I’m struggling alot

[MattRoux98]

 withdrawals are really really hard right now. I’m happy then all of a sudden something will annoy me and strike a nerve causing me to lose my shit. It’s been like this for 5 days now. I can’t take it. I was better when I was smoking. I need to keep going but I regret going down this road as of now cause of how I am. I need help. This is so hard for me and probably the hardest obstacle of my life 

[beazel]

It is hard and takes work, but believe me, it's worth it.

You never want to start over so hang in there.

Come here and read when you can, as much as you can. Knowledge about the addiction will serve you well.

(it has sure made the difference in my sticky quit!)

Get through one day at a time....you can do it.

Smoking Is Not An Option

[Barbara145]

Quitting smoking is difficult for most people.  It was very difficult for me.  You have to promise yourself no matter what you want a cigarette will not be the answer.  Being on the fence makes it worse.  I smoked for 52 years.  I quit 5 years ago.  Quitting is a journey.  Take it one day at a time.  I promise if you stick with it you will be nothing but grateful that you did it.  It makes life so much better in many different ways.  You are doing this.

[JonesCarpeDiem]

How long have you been quit?

Stop believing those negative thoughts.

Start saying "I don't do that anymore" every time you think of smoking.

If you are using NRT's you are their creator.

It's the addict looking for an excuse.

If you are not using nicotine replacement, the physical symptoms don't last. 

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

[Beck37]

Get out of your head..... stop thinking of smoking so much. You weren’t a “better” person when you smoked. You spent too much money on cigs, you smelled and you weren’t readily available. 

Yes quitting is darn hard work, but you can so do it.  Look at barb145, smoked for 52 years!!!! This site is filled with success stories and you can so be one of them. Change your attitude! Yes, you are going to be miserable for a bit, but it will end. You need to keep thinking of the reasons you quit in the first place,

Dig deep, it’s just a freakin cigarette.... You can do this!

Beck

[Giulia]

Come on Matt, you can do this.  Let me ask you a question:  you ever had an injury that took a certain amount of time to heal?  You know like a sprained ankle or a cracked rib or some such.  If you're put in a cast, it stays there and you put up with it until they remove it, right?  Perhaps thinking of this quitting journey in the same way will help.  You just have to put up with it until you get past those major craving periods.  Time is the healer.  And putting up with it is really just saying to yourself "no matter what," I will stay smoke free.  I think it also helps to aim for certainly short-term goals.  You've got five hard-fought-for days under your belt.  Aim for a week.  Just two more days.  See how you feel then.  Every milestone you get through is encouraging.  Ya know?  Just hang in there.  And don't sit there dwelling in your misery.  Get up and out and stay occupied.

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

This quit thing isn't easy - but you've got almost the first week under your belt.  It is pretty awful for everybody.  Knowing how difficult it was is how I have remained quit for 6 1/2 years (I NEVER want t go through that again!).  It is what it is.  I wish there were a magic pill I could give you, but, alas, you just have to get through it the best that you can.  I WILL, though, give you some tips that have made it more manageable for a lot of our members.

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 is an easy and entertaining read. You can search for it online or at your local library. Here's a link to a video here on the site which describes nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.
 
 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.
 
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

[MattRoux98]

Thank you so much Giulia. Everything that you just said really means a lot.

This program is really helping me and I’m very thankful and grateful for

all of you helping me and replying to my blog.

On Wed, Feb 27, 2019 at 12:51 PM Beck37 <communityadmin@becomeanex.org>

[Tabbiekat]

Quitting sucks, it is not easy, it takes work, but is so worth it. Distraction is our best friend. Coming here and venting and doing whatever we have to keep our quit. It will get easier, it is doable, you can do this.

Keep holding tight to your quit

Tabbie

[sweetplt]

I am so sorry you are having problems.  However, smoking and quitting are more than just that smoking and quitting.  It is learning to deal with life on life's terms like a non smoker.  It's smiling like a non smoker.  It's loving life as a non smoker.  It takes work and retraining.  You can do it...don't believe in NICO LIES...~ Colleen, gotcha in my Heart...

[JACKIE1-25-15]

With quitting you have to change your stinking thinking.  Instead of a struggle consider it a challenge that you can meet.  Yes it is hard but I can do it.  Know that you have to go through a rough patch to get to the better place.  If you just stick to NOPE no matter what you will be okay and whatever "misery" you have to go through will be worth it. 

[maryfreecig]

Welcome to Ex. By coming here you opened another door to your quit. Whatever was in you that steered you to look for community support, look to that strength and courage. That's an act of smobriety. 

