Getting harder........weird!

[nsd_user663_59865]

This week has been the hardest so far -why?!?! I thought (and was expecting) the first week to be the worst, but the further into it I get the more stroppy I am becoming!!

Am sticking with it and have uped my gum to help but finding this most strange! Anyone else having or had this?

[nsd_user663_18145]

Sorry to hear your struggling

but stick with it as it will get easier

just remember that smoking has been a part of your life for a long time and when you first quit you get into a mindset to quitting and mentally prepare yourself for the inital battle of the withdrawel and craves

now your further into your quit those initial feelings have weakned so now you have to change your mindset to staying quit by concentrating on the benefits your seeing and at the same time your retraining your mind to get out of the habit of wanting to smoke

its like your missing something but not sure what it is

just keep coming on here and read some of the really great threads in the help section and post as much as you need

i promise you it will get better

onwards and upwards is the only way to go

[nsd_user663_54554]

Hi Vicki,

I think Debbie and Carol are both right. Quitting for me is done in two stages. The decision that you've smoked your last cigarette and making a pact with yourself never to do it again, takes seconds. It's one moment in time, one act. Hence the saying "quitting is easy, I've done it loads of times!".

Staying quit however is entirely different and this 'process' (if you want to call it that) lasts much longer. From what I've seen and experienced it takes several weeks for the brain to adjust to the absence of nicotine, in spite of the fact that the body has rid itself of the drug in just a few days. Becoming accustomed to not smoking is both conscious and unconscious, such is the process of breaking an addiction which is both chemical and psychological. You have to give yourself time to get used to the fact that you're not a smoker any longer.

Step by step, day by day though it does get easier over time, you're doing REALLY well!!! And these feelings do diminish, become more infrequent and easier to manage until they're barely noticable. Third week will soon become second month, great stuff and keep it going!

[nsd_user663_59642]

I've struggled a bit at times (just over 3 weeks), but I told myself it was just that the initial excitement of quitting had worn off. That initial excitement is what gives you the impetus at the start of the quit and of course that wears off after a bit. But it gets you over the hardest part and after that it's a case of maintaining the quit, whilst never letting your guard down. Distract yourself if you are having a crave......it only lasts for a few moments and will have gone before you know it!

I find chocolate and nuts are a very good distraction.:rolleyes:

Val