Happy Smokefree Monday Everyone 
There is a ton of great advice out there about anxiety. I highly recommend that if you are someone who suffers from anxiety, as I do, then you should definitely check out some of the stories and experiences being shared. Whether it helps your current situation or not, it will still create an awareness that I think most smokers are in denial about. Here is a little insight to my journey with anxiety.
I have suffered with driving anxiety for the past 7 years, I have avoided freeways like the plague since 2015. I'm sure anyone who has dealt with anxiety has been embarrassed about it to some extent. Not only have I been embarrassed but it also makes me mad! Why was this happening to me out of the clear blue sky? Why has my independence been taken away from me? My Doctor has had me try several different medications over the years to help alleviate it, all which seem to lack the results I was so desperately looking for. She also suggested Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)...not likely since I would have to DRIVE there, ugh! She recommended that I eliminate caffeine from my diet (check), lose weight (check, but will always be a work in progress) and quit smoking (wait, what?! Are you kidding me right now?! You want me to stop the very thing that calms my anxiety?! Are you freaking nuts?!)....all easy tasks, right? My thought was "I'll quit when I'm good and ready to"....
It took me 7 years to finally pick my quit date. I am one month and 10 days into my quit and apparently hadn't even noticed the improvement to my anxiety until 2 different people pointed it out to me over the weekend. My husband mentioned he even noticed that I haven't been a "basket case" in the car since I quit smoking. After giving it some thought, he was absolutey right! Could I possibly be on the road to recovery? Have I finally beaten it but was so focused on not smoking to notice? Has my Doctor been right all along? (Go figure!
). I still don't know but will sure take every accomplishment as it comes, big or small! My only regret is not doing it sooner, I could have alleviated my anxiety years ago rather than continuing to subject myself to the daily torture that it's been like for me. I have been in denial this whole time, what a dope! At least my anxiety is beginning to subside, this was the best decision I've ever made!
Anxiety? What anxiety? Pbbt...freeway, here I come! 
