Thought giving up smoking would be a good thing

Guest_31925144

Struggling with my mental wellbeing after giving up smoking 90 days ago. GP has prescribed a medication - first time ever on pills like this and I'm in my 60s. Advised I should also see a psychologist. The smoking was obviously masking a range of issues. Still not smoking - but not in a great space. GP also suggested that nicotine patches might help balance out my nicotine starved dopamine receptors but not sure I want to do this having been nicotine free for 3 months.

One day at time eh?

randomxx

Not surprised , giving up changes everything for well for me was 6mths in some ways 12 and even 2yrs for other things. Did you have any of this stuff before ? Dunno about mask but we're def' more content and relaxed smoking - which is a bugger, well l sure am that's for sure, it changes so much when we stop physically and mentally for a good while for sure.

l'm 60ish now and started again but suppose l'll have to bite the bullet again soon kinda waiting for a nice level and quiet period and hopefully l'll hit it again , ouch.

If was me , l'd slap on a patch, might chill you out. l couldn't have done it without gum but that just automatically slows right off over time, unlike cigs, so it's nothing to worry about l didn't even feel like a gum after awhile , you prob wouldn't even bother with patches after awhile either..

Good luck anyway and hang in there you've done incredibly , big congrats.

rx

sbella02

Hey there,

Welcome to the forums, and big congrats on being 90 days smoking-free. That's a really good achievement, and absolutely taking it one day at a time will help to maintain that.

When you say you're not in a great space, are you referring to something specific that's come up for you? Or are you feeling something in particular (anxious, upset, angry)? There might be some specific coping strategies that could help you feel better day-to-day based on what you're feeling.

In the meantime, what else do you typically do to help you cope with difficult feelings or situations? Are you into the relaxation/meditation-type strategies, or are you more somebody who enjoys being physically active?

What's worked for you in the past, or what's helped so far in the past 90 days? Or have you had other people in your life who have quit smoking who may have some strategies that have worked for them?

Feel free to keep chatting with us some more if you'd like, we're here to listen and give recommendations where we can based on what has worked for us in the past.

Take care, SB

mmMekitty

Hello & well done for 90 days (& counting),

I would like to add is a reminder that apart from the the nicotine there are many harmful chemicals in cigarettes that you won't get through wearing anicotine patches.

Mind, I had once seen, decades ago this was, someone wearing nicotine patches & continuing to smoke anyway. I wondered, why did they bother 'quitting' if only to still smoke. It made no sense to me.

For my own habit, I quit when I realised that the cigarettes weren't doing anything for me, the manufacturers had been lying about cigarettes having harmful effects, & they had become too expensive, too.

Are you eating a healthy range of food? & getting lots of exercise? These things can help you, too.

Or give your hands something to do whenever you want to smoke. Perhaps, cut up a salad, groom someone's pet (with their permission), do some art like sculpturing, write about anything, make origami, gardening...

well, maybe you need to learn how to do what you want to do, first, but that's okay, too.

& also, don't hesitate to talk to your GP about the questions you have about using nicotine patches, as you say, since you've not used them for the last three months. Maybe GP is suggesting a small dose just to help through the rough time you have been having & that when you begin to feel more settled again, you could use the patches less & less?

Indeed, when I quit many years ago, it was one day at a time. & it did get easier & easier. Promise.

Hugzies,

mmMekitty