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Give and get support around quitting

Apilling09
Member

Chugging along day 130, bye NML

Well today I am officially out of no man’s land. I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. I have managed this quit cold turkey, my first real quit during my 13 years of smoking. Unfortunately I am still dealing with the unwanted emotions like high anxiety, negative thoughts/fears and low mood as well as cravings. I only have the cravings when I try to convince myself that I need the nicotine to cope since I didn’t have these issues before quitting. I know smoking won’t help and the little nico demon is calling my name. And I know that I’m slowly (VERY slowly) getting better. Just need some encouragement that it will get better and curious how long it took some others. Want to feel back to “normal.” Much love. 

13 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

You aren't done until you are DONE!  The time periods we quote are averages and since no one is average, they vary.  Exercise (even marching in place or a few sets of stairs) can become your best ammunition against anxiety and mood. 

Getting out in nature - even a place with lots of trees, has been shown to be beneficial, too.  Can you call a friend, or arrange to meet someone for a lunch out?  Being social is also a good tool.

 Don't  give up; don't give in.  You really ARE almost THERE!

Nancy

Apilling09
Member

Thank you for the encouraging words

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elvan
Member

YoungAtHeart‌ is right, we are all different and we all have out own issues, our addiction is what keeps us bonded.  I have not seen a lot of you around here, I came to the site every morning and every evening and I read blogs, I reached out, I listened to what was working for others.  I came here when I felt like my quit was in any danger...even a LITTLE bit.  This site and these amazing people can get you through anything and everything.

Ellen

Apilling09
Member

Thanks for your input. I’m just quiet on here but I come read here and another site every day and I actually met a girl through this site who is the same age who quit on the same day as me and we message almost daily. 

Mandolinrain
Member

I am also a cold turkey quitter. The first year was the worst but really after 3 months, the craves that did come were over pretty fast and were manageable. That said...I did have a very slight few that were like a day one, but again...they came and went very fast.

Im glad your here reading. You don't have to interact but let me share a secret with you.....when you are going through your very worst day....if you come here and reach out and help encourage someone else who is newer in there quit than you are, you will be taking the focus off of your own crave and before you know it, you will feel good again. And you don't have to come here and do that either....pay it forward somewhere at home, with a friend, a shut in, a animal shelter, a nursing home.  Some may say this is off topic, but I say it's right on. When your reaching out to help someone else, you forget your own burdens and in doing so you build yourself up and become strong. Just a thought. Congrats on getting through NML...now, keep going

sweetplt
Member

Apilling09 Congrats on getting through NML...I hope you start to feel better about your thoughts...you now know ... much of this journey is “mind over matter”... convincing you that smoking wouldn’t help anything...only you can make you happy, content etc., hoping better days ahead for YOU...~ Colleen 243 DOF 

Apilling09
Member

Thank you Colleen, I actually feel much better today, making progress. 

Congratulations!

No Mans Land is estimated.

Have you had any days that you realize you didn't think of smoking the day before yet?

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Apilling09
Member

Hi Dale,

The intense craves didn’t start until the very end of month 2 and have lasted since probably because at that point I felt I should be over it and I had myself convinced I could only combat the anxiety with nicotine that I was denying myself. Today is actually the first day I’ve had since then that I hadn’t been hyper focused on smoking or vaping or nicotine in general to help me. Maybe just complaining on here yesterday helped a little bit. If it weren’t for you posting the NML blog I probably would have cracked a long time ago. 

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