Thinking about quitting and then quitting can be an eye opening, eye popping experience. But now you have a crowd of quitters ready to listen, ready to hear your story one day at a time. Staying smober is something you teach yourself to do, but having Exers who get what you are going through, who might even inspire you, can help in so many ways. 

Quitting is always done one day at a time, and only that. Keep the smober hours rolling in. Yes you can.

[Mandolinrain]

Look how smart you are! You came here. You did NOT smoke. So you keep on doing this okay? Yes it is had but you know you want to quit and you do not really want to go through another day One....right? 

Focus on the days WON, okay  Hugs, your gonna do this!

[elvan]

Welcome to EX...quitting is a journey, not an event.  It isn't just "done"...you need education about the addiction so you can recognize its lies because it WILL lie to you and tell you that everything will be fine if you just go back to smoking.  It will lie and lie and lie and the closer you get to feeling seriously committed to staying quit, it will pull out all the stops and have a mega tantrum to get you back.  It will tell you that it can fix ANYTHING when, in fact, it cannot fix anything...but it sure can do a lot of damage while it is convincing you.  I smoked for 47 years and I was a serial quitter, I quit and started and quit and started over and over and over again.  I have no idea how many quits I lost but I would give just about anything for a do over.  If I had quit years ago, I might have many more years left with my family and I might not feel short of breath all the time, I would not have to put oxygen on at night and I would not feel so tired that I have to MAKE myself do things.  Oh I DO things, I work out five days a week and I am going to keep going as long as I possibly can.  Exercise makes me feel better, it makes me feel stronger and healthier,  it makes me feel like I am doing something REAL for me.  I have lots of damage from smoking and I would not wish it on anyone.  I have been quit for over five years thanks to this amazing and supportive community.  

PLEASE remember that you had bad days when you smoked...it wasn't all happy, happy, happy like it is making you think now.  One day at a time, sometimes one STEP at a time and baby steps count.  You CAN do this and we are more than willing to help you.  I came here twice a day every day when I started and now I still come here pretty much every day.  It is a great program to follow AND to give away.

Ellen

[Giulia]

Glad that what I said helped.  And what everyone else said too.  We're all in this together, just on different parts of the journey.  Support is what made the difference for me.  I quit 2 years before this site was formed, but it was the support from people on another site who had been through this process that educated me and showed me I could be like them too, smoke-free.  And I moved on and passed on the knowledge I was given and gained more knowledge in the process over the years and made new friends and quit companions.  And I stayed CONNECTED.  I think that's an important part of quit maintenance.  Staying connected.  Even if it's just coming to a site like this and reading every day.

You really can do this thing.  But you have to put in the work.  If you're willing to work at it, you can achieve the freedom you want.  Most of us have been amazed at how much we have personally grown in the process.  Emotionally, spiritually, intellectually.  It's really a phenomenal journey.  If you choose to look at it that way.  DO.  It's much more fun than looking at it as if it's a 10 mile high mountain to climb.  This is a time when you can reinvent yourself.  And that is incredibly empowering!

[Animals12]

I cried and cried reading all these . It's sooooo hard your right. Emotions are high today. There are so many amazingly strong people on this site . We can do this . You are not alone. I'm struggling more than I have ever struggled but I know I HAVE to do this. Going back isn't an option. I can cry I can get angry but I will not smoke! 

[maryfreecig]

Yes you can do this. Great work sticking with your quit!  It is hard, but look behind you, you've already won time in one day at a time.  Thanks for sharing.

[Giulia]

"There are so many amazingly strong people on this site ."  True.  But some didn't know how strong they were until they began this journey.  This quitting thing actually grows strength in us.  Embrace it!

[indingrl]

YOUR DOING GREAT!!! Thank you so much for sharing and please know this too shall pass- just STOP when the crave HITS and jog in place for TWO minutes- OR - take THREE BELLY BREATHES- OR - drink some WATER - OR - suck on a LEMON.... These are some SUGGESTIONS made to ME in the beginning of MY recovery and they ALL worked! CONGRATS AND GOOD JOB STAYING NICOTINE FREE JUST FOR YOU!!!! WAY TO GO!!!

[MarilynH]

I thought I'd check in with you and see how you are doing today MattRoux98 quitting smoking is definitely difficult by any stretch of the imagination BUT it is Doable even though it doesn't like it when you are in the throes of the horrendous cravings and moodswings and lack of sleep BUT with deep breaths and perservence you will get to that point where you realize how much better life is as an EXer ......