Day 4 - need to believe my quality of life will improve

[nsd_user663_52572]

Hi

This is day 4 cold turkey. I don't particularly care whether I smoke or not, I'm doing this for my boyfriend because he has quit and is doing well and if I smoke it will make it harder for him.

I'm finding it really difficult though because I don't feel any sense of achievement for having gone four days. Because I wasn't actually suffering from having smoked yet (I smoked for 11 years and had no physical problems yet, except temporary nausea if I chain smoked), I'm having to look for other reasons for me to want this. I'm not fussed about the idea of living longer or the risks of heart disease/lung cancer to be honest. I know these are serious things, but I'm still young and no matter how much I try to take it seriously, the idea of my own mortality and illness is pretty much unimaginable for me so it's really difficult to use that as a reason. The idea of smelling bad is more of a reason but to be honest all my friends smoke so it's not like anyone I care about can smell me.

So I'm thinking that I need to believe my quality of life as a whole will get better. I was still pretty fit as a smoker and had no breathing or lung problems and I've never had a chest infection or anything like that. So I'm thinking more about my psychological health. Is there any evidence that quitting smoking will make me happier and more fulfilled? I think if I believe that I will feel happier, or that my mood will generally be higher as a non-smoker, then that could help to motivate me.

[nsd_user663_24115]

Just read your post which struck a chord in me. im no stranger to depression and throuout my quit there have been some dark episodes which i normally would have coped with by smoking, which is nothing more than a distraction technique but a very toxic one. since quitting over 12 months ago i have had to accept or just live with whatever life throws my way. well i dont have to accept it but i choose to. depressive episodes came and went this year and i now find myself in a very positive upbeat, not depressed at all frame of mind which i beleive is down to quitting smoking. for me quitting is a very pro life thing to do which can only be a good thing . i dont beleive in gods but i do think life itself will support us whenever we do anything that moves us away from destructive patterns.

Quitting smoking also forced me to be proactive in dealing with problems and i have more time and energy to do that. so in answer to your question yes i think quitting smoking can make you happier, its made me happier anyway and if i ever get depressed again i know i'll handle it.

All the best.

Mash x

[nsd_user663_51617]

I think the only answer you need is what you had from mash [above]

[nsd_user663_20978]

hi

when i smoked i was always in and out of depression and always thought the fags helped me through those tough times

but since quitting i was a little depressed early in my quit but once i got through that i have not had one depressive episode have not needed medication and am a happy upbeat person

basically the nicotine and fags keep you in that low frame of mind so you keep on smoking them the trap is so obvious when you get out of it but when you in it its hard to see it

keep going and you will be happy honestly

boo

[nsd_user663_37212]

I really hate to say it but there really is no psychological benefit to not smoking, no matter what people try to say. I've quit for over 12 months now and not a day goes by where I wish I was still smoking. Like you, the only reason I quit was for my wife. However, since my quit, we don't have those late night, drink, smoke, intimate discussions we used to. Life is, well, boring.

I believe quitting is purely physical. I'm super fit, always was, but at 46 years old, it was catching up with me. I'm a much better athlete now but there is certainly no psychological uplift (other way around actually).