Hi Barb! We as smokers spent so much time smoking. Now that you have stopped of course there will be a gap and it will feel different. My suggestion is that you get involved here as much as you can, when you are feeling bored. You are in the position to help other people. Helping others will not only strengthen your resolve as a non-smoker, but also bring you great joy, knowing that you may be helping someone to save their life! Plus it really helps to make friends here!!
What you are feeling, like Karen said, is totally normal. We all get out of sorts when nicotine starts leaving our bodies. Cravings are actually a good thing! It's your bodies way of telling you that it is releasing poisonous toxins that were built up every time you smoked. We were all just like human landfills, full of these toxic chemicals. Now we are cleansing ourselves and cleaning that human landfill up.
When you compare the amount of time to get those toxins out of your body, to the amount of time, there really is a huge gap! You will begin to feel a little better as each day goes by. My guess is that if you were to compare today to day 1, that you will see a pretty big difference in how you feel.
Why should you quit? Smoking can and will kill you if you continue. That's the biggest reason. I suggest that you may want to write a list of pros and cons. Make two vertical columns and write down the pros -- what you like about smoking and the cons -- what you don't like about smoking. My guess is that you will see the cons list is much longer.
I've found that this is very much a mental addiction. The nicodemon is constantly putting thoughts in our heads, trying to get us to smoke again. The way to conquer these thoughts is through positive thinking. Here are some of the things you can think, when you get a thought about cigarettes:
Smoking is NOT an option.
I am a healthy, happy, confident non-smoker.
Cravings won't kill me, but smoking will.
NO = Not one
NOPE = Not One Puff Ever
I choose life over death.
If you apply these thoughts every time you get a thought of smoking or wanting a cigarette in your head, you will drive out the negative thoughts. It is so much easier to deal with this with positive thinking, rather than being dragged down by negative thoughts in your head!
I hope this might help you...Keep it up, you are getting through the worst of it right now!! If you need more help, please feel free to drop me a post!! Have an awesome weekend!!
