day nine something weird happened today

[nsd_user663_1783]

hi everyone

i had day off work and thought i would go to my local shopping centre for a change and have a look at the holiday bits with the money im saving from not smoking. When i was a smoker i use to go there stop off and get a coffee and raspberry chessecake as a treat and finished with a ciggie. i was fine until i walked towards the coffee shop i felt a bit anxious looked in my bag for my inhalator but had left it at home i started to panic but it was'nt because i wanted a ciggie the smell of the smoke as i walked by was terrible so why did i get in a panic it was a weird feeling. I had to leave my shopping and come home has anyone else had this experence.

P.S sorry about my spellings

alison:confused:

[nsd_user663_1762]

Hi Alison,

I totally know what you mean. Trust me the panicky moments do fade after a while. But when you do have moments like those take a moment to look the problem in the face: being a smoker means you have created a 'safety zone' that you can retreat into anytime you spark up a ciggarette. When you quit smoking you obviously remove the safety zone at the same time so it's no wonder we feel uncomfortable, exposed, at a loss etc. You just have to remember that the artificial safety zone we created with smoking could never ever be worth the price we have to pay for it (physically, financially and mortally).

By quitting fags we are learning to live without that lethal and artificial crutch, so while it might be daunting at first, we'll ultimately end up stronger and braver people for learning to live without it. So it's Win-Win!

Keep going!

[nsd_user663_1793]

Thank you for voicing exactly what I'm feeling! Knowing in my head that a smoke doesn't change the situation doesn't help to allay the overwhelming panic I'm feeling because I can't have a cigarette. The safety zone ****ogy is dead right. That's also exactly why I started smoking in the first place, because it alleviated the panic attacks I was having at the time. Now I'm having them again, for exactly the same reason as last year too,(my son is out on the street) and I really am aching for that crutch. Right now, cancer is too amorphous to be a worry; my son walking out and living on the street is what's real.

[nsd_user663_1798]

These ideas might help

I'm sorry you are having panic attacks, I was having panic attacks as a smoker and it was so horrid, a couple of things might help ..... try wearing a rubber band on your wrist and if you start to feel yourself in the situation just twang it -yes it hurts but it makes your mind focus on something else, i also use to carry some herbal stuff that i put on my tongue and just knowing I had it in my bag helped.

[nsd_user663_1797]

Hi Alison

I'm getting panic attacks too and I've just gone into week 5!

Mine happen when I'm just sitting quietly watching TV. I was beginning to think I was having heart problems. According to my GP it's anxiety. I've also become depressed and so my doctor is treating me for it. I did expect to become irritable during the first few weeks of quitting but not depression. Mind you, it happened the last time I quit. Maybe this time I should quit for good.

So if you're at all worried about it, and it does sound like your panic attacks are quite extreme, go and see your Doctor who should be able to help you.

Good luck