Withdraw

[MomOf2KD]

Hello,

Obviously, I'm a smoker and have tried to quit before. Having smoked heavily for about 19 years and smoked moderately the initial year, I've found that I simply don't know how to live without smoking. I know how bad that sounds. For instance, I'm used to taking my work breaks in my car while smoking. If I try to quit, I seem rather lost while on breaks, no sense in what to do. I hope that makes sense.

How long do the withdraw symptoms last? The last time I tried to quit, I would literally have to take very deep breaths when the urges hit so I could feel like I was breathing. I'd almost panic and literally shake. (Arg, I feel like I could relate to heroin addicts). There seems to be a -lot- of irritation in terms of moods assiciated with it. I got short with my kids a time or two the last time.

It also seems that the busier I am, the less I think about it while trying to quit. However, I can't stay busy every moment I'm awake and I can't sleep a majority of the time either.

If I had a general idea of how long all this will last for those of us who are very heavy smokers, it might make it easier. I absolutely -hate- the feeling of weakness associated with this sin. I know it displeases God and I fear that the Holy Spirit has abandoned me due to the fact that I've not kept the temple clean.

Do any of you ex-heavy smokers have any advice, please?

Thanks

 

[skylark1]

It has been awhile, but I think that the worst of the withdrawal symptoms lasted about two weeks. Yes, they were bad but it helped to know that it would eventually get better.

I remember taking deep breaths when the urge to smoke hit, and I think that is ok. You'll stop doing that after awhile. I think that going for long fast walks or jogs where I needed to breathe deeper also helped with that. That also helped because I could quickly see a difference in how much better I was able to breathe.

Sometimes when the urge hit I would brush my teeth. It gave me something to do with my hands, and I would remind myself how much better by breathe was not to smell like cigarettes. I took up knitting because I needed something to do with my hands. It did help. And the urge to have to do something with my hands eventually went away, but it took awhile.

I used to smoke mentol cigarettes and when i was quitting I brought a package of menthol throught logenzes and sometimes would savor one of them when the urge hit. I didn't become addicted to them, and for me it helped.

When I was really tempted to go back to smoking, I would remind myself of how hard the withdrawal symptoms had already been, and that it probably wouldn't be that much longer until they began to ease off; that I did not want to have to start again at square one and go through the suffering that I had already gone through again.

I would constantly remind myself why I was quitting, and try to consciously observe and note the benefirs that I was beggining to experience. Things like breathing better, not smelling, able to run better, money saved (put aside the money that you would have spent on cigarettes for a while and treat your self to something nice), better health. I also tried to observe negative things about others that I saw smoking (not judging them); things like how it really didn't smell very good, and how they were a slave to their habit - things like that.

I hope that something that I have said helps. It really does get easier in time. At first it is hard, but it is worth it. The nicotine addiction will pass. You can do it!

 

[MomOf2KD]

Just wanted to note that I've not had a cigarette since 2:40 PM on Friday the 28th of May. It's only been 4 days, but that's the longest I've ever gone while trying to quit. It's been extremely rough, but I really think I can do it now. I've never relied on God to walk me through it and I can tell He is.

Heh, my neighbors should be pleased though. In trying to quit smoking, I'm also having to stay very busy. Which means, doing things for others as well as my own chores. Let's just say that we have quite a few matching lawns on my street now.

 

[dgsmith1228]

WOW ! 4 DAYS! THat's Wonderful! Keep it up! You're on your way!
Keep coming back here to let us know (me in particular)
there is a website called whyquit.com and there are a bunch of films there about quitting by a man whose name escapes me now, who has been running stop smoking clinics for decades.
He says that the withdrawal from nicotine, (getting it out of your system) takes about 3 days.. (which you have done ! yoooo hooo !)
but the cravings to "smoke" take some time, there were some good suggestions in the above post.
Try to watch some of those clips if you can... he's a funny looking dude, but very much on the ball when it comes to quitting smoking.
I am glad God is giving you the strength.
I think I am going to quit tomorrow.
Pray for me!
Dave

 

[GTLiteChamp]

I planned vacation so I could quit smoking. Drinking water and sleeping.15 years on the cigs here. Day 2.