Some days are tougher than others

Blog Post created by tenistar25 on Jul 14, 2017

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I had my last cigarette in June 4,2017, the night before I was to have surgery on my neck. My surgeon told me I needed to quit to better my odds of the fusion being successful. I have severe anxiety disorder so of course I knew I had no choice but to quit because I didn't want my surgery to fail. So i quit cold turkey.I was told it takes 21 days to break a habit well that is a lie. It's been 40 days and I still crave cigarettes at least 20 times a day. But I haven't had one. Tonight my anxiety is keeping me from sleeping and usually I go outside and smoke but to night I found this website on a search engine and here I am typing instead of smoking. I refuse to let cigarettes beat me. I will say since quitting I haven't had as much stomach problems and my anxiety isn't near as bad. It's funny how anxiety makes you want to smoke but cigarette smoking makes anxiety worse. Being a single mother of 2 teenage girls will make you want to puff away but my girls have been begging me to quit for years and they are so proud of me and I must stay strong for them. But some people don't realize how hard it is. I smoked for 22 years. Hoping quitting will add 22 years back to my life.

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Jennifer-Quit Jul 14, 2017 2:53 PM

I don't care what they say - most cannot break this nicotine addiction in 21 days....But I am living proof that it can be broken - me and a lot of other people here at EX. Education and a willingness to go through a few hard times is really what it takes. Keeping a good attitude will take you far. Here is a link to some reading material that may help. Others will be along shortly with more advise.

Freedom

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elvan Jul 14, 2017 5:05 PM

tenistar25 Welcome to EX...you made some really important observations in your blog....you said smoking makes anxiety worse and you are SO RIGHT. This is NOT a habit, it is an addiction and it take a lot longer than 21 days to get over an addiction. Recovering from an addiction is a one day at a time JOURNEY, it is NOT an event. It takes time and commitment. You need to read about nicotine addiction and you need to understand that what you are feeling is perfectly normal. You have been quit for over a month and that puts you into No Man's Land. What does that mean? It means that you got through the first month and now you have these expectations that things should be all hunky dorey...people who support you probably think you should be over it too...smokers don't really want to hear about it because they are protecting their addictions. This journey is one day at a time and when one day is too long, you can take it one hour or one event at a time, one trigger at a time. I smoked for a very long time, I have been quit for over three years thanks to this site. I came here every morning and every evening and I still do most days...mostly to give back because so many people supported me when I needed it. Please click on the link to go to JonesCarpeDiem's page and read what to expect the first 140 days. Then take YoungAtHeart's advice and read 101 Things to Do Instead of Smoke. Read Allen Carr's book, "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" but don't really expect it to be easy because, in my experience, it is NOT. I don't think about smoking any more...once in a while a memory of smoking will enter my mind but I can dismiss it with almost no effort. We have to build new memories and connections...if you always smoked after dinner, figure out something ELSE to do then and make that a routine. You don't have to fight this, you need to be aware of the fact that the addiction is very powerful but you are MORE powerful, you have allowed nicotine to control your every thought and motion...you didn't go to places where you could not smoke...you thought about your NEXT cigarette while you were smoking one. We ALL did. We all allowed nicotine to control us and we have all chosen to take our lives back. No crave will ever kill you but there is not one person who can say the same about smoking. I sucked on sour candy at first...so much that my tongue hurt. I drank gallons of water, I talked to anyone and everyone who would listen to me about quitting. I have never regretted quitting, most of us have many regrets about starting. You are amazing, you have done this 40 days all by yourself, without the support of others who were quitting. Coming here and blogging as you just did today is a HUGE benefit not only to you but to others who are starting this journey.

We are here for you and we all want you to be successful...read all that you can, you will get many recommendations. We WANT you to succeed and we want to celebrate your success along the way. CONGRATULATIONS on 40 days of freedom.

Again, welcome.

Ellen

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Jennifer-Quit Jul 14, 2017 2:53 PM
I don't care what they say - most cannot break this nicotine addiction in 21 days....But I am living proof that it can be broken - me and a lot of other people here at EX. Education and a willingness to go through a few hard times is really what it takes. Keeping a good attitude will take you far. Here is a link to some reading material that may help. Others will be along shortly with more advise.

Freedom
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elvan Jul 14, 2017 5:05 PM
tenistar25 Welcome to EX...you made some really important observations in your blog....you said smoking makes anxiety worse and you are SO RIGHT. This is NOT a habit, it is an addiction and it take a lot longer than 21 days to get over an addiction. Recovering from an addiction is a one day at a time JOURNEY, it is NOT an event. It takes time and commitment. You need to read about nicotine addiction and you need to understand that what you are feeling is perfectly normal. You have been quit for over a month and that puts you into No Man's Land. What does that mean? It means that you got through the first month and now you have these expectations that things should be all hunky dorey...people who support you probably think you should be over it too...smokers don't really want to hear about it because they are protecting their addictions. This journey is one day at a time and when one day is too long, you can take it one hour or one event at a time, one trigger at a time. I smoked for a very long time, I have been quit for over three years thanks to this site. I came here every morning and every evening and I still do most days...mostly to give back because so many people supported me when I needed it. Please click on the link to go to JonesCarpeDiem's page and read what to expect the first 140 days. Then take YoungAtHeart's advice and read 101 Things to Do Instead of Smoke. Read Allen Carr's book, "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" but don't really expect it to be easy because, in my experience, it is NOT. I don't think about smoking any more...once in a while a memory of smoking will enter my mind but I can dismiss it with almost no effort. We have to build new memories and connections...if you always smoked after dinner, figure out something ELSE to do then and make that a routine. You don't have to fight this, you need to be aware of the fact that the addiction is very powerful but you are MORE powerful, you have allowed nicotine to control your every thought and motion...you didn't go to places where you could not smoke...you thought about your NEXT cigarette while you were smoking one. We ALL did. We all allowed nicotine to control us and we have all chosen to take our lives back. No crave will ever kill you but there is not one person who can say the same about smoking. I sucked on sour candy at first...so much that my tongue hurt. I drank gallons of water, I talked to anyone and everyone who would listen to me about quitting. I have never regretted quitting, most of us have many regrets about starting. You are amazing, you have done this 40 days all by yourself, without the support of others who were quitting. Coming here and blogging as you just did today is a HUGE benefit not only to you but to others who are starting this journey.

We are here for you and we all want you to be successful...read all that you can, you will get many recommendations. We WANT you to succeed and we want to celebrate your success along the way. CONGRATULATIONS on 40 days of freedom.

Again, welcome.
Ellen
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