Did you see the Games section that we have?  Play some of the games because they will keep your mind off smoking.  You can definitely do this!!

Thank you! I will definitely check them out today. Your right I do need to make up my mind and I have been on the fence, scared of the outcome, but I claim this day and I claim not smoking. I am done. I will definitely keep everyone updated on my progress. 

[shy]

Well it's been a struggle since starting this but I did go to my nieces awards ceremony today and it was so nice not to smell like smoke with all those people around. It was a push I needed. 

[GonSo]

Indeed Shy! No embarrassing about how you smell.

[DenaliBlues]

Welcome to the network @shy! So glad that you found us!

 

I’m glad that you have a trusted mental health provider. Now is definitely the time to lean on them -  because there will be mental, emotional and physical ups and downs to navigate as you quit. Not gonna sugar coat it, withdrawal sucks. So marshall all your resources… including this board. Learn all you can about addiction, too. That really helps, as others have said.

 

But even as you prepare for tough times, don’t be surprised if your mental health actually IMPROVES once you finally quit!

 

No more cognitive dissonance. No more worry about each cough or palpitation. Freedom from shame. Freedom from that sense of failure. Doing something life-affirming that you will feel so freaking proud of. All of these gifts, and more, await you on the other side of withdrawal.

 

I always thought quitting would consign me to a life of pins and needles and misery and longing. But I was wrong… that was my addiction serving up some stinkin thinkin to keep me hooked. The truth is that I am calmer, complete, and more independent without nicotine. It’s a beautiful thing. 

 

You CAN do this. And we’re here to encourage and support you. 

 

Keep us posted on how things are going!

[shy]

@DenaliBlues Thank you so much I ain't gonna lie I did smoke when I got home still trying to figure this thing out but I'm willing to abstain longer than usual and I think I am really close to breaking through that doorway to freedom. I will definitely keep you all updated and thank you for the kind encouraging words. I have to do this! I can do this and I will. Thank you.