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Anyone else find week two worse than week one?

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Anyone else find week two worse than week one?

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1843

There have been some threads lately about cravings, dreams, and anger, all are side effects of fighting the nicodemon during the early stages of a quit. As you read below, all of us have experienced what you are experiencing. PB said it best that the novelty wears off for many of us after a week or two. Our non-smoking supporters stop asking how we are doing. Situations that trigger the thought of smoking start coming back. And sometimes our smoking friends might even try to tempt us back to see if we really want to be a non-smoker!!! I had several "friends" who we only had smoking in common. Once I quit, I didn't see them or hear from them. We were friends only while smoking. You might also be missing some of the things you gave up in addition to smoking. I know I stayed away from bars and restaurants the first couple weeks as they were associated with smoking. Just remember that this temporary inconvenience will yield a HUGE permanent improvement! We're all rooting for your continued success!
My Milage:

My Quit Date: 8/20/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 345
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 13,800
Amount Saved: $3,450.00
Life Gained:
Days: 51 Hrs: 11 Mins: 29 Seconds: 12

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 625

It all gets better and easier.....I promise.......Hang Tough.......

Here's my hand.....grab hold both of you....Let's do this...........

Keep the Quit

Bob

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 1/27/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 185
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 5,550
Amount Saved: $777.00
Life Gained:
Days: 38 Hrs: 17 Mins: 22 Seconds: 24

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 375

FF,

only one day ahead of you and the start of week 2 was okay, but today was horrible. People do stop asking how it's going (they're over it), and I'm trying to settle into this new way of being. It's a fight we're ready for the first week, and today the overwhelming feeling is good god, when are the ups and downs going to end because it's exhausting! The good parts of the quit where I start to feel relaxed are great, but at this point, it's impermanent and unpredictable. So I think that week 2 is harder for me because I duked my way through week one expecting it to be hard. Week 2 started out with some better times but then today the cravings came back as hard as day one.... and it's a bit unexpected.

So I feel for you. I'm about to go to bed and I made it through but I was mad all day. Better mad than smoking...... I guess I decided (at least for today) to go through mad and tired than smoke. I know it gets better. I'm waiting like you are. Keep waiting with me. Be mad if you need to. Sad. Tell people how you're doing in your life, and if they aren't listening then come here and tell us.

keep going.

Deborah

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 7/21/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 10
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 240
Amount Saved: $96.00
Life Gained:
Days: 1 Hrs: 0 Mins: 53 Seconds: 7

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 25

Hi Finaly Free.

I found the latter half of my 2nd week harder than my first day. I examined a lot of my thoughts during that time (only last week still very fresh to my mind) and dare to hope i've found something akin to a plateau within my mind. I found i was quite depressed partialy through zyban, mainly through wrong thinking. I was upset that i'd never have another cigarette (what kind of god forsaken reason is that to get upset?). I found i was also waiting to not have a cigarette. I was waiting for the day when i was fully free. Utter absurdity all of it. Theres no day when your free'er than another, no day when your more quit than another. I reached the conclusion that i didnt believe what anyone said about cravings getting easier. Having no experience of getting that far before I couldnt be sure that people new how i was feeling despite them keep telling me (sorry everyone). I did reach the conclusion by looking at my cravings graph that if carvings can get worse then they are as equally capable of getting easier too.

For me that 2nd week was a very lonely time. As much as everyone tried and wanted to help it seemed like i was excluded from humanity and that i couldnt function in society and did withdraw myself from friends and family. Like i said my self imposed isolation did afford me a lot of 'think time'. Eventualy i came to the conclusion that i had no choice but to wait the cravings out, not wait to 'not have a cigarette'.

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 7/6/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 24
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 480
Amount Saved: �140.40
Life Gained:
Days: 3 Hrs: 12 Mins: 22 Seconds: 49

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 363

FF, yes, I thought week 2 was worse than week 1. I think there are several different reasons for this. The novelty of the new quit starts wearing off. Anyone around you stops asking how your doing because they assume you have won the battle already. Our determination starts waivering a bit. This is why it is so important to remember why you quit, remember the beginning, and how passionate you were to start this difficult journey. Hang in there, it is a roller coaster ride, but it will smooth out. Just keep doing the things you do to cope with your cravings. If you would like you can read my blog and look for some comparisons and see how I did from my first week to my second to my third. Hang in there, we're all here for you.
My Milage:

My Quit Date: 4/2/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 119
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 4,760
Amount Saved: $1,428.00
Life Gained:
Days: 17 Hrs: 15 Mins: 54 Seconds: 19

Quit Meter

$38,991.23

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 1025 Hours: 13

Minutes: 49 Seconds: 35

Life Gained
Quit Meter

5713

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

171,390

Cigarettes Not Smoked

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11226

Hi Finally Free,

Every wuit and every individual is different. But it will get easier.

Remember your emergency coping plan:

AVOID the situation.
Identify the situations when you normally smoke or feel a craving for a cigarette. For most smokers, high-risk situations include work breaks, finishing meals, having coffee or being in a bar. Plan how you will avoid these situations for a few weeks. Plan for alternate activities.

LEAVE the situation.
If you find yourself in one of these high risk situations, leave if you can. And, leave before you get a craving.

DISTRACT yourself from the craving.
If you find yourself in a situation you can't leave and you get a craving, distract yourself from the craving by:

· Thinking about something else, like your benefits of quitting smoking (or how much money you’re saving every week).

· Do something else to distract yourself like drinking water or deep breathing to relax.

· Think about an upcoming event in your life, such as a vacation.

DELAY taking the cigarette.
If you can't keep your mind off it, then make a deal with yourself that you will wait 5 minutes before you give into the craving. The craving will usually pass in a couple of minutes anyway. If you delay, the craving will go away.

Use SELF TALK
A craving may be accompanied by negative thoughts about your ability to resist it. Use positive self talk statements to combat your negative thoughts.

Stay strong

Ashley

Here to help :)

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 967

Totally normal, it will go is spirts so be pepared. But, everytime you make a through a day, you are that much closer to freedom. I remember having a good week, then a bad week, then a good day, then a bad day...it all evens out eventually...hangi in there you are doing fantastic!!!

Kelly

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 12/6/2007
Smoke-Free Days: 602
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 18,060
Amount Saved: $2,257.50
Life Gained:
Days: 50 Hrs: 2 Mins: 56 Seconds: 59

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6

Week one was a breeze. Week two is not so good. I want a cigarette all the time and I can't get it out of my mind and it's all I think about. Did anyone else find week two harder? I'm hoping week three gets better!!
My Milage:

My Quit Date: 7/21/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 9
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 99
Amount Saved: $49.50
Life Gained:
Days: 0 Hrs: 20 Mins: 3 Seconds: 13

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Anyone else find week two worse than week one?