Day 25 not feeling good 😖

[nsd_user663_64429]

Hi i quit cold turkey 25days ago, I've tried several times before using patches and anything else I could get my hands on but failed every time so decided on the cold turkey method , I've been reading the forum since I started and it's helped me a lot but my question is when will I feel better ? I have days that are good but then I have days that I'm so down and cry a lot like today 😭, I've smoked for 33yrs , will it get better ? Will I smile again ? I just need help plz

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free]

Hey Bella34 and welcome. Congratulations on reaching Day 25 of your quit which is some achievement and you should be delighted with yourself.

I am currently on Day 29 also doing it cold turkey. I gave up 10/9 years ago after reading Allen Carr's book and went back on them a year and a half later due to boredom (I know pathetic!). It too has been a rollercoaster of a ride with good and bad days and moments where I could just burst into tears and then could murder someone - quitting after smoking for so many years takes huge courage, strength and commitment and also a time for mourning which is why we feel so sad and depressed. From reading other posts from long term non smokers, it does get easier.

When I do get depressed or sad, I keep telling myself, I am not smoking, what an achievement that is and it does lift me, we have made the best decision of our lives to quit...

Do you many around support you and I think that is vital in a quit to get lots of encouragement and support?

You are doing so well, stay strong, keep close to the forum and post often

[nsd_user663_51263]

Hello Bella and Welcome,

25 days in already - that's great. You will have ups and downs for a while yet. I'm about 45 days in and it's still not plain sailing but it is getting easier.

I've had more attempts than I've had hot dinners but I'm hoping this will be my last.

Try to embrace your quit rather than fighting it - sounds like a patronizing statement I know but it does make things easier if you think of your quit as a 'freeing' rather than a 'punishing' experience.

You will smile again and you should be smiling now because if you can do 25 days cold turkey you can easily do another 25 and more.

You've come to the right place and you'll get all the support and help you need. Just keep posting.

Good luck - and keep smiling. x

[nsd_user663_64429]

Thank you both rowen08 and linda54 i just wish it would get better , at the beginning I had more good days then bad , now I find it's the opposite and I feel people are getting fed up of my moods , I read about So many people "feeling fantastic " when will I .... Feeling sorry for myself again 😔

[nsd_user663_40088]

Hey, so sorry your feeling not to good. Im on day 2 cold turkey, nearly day 3 and ive managed to quit cold turkey for 7 months before. If I remember right his is actually the worst part of the quit, round about the month mark up to 6 weeks. Your brain has been hijacked by cigs to force dopamine into your brain for years and it will take awhile for your brain to accept that 'que' is not going to come and the brain will begin to make dopamine on its own rhythm. I will be honest and say it doesn't start to become comfortable until the 3 month mark and then its not a conscious battle all the time.

Also, Anything in your life that makes you happy or positive keep very close to you at the moment and stay away from people/things/ places that you have to force yourself to enjoy.

also think of one thing in your life that annoyed you about smoking even when you were a happy smoker 99% of the time. For example for me it staying at other peoples homes and having to go outside for a fag as soon as im up and stand on the street. So think of your smokers pet peeve and aim to put yourself in that situation, accept you don't smoke now. Imagine what a relief its going to be.

Anyways. Good luck. Be stong. I promise just thug it out for abit and at the 6 week mark you will begin to see the light. xx

[Hidden in reply to nsd_user663_40088]

That is spot on Nikki the worse part of the quit is definitely week 6,7,8 because of the physical aspects of the healing and because we are wrecked and exhausted from days and days fighting over and over

[nsd_user663_64429]

Thankyou nikki I'll try and be strong, I think my problem is that all I read is how long it takes before you start to feel good and the thought of feeling like this for another 2/3 months is making me feel so sad 😣 but I'll keep trying .

[Hidden in reply to nsd_user663_64429]

One hour at the time, one week at the time and one month at the time...you can do it! Post here when you're down, it helps. I hold the forum responsible for many times that I would have smoked and I didn't because I posted and someone here gave me a hug.

[Hidden]

You are doing so very well!

