I quit smoking almost 4 months ago but still very anxious, is this normal?

[Marion_09]

Hello everyone. My name is Marion. I am 29 years old and a father to a four year old (the main reason I wanted to quit). I had smoked since 2009 (~30 cigarettes a day) but I quit almost 4 months ago. Since I quit I have been battling with a lot of anxiety. It almost feels constant. I feel like I have a lump in my throat, my chest feels heavy, and my neck and back are stiff. At first the symptoms made me take myself to the ER but they told me I was perfectly fine and that it was just my nerves. I decided to see my regular doctor and see what he thought I should do. He had blood work done and an EKG done on me and same as before, nothing out of the ordinary. He decided to prescribe me Buspar to help deal with my anxiety but they made my anxiety even worse so I stopped taking them. I recently contacted a psychiatrist and will start to see him next week to help deal with my anxiety. Hopefully it will help me out some because this anxiety is making it miserable to live and I feel like I’m missing out on so much of my sons life because this anxiety has limited me. Everywhere I read that it only takes 2 weeks to a month to get over nicotine withdraw symptoms, so I scares me that I’m going to feel this bad forever. Has anyone else experienced this during their quitting journey? 

[JACKIE1-25-15]

I understand that anxiety can be overwhelming for some. However I did not.  Here are a few tips that I found if you haven't tried them already. Hopefully someone that has your EXperience can enlighten. 

Here are some tips for managing anxiety:

• Remind yourself that anxiety will pass with time.
• Set aside some quiet time every morning and evening—a time when you can be alone in a quiet environment.
• Engage in physical activity, such as taking a walk.
• Reduce caffeine by limiting or avoiding coffee, soda, and tea.
• Try meditation or other relaxation techniques, such as getting a massage, soaking in a hot bath, or breathing deeply through your nose and out through your mouth for 10 breaths.

[YoungAtHeart]

First - congratulations on your FOUR MONTH quit!  Good for you!

A lot of us self-medicated with nicotine for various mental health issues.  BUT - there is NEVER a good reason to smoke; there are only excuses.

There are a bunch of medications used for anxiety - why don't you let your doctor know the first one didn't work and ask to try another?  Seems a psychiatrist is hitting this little tack with a sledge hammer!  It might be easier to cure with a call to your GP? - Least I hope so!

Exercise IS one of the best things to do to calm anxiety - outside in nature is even better if you can.  This breathing exercise can also come in handy when you start to feel your anxiety level rising:

Whatever you do, just don't smoke!!!

[anaussiemom]

marion_09  I feel you are taking many positives steps" !!

You do have this!    Congratulations.

Sorting out your emotions with someone can be very helpful, also it is healing.


God Bless.

You are not alone, especially here!

[Thesegoto11]

I'm not an expert, but this does not sound like something related to your having quit smoking--especially after four months.  You're following the right path.  Seek out mental health professionals.  Probably something else going on.  Best of luck.

[JACKIE1-25-15]

Have you had anxiety issues before quitting?

[Marion_09]

I had normal anxiety before I quit, but I knew the source of the anxiety then and the sysptoms weren’t this severe. My doctor had told me that he thought I had underlying anxiety and stress that I masked with nicotine and now since I quit cold turkey that my body was dealing with all of those issues without the help of nicotine. I just feel like I’ll be stuck like this forever and wanted to see if anyone else had been through the same thing. 

[Trisha76]

I had a lot of anxiety in my 3rd and 4th month.  What I found was the anxiety was coming from my unbelievable fear (could I really quit?). Only by walking thru the fear, did my anxieties gradually disappeared.  This really is a journey that we must do one day at a time.  I believe all my anxiety was tied to the nicotine withdrawal as I have no anxiety in my 5th month.  

[maryfreecig]

Hi Marion, I'm glad you are here and thanks for sharing your story. Congratulations on four months. If you quit alone--all on your own, you now have a quit family here for you 24/7. Quitting is tough for many who quit, so before you start fearing that you are broken and not fixable please give smobriety a chance (of course all your care from professionals is a good thing too). 

Smobriety, well for me it means learning to cope with everything. I quit 7.25 years ago. Cold turkey. I felt everything rage and anxiety. I didn't know how to cope with any kind of problem big or small. I'd always taken nicotine/smoked through everything. I came to ex nearly three years in --I was better and stronger by then-- but I needed to be with quitters who were moving forward. 

Ex has a slogan--to paraphrase--a great deal of quitting has to do with relearning life without smoking. That sure caused me anxety!!! But it is so worth it.

You've quit. Good for you, now buckle up for getting emotionally confident, psychologically strong. It's doable. You are on a journey that is one day at a time.

[sweetplt]

Marion_09 Hi and Welcome to Ex’s...

Congratulations on 4 months of Freedom...truly that is good...honestly, I had anxiety before I quit smoking...and was on medication...but when I quit I realized I was masking much of my anxiety with smoking...it took a lot of time...and what was suggested above helped me out...Breathing exercises along with meditation helped and continues to help, praying and talking to a higher power helps, facing some things and feelings helped me too ... which I am still a working on...I think it is great you are seeing a psychiatrist, but wonder if a medical Doctor and maybe a psychologist to talk out some coping methods might have been a good starting point...I feel for you...because I know how debilitating anxiety can be for a person...whatever you decide I hope it helps...I did find reading sources on how to cope with anxiety helped me too...keep close to our support site and let us know how and what you are doing...you will help many of us...

Remember it takes along time to heal from addiction...Colleen 779 DOF