Quitting is Scary

[joan4]

To me, the thought of quitting is scary. The thought of not quitting and dying of some horrible cancer is scary too. I have an anxiety disorder and both prospects seem overwhelmingly awful. Did anyone out there go through hell at just the thought ot quitting? How did you do it? Anyone else out there in the anxiety community?

[hwc]

To me, the thought of quitting is scary. The thought of not quitting and dying of some horrible cancer is scary too.

You'll just have to decide which is scarier. Something that may help: one is scary for a good reason. The other is only scary because you've been brainwashed by nicotine drug addiction to believe that smoking offers any benefit over not smoking. If you really thought about it, you would realize that the day you quit is the happiest day of your life -- not scary at all.

[francine]

I have anxiety and I went thru all kinds of heck every time I even thought about quitting. Even in April when I had bronchial asthma that I knew was caused by my smoking. I quit, slipped, quit, slipped and now am finally on my way to being a successful ex ( my last smoke was 6/4/09). I still have periods when the psychological cravings still haunt me and sends my anxiety thru the roof, but with the help of people on this site ( and my family), I have managed to get where I am now, by taking it one day at a time. I do not think about the future without smoking, I just think of myself being a nonsmoker today. The rest (for me at least) will take care of itself.

[Demando]

I am! I ended up checking into a therapist for a few weeks, she really helped basically told me that my body wasn't mentally used to being a totally different person (non-smoker)

[ree]

It is and will be scary. but you have to decide which is scarier, looking like the man on the commercial, who talks to you with the whole in his throat, or the uncertantiy of if you will be able to go through life without that something that has been with you through everything. Yes it is scary!! as Hell!! mind over matter. Once you make up your mind that quitting is what you want to do. YOU REALLY HAVE TO WANT IT!!! because it will be sooooo easy to just go out and buy another pack. I don't have a anxiety disorder, but I think all who have quit has had one in the beginning of the quit, talking to yourself, not really yourself but the Nico-Demon, who will be there very loud and clear for the beginning, then after a while it is then only you, who think a bout them from time, to time. For me, is when I see someone smoking, and I think of having one, Jaon if you want to quit you can, its like Nike Baby, JUST DO IT!!

[sandi8]

i agree with hwc, i never thought i could quit ans was scared i would fail but heck i made up my mind to quit and it has been over 4 months now, yea i have had battles but i win cause i never gave in

[cindywilson]

going with hwc here, for me it came down to COPd is scary and kills you and I have it or quitting is scary, not as scary as dying, I said that is it for me and I quit, I have had bouts of anxiety and talked to my doctor and he upped my meds to help...

[debra-adams]

Joan,
We have all been there, OR are still there...or at least most of us. Anxiety is a very natural feeling for anyone who is facing and challenging the demon of addiction. There is absolutely no "easy" way to get through the withdrawals. What helped me was continuously reminding myself that those thoughts of "how scary not smoking" are? They are the addiction speaking. Not you. Not me. That is JUNKIE thinking. It is what hooked us, and what has kept us hooked. Do you know that nicotine actually contributes to your anxiety disorder? Nicotine is a stimulant, and people with anxiety are supposed to avoid stimulants because they tend to exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Sure---you might have some anxiety during withdrawals. But in the long run, your anxiety will be MUCH better managed when you are a non-smoker. Keep your focus on the outcome, which in reality, is really not scary. You are going to be healthier, more confident, have more money in your pocket--and ultimately have less anxiety. It is a no brainer!!!! Quitting is the best answer. Not quitting--and the consequences of that --is the scary answer. Good Luck to you.

[edith2]

hahahahahaha! Oh yeah! Anxiety is my middle name! The thought of quitting terrified me! I can totally relate to what you're saying. I hated the first week of my quit and sooooo many times I didn't think I'd make it another minute! I'm still amazed that I made it. I never want to go through another quit again!

[shelley5]

OH Good Grief Charlie Brown....I could write a book! I suffer or rather have suffered from generalized anxiety disorder, it doesn't take a whole lot to set me off. A problem at the kids school, a phone call from someone I don't want to talk to, bad weather !!!!! no kidding (I live in Spokane where we got 80 inches of snow in 20 days last winter, lol)

quitting smoking , or even the thought can send me into a tail spin. My fear... I can't do this....I'll gain weight.....I'll not be able to think straight or be preoccupied with a craving when I need to be thinking about something else.

THE LIST GOES ON.

but you know what I'm not happy quitting, but I'm not happy smoking either, I'm tired of the money going up in smoke, blah blah blah , and again the list goes on.

after fighting this for years ...I finally went and saw the doctor , got a little help (chantix), logged on here , signed up for GETQUIT.com told everyone to stop calling me for a few days and I've just got to push through this. A friend of mine emailed me back that he also is trying to quit right now but isn't doing well.

I'll tell you what I told him....the only way we will get to the other side is to wade through the muck to get there.

I was quit at one point for 2 1/2 years ...and I can tell you my anxiety VERY much disappeared after I had been quit for awhile. it wasn't the first month and not even the first 3 months but eventually I noticed HEYYYYYY I'm not having as many anxiety attacks ...and that alone is worth quitting smoking.

It can be done do what ever works FOR YOU and just Get-R-Done!

[luvsroses_barb]

I suffer from depression, not just anxiety. I smoked for 34 years and had been thinking about quitting for at least 30 of them. I was too scared to try. I didn't even really seriously try until I ended up in the hospital because I couldn't breathe. Like others here have already said, smoking only adds to the anxiety, once you quit for a little while, you'll feel so much better. It's normal to feel anxious to change something in your life. Even if you know that it will greatly increase your health and pocket book to boot. But you can do this. And we're here to help you along the way.

[Leenie]

I had/have panic disorder (related to thyroid issues, I think). Jodi's right. There are probably a whole bunch of chemicals in cigarette smoke that heighten the panic. Cigarettes DO NOT help anxiety and panic disorder. I noticed somewhere around the two-week to one-month point that I was much calmer. The irony is that you feel anxious about quitting but quitting will help you feel less anxious. I didn't remember reading about this in the quitting literature, but someone ought to let people know. Oh! I guess we just did!

Good luck.

[joan4]

Wow. Lots of helpful comments here - thank you all! I am not as panicky as I was a couple of days ago, and I know intellectually what needs to be done. The emotional attachment to smoking is going to be rougher than the physical addiction. I'm still back and forth and can't seem to commit to a quit date - work schedule, family stuff, you know I have a bunch of excuses. I need to remember the FACTS: cigarettes are a stimulant and do not calm me down, and it's junkietalk to think that quitting is scary.