Giving up smoking.

[[jo...]]

Hi, 

Has anyone given up smoking during withdrawl? I really want to give up as I'm sure it slows progress down a bit. Having said this it's particularly difficult because anxiety triggers you to smoke. Kind of like a vicious cycle. Has anybody given up during withdrawl? did you notice any real benefit? How were your symptoms during abstinence? 

 

Thanks.

[[Cr...]]

Nicotine withdrawals won't last anywhere near as long as benzo withdrawals nor will they reach the same intensity.

That said, you can expect a very rough couple of days followed by a rough 2 to 4 more weeks of low level anxiety and depression. On its own that doesn't sound bad, but if you are already having a tough time even a mild increase in negative feelings can feel unbearable.

If you think you got the will power to tough it out for a month I say go for it. For someone in Benzo withdrawal I wouldn't do a cold turkey but a gradual reduction. Maybe some other members can chime in with how they got off smoking while in/out of withdrawal.

[[Cr...]]

Oh another thing. Even when the withdrawals from nicotine are finally done, you will NEED to get yourself a new coping mechanism for stress or you may easily fall back into smoking again.

If going for a smoke helped ease the tension of life or BW symptoms you will need a new positive habit to fill in that gap. One person I know did Gum N Grapes.

He used regular chewing gum whenever he got the oral fixation urge. And when chewing gum got too tiring he always had some grapes to chew. Low in calories and healthy. 

[[jo...]]

Yeah i think I'm gonna have to taper as anxiety is already a problem. I might give the gum thing a go. I'm curious as to the effect it will have on my symptoms when I'm off. I realise it's not going to cure withdrawl but hopefully it can stabalise things a little, it cant be helping thats for sure. Either way it's never a bad idea to quit. Thanks!

[[Ma...]]

1 member tapered their cigarettes as you would a benzo. ‘Dosing’ at the same time each day etc. Figured they knew the drill, so to speak, and it worked!

[[jo...]]

not a bad idea.

[[Cr...]]

4 minutes ago, [[j...] said:

Yeah i think I'm gonna have to taper as anxiety is already a problem. I might give the gum thing a go. I'm curious as to the effect it will have on my symptoms when I'm off. I realise it's not going to cure withdrawl but hopefully it can stabalise things a little, it cant be helping thats for sure. Either way it's never a bad idea to quit. Thanks!

There is lots of literature that shows that nicotine actually worsens anxiety and depression overall.

Lets use a 1 to 10 scale (10 being worst).

If your anxiety is normally a 4, then smoking a cigarette will bring it down to a 2 or 3 for about an hour then it will go back to a 4. Over time your base anxiety will rise to 5 and 6 from repeated nicotine use, and having a smoke will bring it back down to a 4 (your old baseline). This isn't forgoing the fact that once addicted you need that nicotine or your anxiety may shoot up to 7 or 8.

So in the short term quitting smoking will make you worse. In the long-term (a month or so) you baseline anxiety and depression may drop quite a bit. So quitting may make benzo withdrawal a lot worse at first before making it better than had you stayed smoking.

[[Kr...]]

@[Cr...]How do you know so much about so many things? You respond to almost every post with expert knowledge. Wow!

Is it AI? lol 

[[Cr...]]

@[Kr...] Lol well i have experienced a lot in my short life. I usually only respond to issues I have experience with. In this case I used to vape and used nicotine salt pouches for energy. So I experienced the negative effects of nicotine use as well as the torture of a c/t withdrawal. I like to use similes and metaphors to help make recovery something that feels more tangible and less abstruse.

Back when I was in benzo/alcohol recovery (2011/12) I wasn't nearly as capable of helping others here but received a lot of support from many members that had recovered before me and had their experiences to share.

After recently helping 2 people in my social life get through their own benzo withdrawal, I remembered that there were others that may need help and decided to return here for a bit. It is my sincerest hope that when some of you recover in the future that you stick around and help those that come after you.

Sometimes the ratio of those needing support overruns the number of people capable of offering support.

I am also going through my own AD taper, so by helping others I am also reinforcing my own constitution with reminders of what I have learned from all my hard battles.

Edited May 25 by [Cr...]

[[Kr...]]

You’re eloquent and obviously well educated.

Thank you for responding. I like your spirit ❤️

[[Le...]]

i successfully quit smoking while in WD by making it possible but inconvenient  i bought one of those one hitters people use for pot and a pouch of tobacco  i could still get all i needed take the edge off but would have to load it 20 times to be like a cigarette  i just used less and less over time  

 

if you try this get a bottle of rubbing alcohol to clean the little pipe with  

 

[[He...]]

I smoked during my acute withdrawal before 4 years. That was my coping skill. When I felt better - maybe after 4 months I stopped them. It wasn’t very difficult. But Crono is right. Smoking is my coping skill and I started to smoke after each of my setbacks. Yes, it makes your symptoms maybe worse but I think that they don’t mess with the benzo withdrawal because I was able to heal every time despite of smoking. I think it is good idea not to overthink. When you feel better maybe you will get ready to stop smoking. Be gentle to yourself.

[[jo...]]

5 hours ago, [[H...] said:

I smoked during my acute withdrawal before 4 years. That was my coping skill. When I felt better - maybe after 4 months I stopped them. It wasn’t very difficult. But Crono is right. Smoking is my coping skill and I started to smoke after each of my setbacks. Yes, it makes your symptoms maybe worse but I think that they don’t mess with the benzo withdrawal because I was able to heal every time despite of smoking. I think it is good idea not to overthink. When you feel better maybe you will get ready to stop smoking. Be gentle to yourself.

Hi Heartseasee, It's difficult not to smoke in a wave, I am going to try vaping as an alternative. Have you tried this? What caused your setback if you dont mind me asking. Thanks!

[[He...]]

I have never tried vaping. Only good old cigarettes. My current setback is caused by dental anaesthesia and a glass of wine.

[[En...]]

On 25/05/2024 at 20:18, [[K...] said:

You’re eloquent and obviously well educated.

Thank you for responding. I like your spirit ❤️

Crono is awesome. I always listen to the advise given. All hail Crono!!! Lol