45 days

[kacmins]

So it's been 45 days since I quit. Pretty much got used to all the good things that come without smoking, especially the money since I had no health issues otherwise. I even used to train in gym and play very intensive football twice a week when I smoked, so the smoking never influenced me that badly before.

I feel like poo though. Despite all positives, here are some negatives of quitting for me.

- Somehow it was all good before when I smoked, at least I had THAT. Whatever happened, I still could sit down, have a smoke and feel better. I enjoyed the up and down aspects of the addiction. Now I feel it's just a flat line and it sucks.

- I don't feel like going anywhere or doing anything. I feel more anti-social now than ever before.

- I feel less confident in myself, I stutter more than before.

- It's still major pain in the butt to work without smoking.

The only reason I am still not smoking is because I doubt I'll feel like this forever. On the other hand, it doesn't REALLY feel that much different now in compassion to the 2nd week, for example. So will it be better in 4-5 months? I doubt it.

The plan is to just push through it, but at one point (probably after 6+ months) I'll just say "screw it" if things stay the same.

Edit: Oh, and now I wake up regularly in a middle of the night to go to toilet. This rarely ever happened before. And I drink less water than before, which makes it even more strange. Anyone had that "side effect"?

/rant over

[nsd_user663_51052]

Just because you've got no health issues today, doesn't mean you won't have in a few years time. And you definitely will at some point, because smoking is unbelievably bad for you.

After 6 months, I hardly ever thought about smoking at all and now, I never think about it.

[kacmins 2 Years Smoke Free]

@Max, what you're saying makes a whole lot sense and I agree with everything you wrote completely. I read Allen Carr's book at least 3 times (last time in March this year). He specifically talks about this problem. According to him, I am one of those who quit through power of will. I never had anything "clicked" in my mind, like he says and stop smoking that way. He also mentions that people who quit through power of will end up craving smokes for the rest of their lives. I definitely feel likes this and obviously I am not the only one.

But I do feel better after reading your post, at least for now Thanks!

@Ets147, That's true. I should feel great for stopping before having any health issues, right? But it just doesn't work that way. I am aware that 14 years of smoking will affect me at one point of my life, but that isn't exactly stopping me from smoking more. Quite the opposite, I'd say. Awesome to hear that you hardly think about them anymore, lucky you!

@Helene, glad to hear I am not alone! Every social situation involving cigarettes, drinks etc is now so so so weird for me. It's very awkward actually. I don't feel like myself when socializing with friends, which is ridiculous. So it took 6 months for you to be almost completely free from nasty cravings? That works for me! I'll definitely let everyone knows when that happens

[nsd_user663_60964]

Kac, if I can add my tuppence-worth, I'm heading towards 8 months now and whilst I do still have moments when I feel I could do with a fag it's comparable to those moments when you feel you could really down a stiff drink, or a jam doughnut, or an ice-cream, or whatever. It's on that sort of level and is just a fleeting thought rather than a crave. I certainly don't think about smoking (or having quit) very often. It isn't the same as it was in the early days by a long chalk and it will be the same for you at some point I am certain. Like Max says, whilst there's no 'magic line' that you cross where suddenly you never think about smoking again, you just gradually move further and further away from the old you that smoked until the you that doesn't smoke is the 'normal' you.

Ets is right of course- if you go back to smoking you're almost certainly going to develop health issues sooner or later and as Max says, why play Russian Roulette? And would you really want to go through everything you've gone through again further down the line? That's what I kept telling myself when I had a difficult day. I'm far too much of a coward to go through all that pain a second time.

Anyway, 45 days is a fantastic achievement and you should be very proud of yourself. I hope today is a good day for you.

[nsd_user663_51052]

Kac - I'm not lucky, I just stopped smoking for a long time.

[nsd_user663_62294]

Well done on 45 days, We quit similar time and I have a wobble recently too. Feeling much better now, I just keep looking at the positive parts and trying to ignore the negatives.

Money saved, better skin, no coughing in the mornings and just a few for me. You will feel better soon Kacmins, just keep going