Day 2 Cold Turkey

[McMoney]

It's been two days of living in what amounts to a constant state of mild to severe panic attack. 
I'm a ball of anxiety with flashes of white hot anger and waves of hope and determination... and a bag of Jolly Ranchers.  I've quit a few times before so I know I will start to feel much better soon.  I've been reading a lot of what others have posted in this community and I just want to say thanks for being here! Thanks for sharing. It helps!

[biscuit9]

Glad you are reading.  I also watched alot of videos on quitnet.com, lots of distractions there.  Nicotine addiction makes you believe you need it and cannot live without it, so stop believing those lies and use your distractions and tools.  Hard candy, blow through a straw, etc.  Get creative and sometimes just standing up and moving around when thoughts try to creep in, can help.  I see you are using jolly rancers, so that's good.  You might try journaling and writing....I did that alot during my first few weeks.  Writing out my feelings and writing about where I WANTED to be, and visualizing the life I wanted, helped me.  You are not giving up anything, you are gaining control of your life BACK.  Don't forget this.

[maryfreecig]

Thanks for sharing your quit and how it is going. Congratulations on your resolve to quit. Stick with Ex. 

[Barbscloud]

@McMoney Welcome to the Ex. Glad you found us.  We're here for you.!

No matter how you choose to quit, cold turkey or with aids, you need to educate yourself about nicotine addiction and have a quit plan. Many have found success with knowledge and preparation. It took me 50 years and many attempts to finally get it. I went into my quits blindly and was never successful. In addition to some aids for my final quit, I found the Ex a week prior to my quit. For the first time I learned how to quit and had the support that was always lacking.

This link is a great place to start.
https://www.becomeanex.org/guides/?cid=footer_community_linktobex

Make the commitment and you can do this too. We're here to support you on your journey. So reach out anytime you need help, want to share your experience or to support fellow quitters. We're all in this together.

Start your day by taking the Daily Pledge. It's a great way to stay on track on day at a time.

Stay busy and stay close.

Barb

[McMoney]

I made my own post it. I'm at my desk for a 40 hour work week so I will see it A LOT. That message is powerful. Thank you for sharing! 

[Barbscloud]

@McMoney Glad you found some quitters on the Ex to help with your journey.

Barb

[McMoney]

Thanks everyone! In the past, I've done really well and then one emotional blow up or fight with the husband and I've fallen off completely. I'm using Varenicline this time (and went cold turkey on the first day of starting the pills), journaling, planning for distractions, reading a lot of content on EX, making lists, and I plan to take it one day at a time/ one minute at a time. 

I'm riding the roller coaster for now but even when things smooth out and feel easier, I will remember recovery takes a long time and those moments of conflict will make my quit stronger.  Thanks for the support! I'm sure I will need more of it in the coming months/years. I'm glad there is a platform for this. 

[CommunityAdmin]

Anxiety before and during quitting is pretty normal- take it one day at a time and keep those jolly ranchers handy! In addition to what others have shared, here's a page on the EX site with some tips to help too: https://www.becomeanex.org/ex-resources/about-quitting/get-ready-to-quit/addressing-anxiety/

We're here for you,

~Margaret, EX Community Admin Team