September 2, 20178 yr I had a feeling Saturday afternoons were going to trip me up. The trouble is that I do a lot of cooking on Saturday afternoon/evening in preparation for the next week. As I put things on the stove or in the oven, I would always smoke a cigarette (or 2) while waiting for the water to boil or the carrots to roast......you get the picture.....waiting for the timer to go off. Right now I feel the pull toward those bad boys stronger than I have since the last one. They are just calling out to me. Every other thought that crosses my mind is.....Go light up. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD. It feels like I'm possessed! Am I going to start erupting pea soup while my head spins around? (sorry.....showing my age) I honestly don't know what to do or how to handle this.
September 2, 20178 yr You did a great job by posting an SOS. Do whatever you have to do as long as you don't smoke.The first few days are the roughest but things do get better. I can promise you that. You have to fight through these moments to get there, though, but it is definitely worth it.Nothing good will come out of lighting up a cigarette. Keep the quit.
September 2, 20178 yr These are just thoughts bjean. You DO NOT have to act upon the destructive thoughts you're having. What's happening to you now is what we call "junkie thinking." It's the addiction trying to pull you back into its clutches. The good news is every time you stand up strongly against a craving you are strengthening your quit. You did a great thing posing an SOS. It demonstrates your commitment to staying quit. Please hang in there! Take 10 deep breaths to the count of 4, exhaling to the count of eight. Change your focus to anything other than smoking (even if what you change it to us NOT smoking. Let us know how you're doing. Now KTQ! You can do it!!!
September 2, 20178 yr Author I seem to be very emotional today........and ANGRY! I actually threw something. I just feel out of control. Good thing I live alone and am dog-less at the moment. Jeez! If I can't even get through a WEEK without coming apart at the seams, how am I supposed to last a month or a year?
September 2, 20178 yr Jeez! If I can't even get through a WEEK without coming apart at the seams, how am I supposed to last a month or a year? Please believe that things get better as you go along. It is rough at first but it does get better. It will be a roller-coaster early on but stick with it. In the long term, you will be very grateful that you stuck with this and quit smoking for good.
September 3, 20178 yr I had a feeling Saturday afternoons were going to trip me up. The trouble is that I do a lot of cooking on Saturday afternoon/evening in preparation for the next week. As I put things on the stove or in the oven, I would always smoke a cigarette (or 2) while waiting for the water to boil or the carrots to roast......you get the picture.....waiting for the timer to go off. Right now I feel the pull toward those bad boys stronger than I have since the last one. They are just calling out to me. Every other thought that crosses my mind is.....Go light up. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD. It feels like I'm possessed! Am I going to start erupting pea soup while my head spins around? (sorry.....showing my age) I honestly don't know what to do or how to handle this. You will run up and down steps until you can't move. You will try to stand on your head. You will turn the music you love up loud and shake it till you break it. You will sing, scream, rant, rave, cook meals to put in the freezer that will last until this time next year...you will not smoke!!! Deep breaths!! (Promise your head will not spin, nor will you burst out of your skin)
September 3, 20178 yr Anger is part of it for some. Go yell at the wall. Just don't smoke. Move forward. Every urge you beat you get stronger and they get weaker. Already beat the hardest. Next one even easier. Chew gum. Run in place. Move
September 3, 20178 yr Dismiss the thoughts by telling yourself, "Smoking is not an option". Do this as soon as the idea enters your mind; don't give it any time or mental space. Do something else, think something else. Go for a walk. The nicotine is out of your system and your body is just beginning to heal itself. Get rid of the ones you have, you're done with them. They will kill you, they don't care.
September 3, 20178 yr A craving can't hurt you. They pass on their own in about 30 seconds, like a wave. Your body will dump adrenaline in your system to make it seem like it's important, it's not.
September 3, 20178 yr Author Thanks for all the support. i just printed the Junkie Thinking. I have been through every single one of them today. I needed to see those responses. Smoking is NOT a need, it's a desire. I don't NEED a cigarette. I need to be able to breathe.....and I am breathing better than I was Tuesday. I really am. That's what got me started. I felt a kind of itching in my chest like I needed to cough, but when I tried to cough, nothing really happened.....nothing "broke loose". That scared me. I've had that feeling before......sort of, but this seemed different and I had visions of COPD that would NOT go away. I had visions of lung cancer that would NOT go away. I have to remember THAT fear. It's much stronger than the fear I won't be able to stand it if I don't get a cigarette! I read the statistics and I refuse to be one.
September 3, 20178 yr bjean There almost assuredly will be very negative consequences if you were to keep smoking. You're through 4 days now. Each day is a challenge, but more than that, it's a victory on your path to freedom. Keep it up! You're doing terrific!
September 3, 20178 yr Hang in there bjean!! This quitting thing can be ugly particularly in that first week but IT DOES GET BETTER. You just have to do whatever is needed to get through the first nasty bit. The the anxiousness and resulting anger, frustration, whatever symptom you are feeling is very common but you just need to ride it out. I think I basically ready everything on this site I could find and binge watched videos that first week or so. I was a wreck at work as my focus was totally gone BUT; I DID make it eventually just by refusing to give in to the addiction. It was tough but well worth it. Now, any thoughts I have about smoking are just passing toughts, not cravings or urges to smoke - just thoughts about smoking. I can hardly even see myself as a smoker these days so you just hang in there bjean. You'll be fine if you just NOPE!!
September 3, 20178 yr Bjean.. As a smoker we live under that black cloud..I want to smoke but... What if.. Quitting removed that fear... Living in constant fear is no life at all... Copd / emphysema.. Is not living ,it's existing... Stay strong..the rewards will be endless... Well done for posting a SOS..I've seen countless of quits saved, Stay close here...very close.. Keep posting...x
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