Nicotine is an absolute stinker - lulls you in to its web and will do anything to keep you there. You are better than that. Tears, moods, sleep, no sleep, cake monster, are all part of the process.

Please believe me when I say you definitely will start to feel better. Ride it out, day by day. As each day passes your resolve will become stronger - your health will improve and your bank balance will be there to prove what a winner you are.

I think when I joined I did some long, rambling posts ... And sure there was one when I had a fight with a washing line or duvet cover or something equally inoquous!

This is a great place for support and sharing experiences.

I repeat - you will get there - you are well on your way already

[Hidden]

Bella, welcome to the forum. Congratulations on reaching this far. I'm on week 5, I can assure you that everyone goes through the same as you are at the moment... Because we have an addition! For some people is easy because they never had an addition, I'll explain: about 4 years ago me and a few other friends started a treatment to lose weight, I was never huge, but was a few sizes too big. Out of 5 of us, I laughed all the way through, lost the weight and kept it off since. I did not struggle one bit...because I do not have a food problem, all others struggled big time, lost some weight and got it back on twice as bad as before. It was so easy for me that I won't even mention. You see people stopping the cigarettes from one day to another and smoking again when they feel like...they are not addict, sure I drink alcohol when I feel like, I then stop for months and go back...I'm not an alcoholic, that's why it's easy. All of this to tell you you can do whatever you want when you put your mind to it, but no one said it was going to be easy. Stay strong xxx

[nsd_user663_64429]

Thanks everybody for listening i really thought I'd cracked it and I was so proud of how far I'd come till today all I've done is cry, snapped at anybody who dared speak to me ...I will take each day thanks again x

[Hidden in reply to nsd_user663_64429]

Are you feeling better now?

[nsd_user663_64429 in reply to nsd_user663_64429]

Mmaya not really all your replys made me cry lol but I will get there x

[Hidden]

Bella, on your own time if you wish go back and search for posts from other people around this time of the quit. Search for my posts on the 17th March this year, the date I relapsed last time. You're up for a good cry I allowed the sadness to take over me in a very nasty way, I thought life was over horrendous! Guess what? As soon as I went back to the cigarettes I was fine. I felt for that and here I am again, the same agony over and over. It does get better but you have to stay strong now to enjoy later.

[nsd_user663_64429 in reply to Hidden]

I will thank you

[nsd_user663_60880]

Stay strong bella It gets easier.

[Hercu Valued Contributor]

Hi Bella...

How hard it may sound ,you need to start dealing with the underlying causes of your emotions

You are going to handle life in a different way rather than smoke for it. Trust me, eventually it will all smooth out.

The risks and side effects of smoking far outnumber and outweigh the side effects you experience after stopping but still, quitting is difficult.

Knowledge is power with a nicotine addiction because being able to premeditate the physical and emotional changes your body will undergo will give you an advantage and make it easier to follow through with your commitment to stop.

I was addicted for 38 years and never even attempted to quit until my health forced to quit and I can tell you it is wonderful after 4 months+

[Hidden]

Bella my friend, how are you doing today? Share your thoughts, it helps you to get distracted, you'll get support and you'll be helping both the new quitters and the old timers...are you feeling a tiny wincy bity better? 😘

[nsd_user663_51263]

Hope you're still with us Bella. Just keep hanging on to your quit because it will get easier and I'm sure you know by now that smoking does absolutely nothing for us.

It's ups and downs for a while but I promise it will get easier and life goes on as as normal (the rough and the smooth) without it.

Chin up and just grin and bear it - it's worth it and you know it.

Looking forward to your next post. x

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free]

Hey Linda, how you are doing ok today, you have got great advice from everyone especially Hercu, hope to read an update from you soon x

[nsd_user663_64429]

Mmaya it wouldn't let me comment on your post but thank you for asking ☺️ And yes I'm better today , also to all the other posts thank you all for the support , I was wondering if you had any thoughts of me getting an e cig with no nicotine just to help me through the bad days ? X

[Hidden in reply to nsd_user663_64429]

Are you getting a bit better? I was worried with you, you seem very down, it's not a nice place to be

I know it well because I've been there myself. Thinking of you xxx