Bear,
For me, smoking masked depression and I never developed the skills to be able to emotionally handle situations in life. I started smoking at about 15 and so I used smoking to deal with life issues for most of my life. When I quit, I had to learn how to handle life without the crutch. It took me a long, long time to seek help. I really wish I had done it sooner. I spent over a year crying and wondering what was wrong with me.
My self esteme was about as low as you can go and I felt totally worthless. I thought I was a failure and I couldn't do anything right. I also have issues with anxiety. I'm not sure if it is a result of smoking or if smoking would calm my anxiety. It really is hard to say.
What a great topic!
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/1/2005
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 760
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 15,200
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $2,660.00
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 68 [B]Hrs:[/B] 15 [B]Mins:[/B] 24 [B]Seconds:[/B] 8
