cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Give and get support around quitting

Apilling09
Member

Chugging along day 130, bye NML

Well today I am officially out of no man’s land. I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. I have managed this quit cold turkey, my first real quit during my 13 years of smoking. Unfortunately I am still dealing with the unwanted emotions like high anxiety, negative thoughts/fears and low mood as well as cravings. I only have the cravings when I try to convince myself that I need the nicotine to cope since I didn’t have these issues before quitting. I know smoking won’t help and the little nico demon is calling my name. And I know that I’m slowly (VERY slowly) getting better. Just need some encouragement that it will get better and curious how long it took some others. Want to feel back to “normal.” Much love. 

13 Replies

I had my worst craves near the end of two months also.We have to give it the time it takes to disconnect from it!

Have you read the two sets of seasons?

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex/blog/2013/12/05/the-two-sets-of-seasons 

0 Kudos
Apilling09
Member

I did in the beginning but I haven’t in a while so I will reread, thanks dale!

0 Kudos

You're welcome.

The statistics say the relapse rate drops to 2-4% at two years.

Keep investing this time in yourself.

Giulia
Member

Those surprise intense craving can really knock us for a loop.  https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/thread/1905-be-prepared

For me "normal" means having a craving every once in a while.  Even now.  That's my normal.  And it's a heck of a lot nicer than the normal of having cravings all day long day after day like in the beginning.  My new normal doesn't contain thoughts of cigarettes every day.  Nor thoughts of wanting a cigarette every day.  My new normal doesn't need cigarettes every day.  Not like in the old days.  But that doesn't mean I'm now totally free of occasional cravings.  

I guess I thought that some day I'd never want a cigarette again.  But that's not my normal.  Once in a while after a hard day's work I sometimes think "gee, a cigarette would taste good right now."  In reality I doubt it would after all these years smoke free, but I sure don't want to test it.  THAT lesson I learned long ago.  

When you agree to this journey for however long no matter what -  well when I agreed to it with myself, I just pretty much assumed it would be hell for, however long it lasted.  I did trust that SOME DAY it would end - that hell - but I didn't pre-set any time frame.  Perhaps, as you said, that's the problem.  So maybe re-group and sit back and ask yourself if you'll willing to stay the course no matter what for as long as it takes.  I think when we do that it really releases a lot of the angst of the journey.  That's part of how I see "acceptance."  By the way, I hadn't heard of No Man's Land when I quit and even after I did, I thought it was a bunch of hoo ha.  I've since come to kind of acknowledge the veracity of it, having lost two quits at the 3 month mark.  But it's essentially just a made-up time frame.  It's simply a psychological tool to help keep us going through the doldrums.

You've got a great quit going.  Hold onto it for dear life.  For your life is very dear.