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16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 138

I had smoked from an early age but have been quit more than not with 3yrs and 5yrs abstinence periods.

During a recent slip, someone put me on to the Voices of Nicotine Recovery, a voice/text chat room on PalTalk. There are people with varying degrees of abstinence and it can be comforting to hear others going through the same struggles and maybe a bit of warning hearing the health challenges experienced by others. This most recent quit has now lasted six months, much due to listening in and participating with this PalTalk support group.

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 41

I quit smoking in 1997. I had tried everything, the patch, hypnosis, nico-gum, the works...than one day I said to my partner; "thats it I quit smoking"...she laughed...I've never had one since...For me however the problem is coffee. I am slowly weening myself off of caffeinated coffee because I do enjoy sittng and reading or sitting at a nice coffee shop in the early morning. Recently I had 3 coffees before noon and the physical reaction of my body was tantamount to a full blown panic attack. The symptoms and raciness, the need to flee to nowhere etc. etc. For those attempting to quit smoking and believe my I know how hard it is so I'm not being glib about this...just keep trying, Although I felt that the continuous cycle of trying to quit and failing was absoutely useless and counter productive, in hind sight I think it was what enabled me to just quit. Telling yourself enough times that you are going to quit must imprint in some way on your pysche until the point where your subconscious actually believes it and you then possess the right attitude needed to have your desired outcome. In the words of Mark Twain: "Quitting smoking is easy, I've done it a hundred times"....maybe it just takes the one-hundred and one times to get it....good luck and never quit quitting!

Michael

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 341

I dont smoke, I tried it once, but never liked it, but I wanted to just stop in and send wishes to those who are trying to quit and just hang in there:)

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2101

Hello,

I have quit smoking and I won't lie to you it was tough! But it was so worth it! And it made my anxiety worse too. At firts I thought it helped but then I realized it really didn't. Anyway, I think it is great that you keep trying. I tried a ton of times and one day it just worked. so don't get discouraged! Anyone can do it. Just trust yourself to know when you are ready.

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1693

rcipfw,

Have you visited the Stop Smoking Center?

(http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/)

Breanne, Bilingual Health Educator

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 3

Well I tried quitting last month, but admittedly since the anxiety started back up, I have been smoking on and off. I found that it no longer "helps" and generally makes me feel worse so I am ready to be done with it again and for good. In fact it seems that it makes me anxiety worse, especially since on top of it just making me feel crappy, I worry about the health effects as well.

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 477

Thanks DazedMommy. Those are encouraging words. :)

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 313

Hi Miki I'm in the same boat as you. Although I was a typical "Type A" child..lol.. and did have a bit of anxiety, I experienced my first panic attack after experimenting with "E"..my one and only time... Although it seems as though the price is high for that choice the panic attacks may have come about anyways, just with another "trigger".. It's something you or I will never know. :) This experience along with many others will only make you stronger. I was 19 when that happened and I am 34 now. I'm a mother of 2 wonderful kids and married to the most amazing man. I've had years that are panic free and then I have setbacks.. and although discouraging and scary, each time I do learn something and come away a bit stronger. Try to focus on going forward and not get to hung up on the choices in the past.. We're human and because of that we make errors in judement at times but for whatever reason.. it was meant to be.. That's what I believe.. even when it feels unfair and ****ty I try to focus on the "bigger picture"..and think "what am I supposed to learn from this?".. No matter how bad we feel.. there is always someone who has it a bit worse, unfortunately. It gets easier Miki... oh and I will say.. sometimes a smoke would be nice.. lol.. just like the "good old days"... :)

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 477

I have been a light smoker since I was 18 and quit after my first panic attack 2 years ago, which was triggered with experimenting with drugs. I believe I've always been a fearful child since I was little but the drugs was the cause of my first panic attack. I try not to regret the day it has happened but there are many days I wish I never did it.

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 8760

Members, It has been shown that panic disorder patients have increased activity in a portion of the nervous system called the adrenergic system. The adrenergic system regulates some of the body€™s functions - like heart rate and body temperature. However, we still don€™t know whether these increases reflect the anxiety symptoms, or whether they cause them. Smoking affects this same adrenergic system. The link between smoking & anxiety is not yet well understood but it does appear that smokers are three times more likely to experience issues with anxiety, panic and panic attacks than non smokers. For members needing help to quit, we have a sister site: www.stopsmokingcenter.net Danielle, Bilingual Health Educator

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