I quit smoking

[Angst Filled Fuck Up]

I am on day 3, I hope I can keep it up. I always had such a love/hate relationship with cigarettes. I loved them, but hated that I loved them. I don't want to smoke anymore though. It was making my back pain worse and I just feel like shit with my health in general. I am very sedentary and I eat like crap as well, so everything combined was getting to be too much.

Any tips on how to cope with the restlessness and cravings? I feel very antsy but think I can push through. I just always feel empty though - like I should be doing something (smoking). My fingers and mouth don't seem to know what to do with themselves.

Luckily I can still drink. I'm not quitting that anytime soon (or probably ever).

 

[9BBN]

Write down a list of reasons why you're quitting, so when you crave it you can remember why you're happier without it. Always have a distraction you can do, especially in the beginning. Also praise yourself by how far you've come. I believe most people fail on days 4-8. Prepare yourself for that, and try to beat that.

 

[OrcWitch]

I smoked 18 to 26 or so. I don't know what to say, it sucked but I switched to a sugar addiction and was consuming sugar/caffeine like crazy to fill the void. I guess weight gain is pretty normal from quitting cigs because many people eat tasty food in order to cope.

 

[Beeper]

I am on day 3, I hope I can keep it up. I always had such a love/hate relationship with cigarettes. I loved them, but hated that I loved them. I don't want to smoke anymore though. It was making my back pain worse and I just feel like shit with my health in general. I am very sedentary and I eat like crap as well, so everything combined was getting to be too much.

Any tips on how to cope with the restlessness and cravings? I feel very antsy but think I can push through. I just always feel empty though - like I should be doing something (smoking). My fingers and mouth don't seem to know what to do with themselves.

Luckily I can still drink. I'm not quitting that anytime soon (or probably ever).

Congrats on quitting smoking. Keep up the good work.

 

[AtMostOkay]

I am on day 3, I hope I can keep it up. I always had such a love/hate relationship with cigarettes. I loved them, but hated that I loved them. I don't want to smoke anymore though. It was making my back pain worse and I just feel like shit with my health in general. I am very sedentary and I eat like crap as well, so everything combined was getting to be too much.

Any tips on how to cope with the restlessness and cravings? I feel very antsy but think I can push through. I just always feel empty though - like I should be doing something (smoking). My fingers and mouth don't seem to know what to do with themselves.

Luckily I can still drink. I'm not quitting that anytime soon (or probably ever).

Good for you. I also have a love/hate relationship with cigarettes, know that feeling. Rooting for you!

 

[Angst Filled Fuck Up]

I love you guys, thank you for your words.

Not even 15 minutes after posting this I got into a phone argument with my father. I swear there is some unwritten universe rule that when you're attempting something like this, people will piss you off. And my hands, I just, ugh, need something for them to do. *boops everyone on the nose*

 

[tardis]

I found joel spitzers videos on youtube pretty helpful when I quit.

I don't know if this helps but something clicked for me where I disassociated cravings with actual desire to smoke cigarettes. The cravings are annoying but they go away quickly and get way more mild and infrequent over time.

 

[MeltedJello]

Congratulations on quitting! I hope you can keep it up, if not, that's okay too. Life is tough, so having ways to cope is understandable. This may not be the best tip, but I think finding other ways to distract yourself would help. Goodluck :)

 

[GenesAndEnvironment]

Based, gl.

 

[BitterlyAlive_]

Hey man, congrats. I've never gotten into smoking or anything, but uhh me and cutting have a history. The same sort of restlessness, physical urges. It sucks. The best thing I can do is stay busy, sometimes it helps. But I imagine what you're experiencing is worse than what I experience. Hugs.

I guess I'll say the obvious, try to not replace it with another bad habit. Keep us updated on how you're doing.

 

[littlelungs]

Congratulations! Quitting smoking is no easy feat, between the (obviously) highly addictive nature of nicotine, the hand-to-mouth habit and all of the routines associated with it.

I've tried to quit and failed so many times. I don't smoke cigarettes anymore but I'm almost always vaping nicotine with my e-cig when I'm awake. The cravings I experience after just a few hours are incredibly strong, so I can only imagine what you're dealing with right now.

Despite the fact that I ultimately failed (and with that little disclaimer out of the way), there were still a couple things that I found to be helpful when I was quitting, which included keeping my hands busy as much as possible, even if it was just holding a pen or a little candy cane or something, and it was actually during my last attempt to quit where I took up knitting, haha. Chewing gum helped a little bit as well. The patch never did much for me personally, but the Nicorette gum and lozenges were also a huge help in taking the edge off the cravings and making me a little less of an insufferable asshole. Did you quit cold turkey or are you using any patches or Nicorette gum or anything like that?

Seriously, good on you for quitting. I know I'm just some rando on SS but I'm rooting for you.

 

[Angst Filled Fuck Up]

Congratulations! Quitting smoking is no easy feat, between the (obviously) highly addictive nature of nicotine, the hand-to-mouth habit and all of the routines associated with it.

I've tried to quit and failed so many times. I don't smoke cigarettes anymore but I'm almost always vaping nicotine with my e-cig when I'm awake. The cravings I experience after just a few hours are incredibly strong, so I can only imagine what you're dealing with right now.

Despite the fact that I ultimately failed (and with that little disclaimer out of the way), there were still a couple things that I found to be helpful when I was quitting, which included keeping my hands busy as much as possible, even if it was just holding a pen or a little candy cane or something, and it was actually during my last attempt to quit where I took up knitting, haha. Chewing gum helped a little bit as well. The patch never did much for me personally, but the Nicorette gum and lozenges were also a huge help in taking the edge off the cravings and making me a little less of an insufferable asshole. Did you quit cold turkey or are you using any patches or Nicorette gum or anything like that?

Seriously, good on you for quitting. I know I'm just some rando on SS but I'm rooting for you.

Thanks! Really kind of you to type that out. As my respiration improves and I stay the course I look forward to re-branding myself as your comical arch-nemesis Big Lungs.

But seriously I am very touched by everyone contributing to the thread so nicely, it's much appreciated.

 

[Scribble Fan]

Hey, way to go! That's very strong of you. Hopefully your backpain gets a little bit better now!