Is this normal ?

[Andstillirise]

Day 13 and I’m really struggling today . This is the first day I’ve really wanted a cigarette . A whole pack actually . 

I divorced my husband 16 months ago . And for some crazy reason ( pretty sure it’s related to quitting smoking ) I’ve been missing him and thinking about him . 

I made the absolutely right decision to divorce him so it’s not about thinking I made a mistake but I just keep thinking about him. 

Drove down the road with tears just streaming down my face over that fool. Lol . 

Has anoyher else experienced weird emotional issues like this ? 

Prior to quitting I didn’t even think of him nor miss him at all. 

Gah !!! I really want to smoke today and I hate thinking about him 

[TW517]

Yes, very normal.  Extreme emotions, especially sadness and crying, are very common early in our quits.  The smallest things can trigger it.  Even if it is something that normally doesn't bother you.  Sorry you are feeling sadly, yet normal .

[TW517]

If you haven't seen this yet, check it out:

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex/blog/2018/01/04/early-withdrawal-symptoms

I found that and the next one helpful.  Besides all the other crazy emotions we're feeling when we quit, we also worry about if we are "doing it right" or if we are "normal".  Congrats on nearly 2 weeks!

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/jonescarp.aka.dale.Jan_2007-blog/2011/06/26/what-to-expect-...

[Mandolinrain]

Very normal.....:

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Quitting is an emotional thing. Many if us found our way through our quits early on by having the experience of so many emotions we didn't know if we were coming or going.

For me....tears were a large part of that. Mixed emotions stored my thoughts. Deep inside I WANTED DESPERATELY to be a non smoker, but I was afraid. Afraid of failure, afraid of fear...is there such a thing? Being afraid of fear itself?

Tears came unannounced over I would say the first 3 months of my quit. Just look at me wrong and I would cry. I was fragile. I was learning how to cope with life without running to smoke first. This was a key turning point for me once I understood what was happening.

Frustration during my early months was induced by anyone who criticized me, looked at me wrong...again...how do you look at someone wrong?... My perception of everything was knocked out of whack.

I learned here on this site, that I would go through many stages as I began my quit journey. Some would bring intense anger, fear, hurt, pain, tears...oh yes plenty of tears, and feelings that I would lose this battle.

ALL which I was told by the wonderful Elders of mine, were 100%normal.

While we all may focused on the same goal...'to become a non smoker and or to remain one'...all of us that began this journey before you understand...

Tears are often a part of it. They're cleansing and remind us of the direction we are in or want to be in. So accept. 

Accept that today your working through another day quit. Something may happen to bring on the tears today and if it does, remember this......

 AND

This last quote is what I did. I wrote.

God Bless you all and I hope this helps at least one person. If it does, it was worth blogging ~Missy

OUTCOMES

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[sweetplt]

Yes this is so much of the journey Andstillirise we smokers ... smoked through almost everything in life especially our emotions...and quitting is so much more that just quitting the smokes, but facing many things we smoked through...I hate this part for everyone...but tears / crying can be cleansing...do something nice for you today...it will help...sending(((hugs))) out to you...keep us posted on how you are doing...~ Colleen 144 DOF 

[AnnetteMM]

Totally normal, as you've already seen (above), and those pesky emotions have no grounding in rational thought, do they??

You're doing really well, and by coming here you made the decision to keep going.

[YoungAtHeart]

Since you were still smoking at the time of the divorce, you hid from your emotions behind a cloud of smoke.  Lonely?  Have a cigarette!  Scared?  Smoke one (or two or three)!  Angry?  Have a couple!  The end of a marriage,whether for the best or not, does bring with it feelings that you hid from.

You are now learning to deal with them.  All part of the journey to freedom - and perfectly normal.

Nancy

[elvan]

For as long as we smoked, we stuffed our feelings down and when we quit and our feelings are allowed to come out...they seem so much more intense than we think they should be.  That's because we did not learn gradually, as we were growing up, that feeling angry or sad or stressed or just plain emotional was NORMAL.  We did not learn how to deal with our feelings and all the while that they were stuffed down, nothing was resolved.  This is a one day at a time journey that sometimes has to be one FEELING at a time.  I remember writing a blog when I had been quit for 13 days and I said that I really expected it to be easier by now.  When I went to my first EX reunion, I was asked to read that blog out loud.  How embarrassing, I smoked for 47 years and I wanted things to be better in 13 days?  It's going to be like a roller coaster part of the time, allow yourself to feel and to be NORMAL.  You did the best possible thing you could do today, you came here instead of lighting up.  Good for you.

Congratulations on your amazing quit.

Ellen

[JACKIE1-25-15]

Quite Normal as all have stated.  As EX smokers we start tp EXperience raw emotions we had been masking with the drug nicotine.  It is okay to cry.  You probably needed it.  It is a good washing out. Keep going. 

[jonimarie]

I have always felt that a good cry releases the pressure so you can gain strength to move on. So glad you did not have a cigarette.