10 days. And I noticed I lost my happy. It's mine to get back. I blame no one. The light has dimmed. My kids keep telling mom, just relax... its not a big deal. I'm just not me. Does anyone else go through this huge self reflection when quitting smoking? When I quit smoking it causes me to take stock of my life. This is where I struggle and feel "off." It should be a time for celebrating so why do the tears fall so easy?

 

This incredible freeing myself of addiction is always so much more than stopping the nicotine. It's an emotional battle of facing myself head on and not always liking what I see reflected back to me. I promise I'm not intending to make this harder than it has to be, it's part of the journey for me. It's an emotional minefield. It's a slow letting go of a former self while mourning that part of you and trying to embrace a new self.

 

Some may think I'm whacked and not relate and that's ok. I can't be the only one who goes through this?!

Some may think I'm whacked and not relate and that's ok. I can't be the only one who goes through this?!

 

Nope, you're not alone.  Your quit is still very young and the adjustment process is still ongoing.  As smokers, cigarettes are tied to most every facet of our lives.  When we quit, we have to learn to do things without the cigarette that served as our little crutch for so long.  You combine addiction and mental conditioning that is carried out 20+ times daily, and it is quite natural to feel off at times during the initial days of a quit.

 

Your emotional state will not only calm, but you will have the added benefit of not being in varying states of withdrawal for the rest of your life now that you have quit.  The only thing a cigarette offers is a temporary relief of nicotine withdrawal.  And the only reason we ever felt nicotine withdrawal is because we smoked.  You've eliminated the source of the problem (cigarettes) and eventually the problem (withdrawal) will be a thing of the past.

 

You are doing exactly what you need to be doing and soon it will become very clear that everything encountered in these early days was worth it.

Aww kiwi...

All what your feeling is temporary... Your body is so messed up..for years it's been used to having a heap of chemicals pumped in to it 20 plus times a day...now it has suddenly stopped..

I was a wreck too...but just kept listening to what the oldies were saying...it will pass....

It does...just tell yourself..you know why...but it's all in the healing ...

A good cry is good...don't over think!!!!!...

It's normal...trust me ..xx

Kiwi

I don't know if everybody goes through that feeling - but I know I did.

I never realized how much energy I used to smoke.  Making sure I always had a supply; when can I get the next pack, where can I smoke, how can I hide it?

Once that was gone there was this huge hole.

You will get it back, but probably gradually.  You won't notice it's coming back until one day, it just hits you.

I hope it happens soon

All normal... you will come back better than when you left...promise.

 

Keep on keepin on... don't give yourself excuses

It's just quittin.

 

Why complicate it with unrelated baggage?

 

Innumerable quits fail for such shenanigans.

 

 

 

 

 

Easy Peasy

I'm feeling the same Kiwi but I know this is normal & will eventually go away. It happened with my last quit & is happening again. If I keep busy & force myself to do enjoyable things... it helps...I don't think about smoking then. Evenings are my worst time. I guess I get tired & the fight in me flags...but I just go to bed early. This will go away!

Yes it happened to me too and it went away with time. Keep on.

I have been using nicorette gum to help me with my quit...I always have been the type to adjust slowly to cold water in a pool! I am finding now that regular gum works well too! Mind over addiction. Lastly time I was "over" the crutch quickly. This time too! i much prefer regular gum

kiwi?

I'm here...day 11. I just get so tired at nights. Getting over flu, started back to work, and quit smoking all in the last 2 weeks. Lots of adjustments and I'm wiped out!!

11 days is fabulous kiwi..keep marchin..this will soon be behind you...my sleep was so messed up...

But it soon settled...x

Certainly not alone!  My first couple weeks, I felt like I lost my best friend, had nothing to look forward to and didn't want to get up in the morning....You will find your happy again in no time!  I think its important to find other small things that make you happy each day like taking a bath, lighting a candle, going for a walk and enjoying the air, reading, going to a movie, eating pizza, watching your favorite movie, etc.  Give yourself something else to look forward to during the day and you will realize that your happy comes back without knowing and other things will make you happy again :).  And also, give yourself a break.  Quitting feels like the end of the world and an end to a good thing.  It's learning that smoking was never a good thing that will help you to feel happy again.

 

You are doing the best thing ever right now...keep it up!!!!  It only goes up from here my friend!

I'm feeling the same Kiwi but I know this is normal & will eventually go away. It happened with my last quit & is happening again. If I keep busy & force myself to do enjoyable things... it helps...I don't think about smoking then. Evenings are my worst time. I guess I get tired & the fight in me flags...but I just go to bed early. This will go away!

It will go away Tyme!  You got this!!!! :) B)   Its an entire life adjustment which some don't understand.  Keep fighting the good fight.

I hate when I loose my happy but I think it is part of the cycle. It will come back. Sometimes its the little things that bring it back slowly one moment at a time.

Getting over any addiction makes us take a good long look at ourselves and that can be a good thing. We need to love an accept our self the good bad and ugly.