Week 3 blues & mentalness

[nsd_user663_3365]

Hi,

I haven't posted here i a long time, as I've only just quit again in the last few weeks, but have come back for a bit of support really and to document how I'm feeling.

I quit about 3 weeks ago and after a couple of days using patches I managed to stop cold turkey, which I still believe is the most effective way. The first few days of clearing the nicotine out of my system seemed surprisingly easy, and despite having a very stressful couple of weeks at work I was fine not having the cigarette crutch.

However over this last week/few days I feel like I've gone slightly mental

I've been feeling as if I've been detached from myself and everything's been going on in a mental fug - have been very tired and sleeping a lot, plus I've been in a truly foul mood these last couple of days. Was truly horrible verbally to my wife the other night and then extremely grumpy at the world yesterday morning. As the day progressed I cheered up a lot more, but went for work drinks last night and proceeded to get pretty drunk. Of course I cracked and smoked a fag on my drunken walk home. I've had anther one today, which bizarrely has made me feel a lot more clear-headed and back to myself!

I'm still intending to stay off the fags if I can and am not going to treat these couple of lapses as a true set-back, but really do despair at this 'other person' I seem to become around about the 3-4 week mark everytime I try to quit.

Has anybody else experienced this and found ways to get through it? I think scientifically that it's down to the dopamine levels in my brain readjusting themselves to the way they were before they were reliant on nicotine, but it really does scare me that I might become a different person, if that makes sense?! I've suffered from depression and only really been over that and off anti-depressants for the last 4 months, which probably has something to do with it all, but guess I really just need a bit of peer support.

Sorry for the ramblings here!

Andy

[nsd_user663_3810]

hi andy

mmmm... you are in a difficult rut right now, and as hard as it seems, the odd fag is not an option, as it will soon creep up on you again.

There have been many comments on this forum concerning the third week-been a particular difficult week to get through, dont know why, some people have attempted to explain why, but i think it is as you have said in your opening thread-that it is the dopamine levels and also the poisons leaving your body.

can i also say your metabolism falls-the reason for weight gain and feeling sluggis and moody) this is temporary and begins to correct itself within 6 months.

you can do this-if you dont you will start, stop all the time and be 'visiting' the third week feeling many times-dont do that to yourself!! or yor wife for that matter!!!

stay strong xx

[nsd_user663_3849]

Hi Andy,

I am on Day 27 and can really remember finding the 3rd week (about day 20)really tough at times. I could easily have cracked because I wasn't sure I liked the 'new me'. I felt different.

I am SO glad I got through those days though. I now feel so much more positive and confident and all the reasons why I want to quit are back in the front of my mind. And I quite like the new me now!

I'm sorry to say that if you do allow yourself that 'odd one' fag to help relieve the tough times then you'll start to believe you can have the odd one every time it gets a bit tough. Before you know it, you'll be back on 10 a day!

Remember - you want to be a non-smoker. Non-smokers DON'T have the odd cigarette!

Keep thinking about your reasons for quitting, read lots more about your addiction and keep posting on here. There are lots of brilliant people who will help you and say the right things when you need them too.

Good luck!

[nsd_user663_3920]

Hi,

I haven't posted here i a long time, as I've only just quit again in the last few weeks, but have come back for a bit of support really and to document how I'm feeling.

I quit about 3 weeks ago and after a couple of days using patches I managed to stop cold turkey, which I still believe is the most effective way. The first few days of clearing the nicotine out of my system seemed surprisingly easy, and despite having a very stressful couple of weeks at work I was fine not having the cigarette crutch.

However over this last week/few days I feel like I've gone slightly mental

I've been feeling as if I've been detached from myself and everything's been going on in a mental fug - have been very tired and sleeping a lot, plus I've been in a truly foul mood these last couple of days. Was truly horrible verbally to my wife the other night and then extremely grumpy at the world yesterday morning. As the day progressed I cheered up a lot more, but went for work drinks last night and proceeded to get pretty drunk. Of course I cracked and smoked a fag on my drunken walk home. I've had anther one today, which bizarrely has made me feel a lot more clear-headed and back to myself!

I'm still intending to stay off the fags if I can and am not going to treat these couple of lapses as a true set-back, but really do despair at this 'other person' I seem to become around about the 3-4 week mark everytime I try to quit.

Has anybody else experienced this and found ways to get through it? I think scientifically that it's down to the dopamine levels in my brain readjusting themselves to the way they were before they were reliant on nicotine, but it really does scare me that I might become a different person, if that makes sense?! I've suffered from depression and only really been over that and off anti-depressants for the last 4 months, which probably has something to do with it all, but guess I really just need a bit of peer support.

Sorry for the ramblings here!

Andy

Oh dear, maybe you'll get this twice - just replied and i think i did something wrong? Just wanted to say that you're not alone in how you're thinking/feeling. The depression aspect when quitting is a MAJOR thing and really needs to be taken seriously. I know from experience - if you are prone to depression then you aren't going to have an easy time quitting the fags. It appears to be a normal side-effect of quitting but if you've experienced depression in the past then it's much harder to give up. All I can say is to have a look at VideoJug - Smoking and Depression by Dr. Linda Hyder Ferry. It really makes sense of what you're going through. Plus see your doctor and maybe go back on medication whilst you quit?? No expert but I'm with you on this. Keep on the site, I've never known such supportive and good people.

Really wishing you the best and please let us know how you get on. xxxx

[nsd_user663_3728]

Hi Andy

You know you've come to the right place for support sorry you are having a rough time of it at present but as shabba says and you know deep down a fag is not going to help, you say you got a bit drunk and felt better after a fag and more clear headed

I think this could be the nicotine monster playing his head tricks and trying to pull you back into his power {sneaky little b............d} that he is

Good luck

[nsd_user663_3881]

Hi Andy,

Week three is a bugger to get through but once done then its out of the way and you are on to week 4. I struggled midway through week 3 questioning whether I actually wanted to give up smoking and seeing and thinking fags all the time. Mind games with the nicodemon. Foul tempered with everyone, feeling very much a martyr, very down in the dumps. It would have been oh so easy to give in and light up. Then I told myself if I really truly wanted a fag there was no-one to stop me, walk to the shop and buy some, the decision was mine. When put like that and I realised there was no actual restriction on cigarettes, no-one telling me I could not have a fag and the decision was down to me I suddenly felt much better about the whole scenario of giving up. I wasn't being deprived of anything. The bottom line is I no longer want to smoke and you don't because you are on this Forum. Just try and stay strong, take one day at a time. At the end of each day look back and realise just what you have achieved.