3-4 Week tweener

[nsd_user663_3979]

Hey guys, decided to register, the forums been a big help through the first 25 days..

Had probably my worst craving of these first few weeks today.. lasted like 4 hours it seemed at work today, haha. I was like sitting outside after work trying to decide if I go across the street into the corner store or continue on into the train station. It was close, but I managed to snap out of it.

Anyways,

My question is, did any of you experience any social anxieties, or the need to be alone a lot during your quit? Sometimes I feel like can't go out there and socialize without my mighty cigarette, get so damn nervous.

It's a crappy crutch!

[nsd_user663_3928]

Hi and welcome to the forum, Yes I needed what my kids called me time I think most people need that whether they smoke or not just dont take the fags with you. stay quit mate.

Wayne

[NicFirth 10 Years Smoke Free]

Hi there,

Nice to see you making the move from lurker to poster, Welcome

I know exactly where you are, coming from. I avoided going out drinking for initially, as I've made some pretty poor decisions in the past while pi$$ed

Ultimately though you have to face it sooner or later, but initially I would try to remain relatively sober!

If you approach it with a strong mental attitude, and tell yourself (quite literally talk to yourself in the mirror) its not a big deal, I don't need to smoke to enjoy myself, non smokers DO enjoy themselves etc. it will help.

Good luck

Nic

[nsd_user663_3816]

Hi Streit

Welcome to the forums and a huge well done on your achievement so far, 25 days is great and almost at the month now

It seems the Nico Demon can sneak up on us at any time, the fact that you chose to go home and not to the shop to get some ciggys proves how far you have come, you are getting stronger each time.

I know where you are coming from, I did associate ciggys with the idea of giving me courage/calming, if i had a meeting to attend or was attending an interview i would smoke myself to death before hand thinking, now that i have done that i can get through the next hour or 2 lol.

We have all been brainwashed by the nicotine into thinking that we need them to carry out day to day stuff, but the truth is we dont hun, you just have to start believing again that you can do these things without the white sticks.

Take one step at a time and things will hopefully get easier for you.

Good luck, and now you are here dont be a stranger.

Denise

xx

[nsd_user663_1733]

Welcome and Congrats on your quit so far 24 days is fab work. you will be counting in months before you know it. yes I know what you mean i have 6 sisters 4 of who smoke dont visit them as much now And Im almost sure thats because i give up the fags. Well done on not caving by the way you will get the odd day like that but they get less. xxxxx

[nsd_user663_3728]

Hi there

Welcome to the forum, well done on 25 days quit from now it can only get better can't say i needed to be alone more than usual but at start of quit if i was going out i would say to myself I will stay for x amount of time but invariably stayed longer

[nsd_user663_3923]

hi, and well done on 25 days

Just think how good it will when your out and people invite you outside for a ciggie and you turn round and say simply " no thanks I dont smoke ".

My reply when i offered someone a smoke and they said they " dont " was always " good for you, wish i didn't " .

keep it positive, its great to be free.

[nsd_user663_3979]

yeah i always feel good the next morning when I realize I didn't cave.

thanks for the words!

[nsd_user663_3633]

Welcome to the forum.... after the initial reluctance to go out and about, because it was difficult to relax and chat "normally" without a smoke passed (about 6 weeks in if I remember rightly) I actually started to feel more confident that I ever have in my life.

I will start conversations with strangers in pubs or shops, etc far easier now than ever before.... I have no idea why that is... but I am far more sociable and confident now than ever before.

[NicFirth 10 Years Smoke Free]

Hehe

I guess Stuart has just come out of his shell due to this wonderful forum!!

Seriously though I can see it is possible that there could be a confidence boost due to quitting.

Either we gain a boost from the seriously good feeling of having achieved something that we've wanted to do for some time or by losing the feeling of being unhappy with ourselves as smokers, it would be too harsh to say self loathing, but something like that.

[nsd_user663_3633]

Either we gain a boost from the seriously good feeling of having achieved something that we've wanted to do for some time or by losing the feeling of being unhappy with ourselves as smokers, it would be too harsh to say self loathing, but something like that.

It's a bit of both, I think. I do feel great about myself for achieving something so great... but a lot of it is finally getting out of the unhappy lot of a smoker these days. Lets be honest - people are much less tolerant of the smelly, poisonous, anti-social "habit" than they were even a few years ago. If you're a smoker, even if you don't admit it, you must realise that the huge majority of people look at you with distain and even disgust.

I don't think "self loathing" is too strong a phrase to be honest. There were times during my smoking life when I really did hate myself for a) what I was doing to myself and b) not being strong enough to stop it.

[nsd_user663_3728]

Hi Nic Stuart and BB

I think you are all right I also find it easier to talk to people since quitting where before I wouldn't have done

I wonder if maybe it's not just quitting and feeling better about ourselves

but also because when we first come on to the forum we are "talking" to strangers and this gets us into the habit and makes it easier if that makes sense

love margaretxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[nsd_user663_3979]

feelin good after a tough weekend.

should make it through the first month in a few days. glad to hear it's not completely unnatural to be "hole-ing" myself away through the tough times. I wouldn't necessarily call it tempting myself but, I went to a few parties with indoor smokers this weekend, and surprisingly my only cravings and anxieties were BEFORE i showed up..

i really had a change of heart on the issue when i saw people suckin back those damn things and realized i was doing something liberating for myself.

[nsd_user663_3849]

Oooh Streit, that's how I felt - all the cravings and anxieties exist before the actual event!

I had some friends over for dinner last friday and it meant that I would be the only non-smoker in the house! I was really worried that I would cave in when I'd had a drink and amongst all the smokers.

I really surprised myself by not craving a ciggie at all - all evening. I didn't miss smoking at all. I just looked at my friends puffing away and thought how ridiculous it looked.

I do still worry about social events but last Friday has really given me confidence so my advice would be to go out and face these challenges - they won't be half as bad as you expect and you'll feel much better afterwards!

[dangermousette]

Hello, and well done on getting to 25 days!!

What you described is a normal part of giving up smoking. Symptoms can range from mild anxiety to full-on depression - both of which can involve not wanting to go outside / lack of enthusiasm for things you used to enjoy / sense of isolation. BUT - that is because the chemical balance of your brain is changing and your body is learning to cope without a false stimuli. Normally this starts subsiding within 30 days, so you are nearly there.

STICK WITH IT YOU ARE DOING FABBO!!

[nsd_user663_3853]

Hello Streit, welcome. Great job on getting so far...er...so far... Keep it up!

[nsd_user663_3881]

Hey Strait,

That's just how I feel. Its more the anxiety of how you are going to cope with a smoking situation than when you are actually in it. I panicked slightly on Saturday night when I was going out with 3 smoking friends but I didn't miss it at all (particularly stood outside in the freezing cold). Its the fear element that you are not going to be able to cope.