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Today marks one week as a non-smoker. Is it okay to still hate this? :)

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Today marks one week as a non-smoker. Is it okay to still hate this? :)

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 33

Hello Jackie ,

Wow , Just Wow ......Reading your post was like , someone was writing down the thoughts inside my head , I knew just how you felt and only thing I would have added to your comment was while kicking and screaming in a strait jacket yelling at the top of my lungs , Light a cigarette , Feel the relief !!!!!!

I am now on day 28 and it is getting easier , but there are still moments that sometimes creep up , It's a fight I can't lose . I am doing this for me . I want to prove to myself that I am the one in control and I don't need anything tobacco has to offer , If you want to call it a offer . nothing but bad . I quit cold turkey . Reading your post helped me to know i wasn't the only one who was feeling like this . A crazy ride for sure , but I am determined to ride this coaster to the end . Freedom as my reward .

Billy H

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 10

Great work.. and it is also great that knowing so many along with me are doing quitting program! powerful!

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11216

Great work!

It sounds like you got everything covered except for the reward. You will have to do a bit more thinking to figure out new ways to reward yourself. Remember, rewards are important...plus you deserve it for all the hard work you are doing.

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6

Thank you, Siane and Ashley!

It's amazing what a difference a week can make! I'm now on day 15 of being smoke-free and day 8 of being patch-free! At this point, my cravings are becoming fewer and less often. My new "normal" is starting to develop. The upcoming holiday season has been a nice distraction. My daughter coming home from college this weekend has also been something great to focus on (she's 2,600 miles away at ASU!). Since I have the extra time for myself now that I'm not going outside to smoke, I've been practicing similar habits, but have changed the location. I still read my books...but inside, for now. I still FaceTime and Skype with family and friends...but inside, for now. :)

My stress levels have been normal, but I have (thankfully) been able to keep my big mouth in check. I pace a lot, but it's not out of nervousness. It's out of the desire to "walk it off" but not having too many areas in my office to actually walk. My coworkers have been very supportive in my decision to quit, and they have been good about dealing with me and my mood swings/walking in ways that are best for me and my personality (they pick on me...but in a caring way, if that makes sense ha ha ha).

Ashley, to answer your questions:

How can you add relaxation into your day?

- The walking helps. I've started taking a shower when I get home after work (in addition to my morning shower). The heat, steam, and silly cat that tries to jump into the shower are both relaxing and enjoyable.

What about quick/healthy ways to destress?

- I talk to myself...a lot. I do a lot of deep breathing exercises. I also go to YouTube and watch a short video of the Happiest Penguin on Earth. It always makes me laugh very hard, and laughter is always the best medicine for me. :o)

How will you be rewarding yourself now?

- I'm not 100% sure yet. As of right now, I look at every cigarette that I'm not buying/smoking is a reward. I miss smoking like someone would miss an abusive spouse. I hate it, but I love it just the same. But I will also never, EVER go back to it. Even though 15 days isn't a lot of time, it's more than enough for me to not want to undo all that I've fought through so far. So, for now, I am very happy with rewarding myself with the running counter that shows how many days/hours/minutes that I've been smoke-free. In time, maybe I can convince my husband that I trip abroad might be a good reward. ha ha ha

One of the perks and also challenges of quitting is that you will have some extra time now. How will you spend it?

- I have been baking...A LOT. My office has definitely enjoyed my need to keep busy in times of cravings at home. I think they're secretly hoping that my cravings never go away so they can keep getting treats!

Overall, I'm doing well. Much better than I thought that I would. Thank you so much for your support and encouragement!!!

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11216

Congratulations Jackie! How are you doing now?

It sounds like making this change is very important to you. It also sounds like you are a little ambivalent about making the change...this is completely normal. Quitting smoking is hard! It has been a big part of how you spent your time, relaxed and "rewarded" yourself. You really have to learn a whole new way of living. That's daunting! But also exciting.

Put the work in to solidifying this quit now. Once you get some more confidence in your ability to fight this addiction, it's likely your motivation will increase as well. So let's get down to business - take some time to answer the questions below.

How can you add relaxation into your day?

What about quick/healthy ways to destress?

How will you be rewarding yourself now?

One of the perks and also challenges of quitting is that you will have some extra time now. How will you spend it?

Those should get you started :) Feel free to share the answers with us.

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2

Yes, what you are feeling is absolutely normal. Think of it as your "devil" and "angel" team. Your body cravings and psychological cravings are your devil team. Your healthy side is your angel team.

It's great to vent, especially if it gets you past a craving. I hope you make it through your second week :)

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6

Good day, all!

First of all, thank you for this site and this community! I have basically stalked the message boards for the past week to use as motivation and encouragement. Even though everyone suffers through the Quit, it's actually nice to see that other people are suffering along with me, and that it's all for the same common goal.

I smoked my last cigarette at 7:10 am (EST) on Monday November 24, 2014. It's now been one week since I've had a cigarette. I still hate myself for deciding to quit, even though I know all of the health and life benefits that are to come. I still really enjoyed smoking. Unfortunately, my body didn't physically agree with my habit. After 20 years as a 3/4 pack a day smoker, my physical health just didn't enjoy it as much as my mental health. My mother was a smoker for 40 years. She even had a cigarette burning in an ashtray when she had a heart attack that lead to angioplasty. That was also her last cigarette. She had breast cancer at 35 and again at 60. She had a heart attack/angioplasty at 58. She was diagnosed with lung cancer at 67. She had valve replacement surgery at 69. She passed away in May 2012 at the age of 69. She was the most amazing, loving, funny, and inspiring woman that I have ever known, and I'm so incredibly thankful that I was blessed to have her as my mother. Smoking both directly and indirectly lead to her life being a lot shorter than it should have been. I cannot allow for this to happen to my daughter. If I get hit by a bus, fine. If I come down with some incurable flu, okay. But I do not want to contribute to my own death any longer. These are my motivations.

But dangit, this stinks. I figured that these things would have fueled my desire to get through this and would have helped to overcome some of the physical and emotional dependencies. NOPE. It's still so hard, and I just keep waiting for it to get better and to get easier. I'm far enough into the Quit that I don't want to erase the last week of suffering, but it's eased JUST enough to where the nicodemons in my brain are starting to try to convince myself that "I can't make it a week. That's a victory. Reward yourself with a smoke!" Wait...what??

Is it normal for me to still feel like I have a dueling personality issue, where one is bound and determined to quit and the other is basically kicking and screaming in a strait jacket? When can I expect the feelings of "You made the best choice!" to overcome the feelings of "You idiot! One drag will even out your brain and stress!"

Ugh. Thanks so much for letting me vent.

Jackie

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Today marks one week as a non-smoker. Is it okay to still hate this? :)