What was the hardest thing about day one of quitting?

[Tabitootoo]

I have really severe bipolar depression. I am scared that quitting is going to through me into something I may not be able to handle. 

[Jelexie]

Hey, I hear you. I don't have bipolar, but I do have panic and anxiety attacks. My first question is - are you working with a therapist? They're going to need to know that you're quitting, both because it will be hard (as you're concerned about), but it will also change how your meds work with your specific brain chemistry. So if you do have a therapist/psychiatrist, make sure they're aware. 

Second - I know that you can do this. I have CPTSD, and I quit cold turkey. I'm not the first, and I won't be the last. It IS possible. Everyone has quitting challenges, and everyone's are different - this is yours. Have your tools on hand.  Use the 5-4-3-2-1 method of cutting through anxiety attacks when you need it.  Breathe - a lot. Do you have a buddy, someone you can trust to back you up and notice when your brain is lying to you? Try to have at least one person you can call up or text and play Real or Not Real with. As you know from living with bipolar, your brain can be a lying, nasty cheat and having an outside voice can make all the difference when your brain is trying to trick you into smoking.

And don't EVER be afraid to get help. You deserve to quit smoking. You deserve to love yourself enough to do it. If it gets harder than you can manage, reach out to a hotline and let someone help you. The hardest thing for me was realizing that I am worth this - and so are you.

[Tabitootoo]

Unfortunately, no I have been on meds or been able to see a therapist in I dont know how long. I know it has gotten worse over the years. A couple months ago I went through a weird time in my life where I just snapped. I almost gave up my family and friends because of my imbalances. And now that I am back to being me and not chemically messed up, I want to stay that way. I'm worried that I may put to much on my self quitting that I may put self on the verge of another one. I dont want or need to keep smoking. I cant afford insurance and I cant get medicaid through the state because they say I dont have kids and I make to much. Even though I make minimum wage. Go figure. I cant afford to pay for a therapist. 

[minihorses]

I have bipolar disorder is well.  I'm going to be openly honest in saying that I think it's harder to quit because of it.  BUT it's doable.  I've got 509 DOF under my belt, even through some very trying times.  I never could've done it without EX.  Use this site to the fullest extent to help you along the way.  Throw those nasty monkeys off your back and you will begin to feel so much better.  You may need a medication change.  I would see your doctor as well.

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to the community!

The first order of business, I think, is for you to talk to your doctor or therapist about your medications and  what you might expect as the nicotine leaves your body and your dopamine levels fall.  I think education, planning and preparation make Day Ones much easier because you will know what is going on and what to expect.  The hardest part of Day One for me was trying to stay busy and focused on ANYTHING other than smoking.  I had not found this site on my first day, and believe it would have been much easier if I had done the reading and prep work I will recommend.

The important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This easy and entertaining read provided a world of good information about nicotine addiction, most of which I was not aware.  I credit it in large part with my success at quitting.   You can search for it online or at your local library.

 You should also read the posts here and perhaps go to the pages of folks who you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com, quitsmoking.com and livewell.com for the good information contained there. @https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex has lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.

After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort after you have tried to delay and distract.   I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another.  You need to start out with a plan to reduce use of them over time - which the patch does by decreasing the dose contained in them..  For the gum, you can start by cutting each piece in half, then in quarters, then sub regular gum of the same flavor in between, adding more and more regular gum.  For the lozenge, you need to start subbing a mint in between to begin, increasing the number of them over time. I do not recommend the e-cigarette for four reasons: 1) the vapor has been compared to the polluted air in Bejing on a bad day, 2) they just provide another nicotine delivery system while continuing the hand to mouth smoking motion,  3) it maintains the addiction to nicotine, and 4) they are proving to be unsafe.

It will be informative if you do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site. As you track each cigarette smoked, note its importance, and what you might do instead. Put each one off just a little to prove that you don't NEED a cigarette just because you think you do.
 

The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different. Buy your gas at a different station. Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.
 
You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.    Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:
 https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...

The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!

 Nancy

[maryfreecig]

One of the best ways to face challenges is to plan, plan, plan. Will you be needing more support in addition to Ex? Are there quit meetings and other support meetings in your area? Is your doctor onboard with your quit and is she or he a possible ally? Will you be using NRT or wellbutrin or chantix? Have you made a list of things that you are willing to do other than smoke? 

Strategies, plans, actions--they mean something. I know when I am first struck with worry about something--I then make an attempt to step away from the worry story that I am creating and then I think about what I can do to get to where I want to be. 

Quitting is always one day at a time. Always. There is no other way to do it.

[sweetplt]

Please talk to your Doctor who treats you for bipolar about your quit and feelings...see if he/she can help you decide on a plan to dealing with quitting and this disorder.  We are here to support you...please keep close...~ Colleen 427 DOF 

[Sootie]

The hardest part of the first day si just getting through the day without them. If you are like most of us, cigarettes are so much of your routine and you don't know or remember any other life. For me it was....

>wake up and smoke a cigarette while coffee is brewing

>drink a cup of coffee with two or three cigarettes

>shower, get in car, drive to work....smoke about 4-5 cigarettes

I won't go on...but you get the idea and that was only up to 9:00AM.

So----the hardest thing was...how do I do this without smoking? But it CAn be done and now I do it every day and cannot imagine ever smoking a cigarette.

Not being bi-polar...I can't say if it is harder to quit or not........but certainly, it is going to present some different challenges. So I have to echo those "above" me and say your first order of business is to talk to your doctor about the fact that you are quitting and create a plan with him/her on the way to go through this.

Second is to stick close to the site and vent as often as needed! This site is a blessing to all of us who have quit...whatever our differences.

Finally, know that you CAN do this. We will help you all that we can because we have only one goal here.....for you to succeed and become a non smoker.

[Giulia]

There's a group here with blogs that may be of interest to you.  Mental Health Support   Here's a recent one:  https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/community/expert-advice/blog/2020/01/15/contrary-to-popular-opini...   

[green1611]

Prepare complete plan of quitting. Good to take help of psychologists, doctor, or consult able person in that case.

Quitting smoking is psychology ...changing software of brain. 

All the best!