Stress and smoking
I had set my quit date on the 1st of January as my New Year's resolution. But I was thinking about it so much, that I want to quit, it had become almost a guilt-like feeling. On Christmas eve I lit a cigarette, smoked half of it and decided to try to quit a week earlier than planned. I am on day 5, which is nothing of course. I hope I'll be able to say I am on day 365 but I am afraid that I might slip if I find myself in a stressful situation which is when I smoked most - not with drinks etc but when I am stresses, which is quite often. I don't feel like i miss the nicotine, i drink a lot of coffee too. But i miss the lighting a cigarette when stressed or overwhelmed. I have kind of associated smoking as a stress reducing activity that sort of deludes the stress effect. I never thought it would be the case though, I was smoking 2-3 cigs a day for 15 years or more and always said "I can handle it", "I am not addicted", "I can quit easily" but the last 6 months, to my surprise, I started smoking 20 cigarettes/day (rollies).
Thank you Steve. I am trying to stick to the positive examples cause I've also heard many times people starting smoking again after 3,4,10 years. Scary.. Which proves it's not the nicotine addiction per se that makes quitting so hard.. It' s some sort of brain association that makes it so hard.
Thank you Steve. I am trying to stick to the positive examples cause I've also heard many times people starting smoking again after 3,4,10 years. Scary.. Which proves it's not the nicotine addiction per se that makes quitting so hard.. It' s some sort of brain association that makes it so hard.
You're absolutely right. Discipline is the key. And the hurdle at the same time. I imagine you just feel great, I even feel better and it's only been 5 days. Better in a few minor things still like that I've stopped coughing, stopped stinking of cigarette and stopped feeling my tongue like a piece of sandpaper which was the case at times.
Thank you Wendy, really encouraging email and very informative as far as how nicotine and stress interact. If that's true, that nicotine isn't relieving stress then one more reason to stick to my quit cause I basically smoked because of stress, not pleasure.
It is so hard, I never believed it would be so hard, esp when dealing with stress factors - it's the first thing i think about as soon anything small stresses me out. But your case gives me strength and optimism!
You're doing well. I can't wait to be able to say I've gone 5 days without a cigarette. Coming up to my quit day and fingers crossed.
Day 3, yay for me! Cigs are on my mind a lot, but I don't want one. Sleep is fitful, which makes me tired the next day. However, I'm very happy with my start this week, don't even want a glass of wine :)