So... Yeah... Smoking doesn't calm you down after all.

[Powdered Toast Man]

I got myself the patch... and after two horrible weeks of the most vivid and troublesome dreams I thought I had turned the corner. Then came my face painting gig last weekend. I have this real fear of driving on the freeway in the rain. As in trembling fear. I had to drive about an hour and a half away, and before I hit the freeway I cracked and bought myself some smokes. They always "calmed me down" in the past.

So, as I lit up I noticed something. I was still freaking out. So, I smoked another one.

Nothing.

I got on the freeway and traffic was crazy. It was POURING and FOGGY. I was driving 45 miles an hour, as was just about everyone else. But you couldn't see them past 30 feet in front of you. Then these jack asses came flying through and almost ran me over. So... I lit another cigarette.

Nothing.

Still freaking out.

Hmmmm......

I've been smoking for almost 20 years, and I always thought it was the cigarettes that calmed me down. After this weekend I came to the conclusion it was the deep breaths; not the nicotine.

So, after my gig I left what was left of the pack at the gas station, stopped at Walmart (yes, I'm ashamed of that) and picked up two more weeks of patches.

Today I didn't have any fits. First time in two weeks. I think I might actually make it this time.

To those who want to keep smoking, keep on keeping on. I'm not trying to say anyone else should stop just cuz I am. I just know I'm done paying $10 a pack, and I'm tired of hacking, and having to make sure to bring hand sanitizer and gum to hid the smell from the parents and kids before I paint them.

[Skittles]

1. stay with it, PTM

and yup do try just taking deep breaths when you're stressed - it does work :D

[Paradoxical]

2. Nicotine withdrawal makes you nervous. The nicotine rush brings you back to normal.

Nicotine is actually a stimulant; an upper. It will sharpen your attention but won't necessarily calm you down.

There's a good likelihood that you simply could not normalize the once very high levels of nicotine in your blood from a couple of cigarettes. There's also a possibility that since it didn't normalize the levels, it simply increased your heart rate and blood pressure and contributed to your freak out session.

[monmouth]

3. For me "the third day" was the test. Awful...n/t

[MilesColtrane]

4. You're not taking Chantix, are you?

[Powdered Toast Man]

10. Hell no!

[MilesColtrane]

12. Good.

For a minute I thought you might be when you mentioned strange dreams.

That's some bad stuff.

Good luck on quitting, and keep it up.

[LynneSin]

5. The biggest untruth about smoking is that it 'calms you'

The only thing it's calming is your cravings for nicotine. When your body is addicted and you don't get your timely fix, you start getting fidgety and jumpy.

Good luck with quitting. It'll be the hardest thing you ever do but the most rewarding. And don't feel bad buying something at Wal-mart. If they have the patch there cheap then go for it.

[Bake]

14. I do'nt know ... there've been times it has kept me from killin' some fool!

FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING, OF COURSE!

Bake

[old mark]

6. Smoking tobacco relieves the symptoms of withdrawal from tobacco,

which made you nervous in the first place...it is an addictive drug, and what you are feeling is addiction/withdrawl.

Cigarettes are probably THE most addictive drug in the US-certainly the most addictive LEGAL drug. I know people who had an easier time quitting heroin addiction than quitting cigarettes.

mark

[gratuitous]

7. Hang in there, PTM

You're fighting the major league of addictions, and as you know, fixes are relatively cheap and easily available. Use every trick you can think of, patches, carrot sticks, rubber bands, stop watches, anything. Nicotine is your deadly enemy; don't give it an inch. You can do it!

[Ikonoklast]

8. So, you were the person I passed who had the death grip on the wheel

and was screaming like they were on fire?


Once you get past the 'heebie-jeebie' stage, things will go all right for you. Stick with it, and in six months you'll wonder why you ever smoked.

[LaurenG]

9. Don't wear the patches at night. That should help the nightmares.

The mornings will be a bit tougher if you don't sleep with them so put one on as soon as possible when you wake up. Best wishes as you transition through this phase of your "non-smokerhood."

[Lil Missy]

11. nicotine is a stimulant. Also, take the patch off at night. I had fits and nightmares too when

I forgot to take the patch off at bedtime.

[rurallib]

13. I quit after hearing a guy talking about taking deep breathes on the radio

Instead of the smoke take about 10 deep breathes and the desire goes away.
36 years later i am still smoke free.

[applegrove]

15. I'm quit over two years and I don't crave at all. Even last week when

I was worried about the nuclear fallout in Japan because my brother lives there, my parents were evacuated because of a toxic fire next door to their retirement residence and my dad falling and getting a big black eye. No crave. So if I can do it.....ANYONE CAN!

P.S. there is a website called the "quitnet.com" where you can go and get good advice and some encouragement.