Hi, smokingsux. Some may say that about quitting, too. Especially when they feel like you are now. ;)
What you're experiencing is quite normal for nicotine deprivation. It's not exactly physical withdrawal since you've been nicotine free for about a week, but it is a type of withdrawal.
When you smoked, the nicotine stimulated reward/pleasure centers in your brain. This happened for so long that your brain actually shut down some of these centers in an attempt to return to "normal" (much like getting used to the feel of a watch or wedding ring).
Now that your nicotine-free, you are actually below normal in the reward/pleasure department. It will take some time to adjust, typically 12 - 18 months. But the bulk of the adjustment comes right at first. You're experiencing pretty much the worst of it right now.
You need to be rewarding yourself often. Rewards don't have to cost much, or even anything at all. They just need to be something that make you smile, and something that's just for you. They stimulate the reward/pleasure centers and actually help in the rebuilding process, even if you can't tell anything right away.
Don't attach any long-term indications to what you are going through now. There are a lot of emotional adjustments that you'll need to make, a lot of crying to do, and probably some more arguements, I'm afraid. But if you explain to your boyfriend this isn't the real you and will on last a little while, he should understand. Most people can tolerate a lot if they know there will be an end to the misery.
Congratulations on 10 days quit and welcome to heck week. :)
Believe it, or not, you're doing great, smokingsux. Keep up the good quit.
Shevie
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/23/2005
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 367
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 7,350
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1394.6
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 68 [B]Hrs:[/B] 12 [B]Mins:[/B] 22 [B]Seconds:[/B] 31
