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1. sharonlynn

   

   5 posts
   Registered:
   15 Mar 2024
   03 Oct

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   For the past few days, I have been struggling with my mental health. Feeling angry, bitter, depressed... I quit smoking on September 16 and wondering.. is it normal to feel this way after 2 plus weeks of quitting smoking? Is it just withdrawal? I have been smoking since I was 15, and I am 39 now so it was quite a significant amount of my life I have smoked.... normally, when I would feel stressed I'd smoke, when I felt sad I'd smoke, really any excuse I guess I'd use to smoke. 
   
   I guess my question is, is it normal for emotions to be out of whack for a little bit after quitting smoking? 
2. karen, quit coach

   

   64 posts
   Registered:
   09 Nov 2022
   03 Oct in reply to sharonlynn

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   Hi sharonlynn,
   
   Thank you for sharing and welcome to the community forum! Congratulations on being smoke free since September 16th! You are doing it! 
   
   Sorry to hear that you are struggling. It's very positive that you reached out for support. Quitting smoking is a really big lifestyle change that you are making and it's not uncommon to experience a broad range of emotions. It's ok to feel the way that you are feeling. Withdrawal symptoms start as soon as you have your last cigarette and then can last anywhere from 2-4 weeks and sometimes longer. Using products like the patch can help ease withdrawals. Exercise and reducing caffeine can help as well. Every week, it's gets better, less frequent and intense and eventually it becomes just a thought and tapers off. 
   
   It took you many years to build up the habit, it makes sense that it could take some time to change it. Be gentle with yourself and prioritize rest if you can. Hopefully, you will begin to feel better soon!
   
   Warm regards,
   Karen, Quit Coach
3. mrcookiedough

   

   8 posts
   Registered:
   26 Mar 2024
   13 Nov in reply to sharonlynn

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   Hi. If I might suggest something... sometimes when my mood has been in a torrent of anger, fear, self loathing, loathing for others, loneliness, a generally lousy day, and a gloomy forecast for the future, I've gone to my bed and curled up on my side.
   
   Then, I would start breathing in a certain way: in through the nose, out through the mouth <--stick to this pattern of breathing for a while, be patient. In maybe 5 minutes, sometimes 10 or 20 minutes, you will calm down, because the strict pattern forces you to breathe more slowly, and your heart will have no choice but to slow down as well.
   
   Remember, be patient with this, don't give up if an effect isn't happening in, say, 5 minutes. Give it time, keep breathing the way I described.
   
   Things will settle down, and you might even fall asleep. This is ok. If you do doze off, on waking, your mind will likely feel calmer and clearer.
   
   Just remember to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. When you breathe in, close your lips, so no air can get in that way. And please, if you try this, don't lose patience and give up, thinking it won't work.
   
   Sorry for this long reply. I hope it helps.