Just delaying the stress, does it really help? - No Smoking Day

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Just delaying the stress, does it really help?

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I am on my 10th day since I had my last cigarette. I am in my 2nd month of not smoking the funny stuff (was doing it several times daily as a self medication). I have pretty much eliminated alcohol from my life (for the past 2 months as well). I realized in May 2010 that these things were temperary bandages and should be eliminated in order for me to cease going in reverse and getting into a neutral state.

I am having a difficult time in the past couple of days. I have become very irratable and therefor withdrawn. I am pretty much just esisting but not doing anything but ensuring my puppies are walked, and my nutrition stays good. I am sleeping approximately 14 hours/day as I find sleep easier than dealing with stuff. When it comes to doing anything that requires work or thought, I get very tired

My thought process is that although I am not accomplishing the same things I was back previous to May 2010 (laundry, organizing, etc) I am working on more important things (quitting the funny stuff, smoking, alcohol).

Any thoughts on this?

I have been on long term disability from a corporate job for the past 8 months. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and am trying to adjust to this as well.

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nsd_user663_7469 profile image
nsd_user663_7469

Hi Myvest, I would like to ask where you got your name from if you don’t mind me asking??? I can well imagine how quitting is effecting you with your medical disabilities to cope with as well, but I would think you will soon start to feel the benefits of quitting as well, doesn’t smoking increase the effects of depression and anxiety on the brain and also have you spoken to your doc about altering you meds to compensate for the other symptoms you are suffering i.e. the irritability and subsequent sleeping to help you cope with it, have you thought about exercise as this is supposed to help with the quit and with the depression as well as it increases the good chemicals and endorphins that the brain produces that we need to feel good.

Bare with your quit as in time it will become a normal part of your life to not smoke and your health will benefit 10 fold.

Be kind to yourself as no one else knows how good or bad you feel so tell them and they can then understand why you feel irritable or down.

nsd_user663_7727 profile image
nsd_user663_7727

Hi THere

Can't say I have any ground breaking advice on your situation. I too have kerbed the booze and quit the fags. Allen Carr's books and Andrew Johnsons hypnotherapy tracks from itunes have helped me alot. You sound like you have a plan...Just keep chatting on here and keep going... Surely things can only get better.

;)

nsd_user663_8876 profile image
nsd_user663_8876

Hiya

Your not alone! Like you i quit everything just in a different order. For me it was the fags, then the funny stuff then then drinking and erm... yes i felt a little funny too. It's like having your brain re-wired, of course you are the same person but my description of it would be you feel life in a different way, your feelings are 'raw' and there is no substitute to cover or deal with that feeling so yes it is a strange one.

Well done for quitting though, you sound like you are very strong. Day 10 you going to be feeling a bit ropey still. The benefits will come and when they do you'll be so proud of yourself which is always a good thing hey. :) Having to tolerate the difficult times at the beginning DOES get easier and easier. Lots of luck and keep posting.

nsd_user663_13885 profile image
nsd_user663_13885

Thanks for the acknowledgements and Support

Fallen Angel Defrog, Jamangie,

Thank you so much for letting me know that I am not the only one that is embarking on this road. On top of the 3 quits I have listed I am also adjusting to living on my own which for me is my downfall. If I don't have anyone to answer to then I tend to not do it for myself. I have found in the past this works the opposite way for me as well though. I would be mentally waiting and setting myself up for when the time came where I knew I was going to be alone for a while and sneak "just one". I realize now this is what contributed to me starting again from past quits ( 4 month quit AND 6 month quit).

On my way back from the park (was walking the dogs) today, I realized I had a hunger craving for Muselix cereal. Don''t get me wrong, I definately still have/had strong cravings for cigarettes but it has been a very long time since I have had a identified specific craving other than coffee and cigarette's in the morning times. The saying small steps is so true. Unfortunately for me, I am usually all or nothing so I tend to get disappointed in myself progress when I don't see immediate results. I guess by identifying this small result today (that doesn't on paper seem very significant) but when I really think about it, it is huge.

Out of your 3 quits which one did you find the most difficult to stop? For me, and I guess it pretty much parallels how much of the substances I was using the hardest is/was smoking, funny stuff, and then alcohol. I should also mention that I am on Wellbutrin which is also known as Zyban. In addition to being used as an aid to quit smoking, it is used for other addictions as well (alcohol, street drugs, etc). Anyways, just thought I would throw that in as well.

Thanks so much for your support, it IS making a big difference in my confidence and motivation. I feel like I have people to answer to now ; ) ...

nsd_user663_7469 profile image
nsd_user663_7469

Trust me Myvest you do have people to answer to and that all us quitters on the forum, we will all be disappointed if you start smoking again so I hope that helps to make you more determined as it did for me, my OH thinks I care more about letting the site members down than him and he is probably right because the site and its members are one of the main reasons that I have come this far.

If you set yourself daily goals to achieve you will do better than just thinking you can quit for good.

Stay focused and remember that you also need to eat healthy which craving muesli is a great start and drink plenty of fluids as this will help to detox you from whatever substance you need to detox from.

PS you still havent said why Myvest ???

nsd_user663_8421 profile image
nsd_user663_8421

Hi MyVest,

You are doing great. Take it a day at a time.

I quit the funny stuff nearly 6 years ago. It wasn't easy but my life has improved drastically since. I can now work, go on holidays etc whereas before I just mooched about all the time and lived a very limited life.

I'm on day 42 not smoking tobacco now - been quitting on and off all year, This is hard. It's hard to stay motivated because the benefits of stopping are good but not earth shattering. And people still smoke everywhere you go so the sensory triggers are still there.

Anyway,

best of luck with your quitting.

nsd_user663_13885 profile image
nsd_user663_13885

Empowerment

Thanks for letting me know about your quits. I know what you are saying about the immediate health benefits aren't earth shattering (they are good, but the urge to smoke is obviously much bigger for a bit of time).

I went running yesterday after 2 years of no running. I was only able to get 25% of the amount I used to run daily without feeling like I was going to die. When I returned home, what a feeling. Good feeling. Instead of just thinking about doing it, I did it. And if I am in that bad of shape, thankfully I did it! This has made me feel empowered. My hope is to continue to rewire my brain to think of running as a reward. It is a compounding affect. I have my nutrition stabalized and healthy, have stabalized the addictions (atleast the current identified ones) The way my brain will get reprogrammed is enjoying the sucessful feeling that comes after make the run around the block.

I have also noticed a big differece in my skin... although I am also attributing this to: Stopped smoking, proper nutrition and wheatgrass juice in the mornings and plenty of water and sleep. I realized a "glo" after I had finished running. ; ) ...

Thats my ramblings for now!

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