Wondering what you think ?

[stzr500]

I am nearly a month free of this nicotine demon, yes a true false security demon that controlled me for nearly 2 years. I just want to ask a few questions and leave a few comments. Needless to say I can remember the day and nearly time I picked up a pack 7 years free. My mother passed that day at 12:17 pm at age 91. She had a terrific life! I also caught my wife later that day doing something she shouldn't have been doing. Leave it at that. I drove straight to the store and bought a pack. I was broken again. Very stressful year followed and switched to vaping. Vuze 5.0 then 2.4.  Just wanted to give a short highlight. To the main topic: This quit is very different. Not to bad on the cravings, first week was tough actually first 5 days. Settled down now. I was hit with something I never had before. Anxiety with derealization and depersonlization which lead to some major panic attacks. Ready to jump out of my skin daily for hours on end and weeks on end. Finally settled a pretty good bit now. I would wake up in the morning praying to God to get me threw the day. I will admit I am a strong person but this time I was thinking I cannot do this or take it anymore. Nearly started again but didn't.  I am not kidding when I say I was at the threshold of hell !! The world, life didn't seem real. Let's just say anxiety couldn't have gotten any worse. I wished I would pass out so my mind would reset. It didn't the fker would hold me to the edge and then stop. No to very little relief. I just wanted to land but couldn't. In the last week it has been getting better. I did my homework and checked that quitting vaping could be significantly harder than cigarettes. Go figure a pure straight shot of nicotine out of a 50mg or 24mg vape. Extremely high and it should be illegal. I never new this until I quit. One thing I can say, I never smoked enough until I got nausea like I have with vaping. Thats a crap ton of nicotine. Anyway withdraw was at times felt like my nervous system had the flu.Hard to explain. Just so much more intense. Anyway just want to put this out there that vaping really isn't a better alternative. Just ride the waves the storm will ease up give it time. That is all for now. Take care everyone!!

[DenaliBlues]

Thanks for sharing this candid and important story @stzr500  And congratulations on your month of being nicotine free. Agreed that nicotine is a very powerful drug. So protect that beautiful and precious quit that you’ve worked so hard for! 

[Paul723]

Nicotine changes the chemistry in your brain and it takes time for it to reset.  Receptors in the brain have become so accustomed to nicotine dosing that adrenaline is released when the brain is denied.   The good news is that we can heal and it is so worth it.  Congratulations on one month!

[kenry]

I think it’s a solid approach—simple, practical, and easy to maintain.

[johnny5]

Congratulations on approaching one month nicotine free.

 

Prior to quitting for good, I switched over to vaping for a while.  I started getting headaches and feeling really off, worse than I felt with cigarettes.  I don't know for a fact, but I really think I was consuming far more nicotine through vaping.  

 

It is best to leave both the cigarettes and vapes behind and live a nicotine free life.  Keep up the great work.

Edited Saturday at 05:43 PM by johnny5

[Doreensfree]

@stzr500

Congratulations on your 1 month nicotine free 

Life throws us some crappy curve balls 

We ..our nicotine brains … junkie thinking 

Thinks the smoking helps 

In fact it’s the opposite 

As soon as the withdrawal starts again our brain go into … I need a fix mode 

Quitting stops  this cycle .

Glad your here 

[SD2026]

Well done on one month nicotine free @stzr500 and thanks for sharing your story.

I have read that vaping is meant to be more difficult to quit. I'm glad it's getting a little better for you and please hang in here, it WILL be worth it! 

[GonSo]

Congratulations on one month nicotine free!

Hope all will ease up a bit in the 2nd month.