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Share your quitting journey

talk about a change

JonesCarpeDiem
0 5 3

Quitting is a tough thing.

It is so dam familiar that it's hard to let go. That and missing the dopamine release makes us think we can't go without it.

I had never experienced depression or anxiety to any extent until after I quit smoking.

I had a real rough time during the 50's (days 54/55/56 as I recall)

I felt hopeless. (Now I know I was in No Man's Land)

What did I learn?

I learned I didn't want to go through that again.

I learned "The only way out is through"

If you feel like you just can't do it, perhaps you might go to your dr and get an RX for a mild anti-depressant that you can get off of when you feel you don't need it any longer. Many of these take a month to begin working so use good judgement. They also take a few weeks to get off of.

ALSO

start learning what other things release dopamine right up front.

LAUGHING

EXERCISE

MUSIC

SEX

and CHOCOLATE among other things.

Volunteering or a hobby that holds your interest are a couple of other helpful long term distractions.

"Quits don't stick unless you stick to them."

5 Comments
About the Author
Hello, My name is Dale. I was quit 18 months before joining this site and had participated on another site during that time. I learned a lot there and brought it with me. I joined this site the first week of August 2008. I didn't pressure myself to quit. HOW I QUIT I didn't count, I didn't deny myself to get started. When I considered quitting (at a friends request to influence his brother to quit), I simply told myself to wait a little longer. No denial, nothing painful. After 4 weeks I was down to 5 cigarettes from a pack a day. The strength came from proving to myself, I didn't need to smoke because I normally would have smoked. Simple yes? I bought the patch. I forgot to put one on on the 4th day. I needed it the next day but the following week I forgot two days in a row I put one in my wallet with a promise to myself that I would slap it on and wait an hour rather than smoke. It rode in my wallet my first year.There's nothing keeping any of you from doing this. It doesn't cost a dime. This is about unlearning something you've done for a long time. The nicotine isn't the hard part. Disconnecting from the psychological pull, the memories and connected emotions is. :-) Time is the healer.