I’m so fucking irritable right now, every little thing is annoying me and my chest is tight, I keep clenching my teeth. I’m very familiar with these things, these are how my body is telling me “go smoke a ciggy”
Problem is, I haven’t done that for a year and a half. I’ve had this happen before, sometimes years on into my quittings, its always random and it’s always insufferable, like I’m a former psychonaut who accidentally cracked his spine 20 years later. Does this happen to anyone else out there? Any tips? I had a glass of wine but it didn’t help take the edge off much
I smoked daily for about ten years. I got off the cigarettes and smoked e-cigs (no one called it vaping, then) for another year or two, then quit cold turkey without much issue and only the occasional minor relapse thanks to my significant other continuing the habit for a few years after I quit before she quit, too. That was about fifteen years ago, and I don’t crave them at all anymore. The smell is actually a huge turn off for me, now. I can’t believe I ever thought I was fooling anyone into not knowing I was a smoker. That shit seeps into everything.
This is an anxiety response, your body is coursing with cortisol, the stress hormone. These exercises should help. I find square breathing to be especially helpful, but everyone’s different. https://www.choosingtherapy.com/anxiety-exercises/
Another thing to consider: nicotine accelerates caffeine metabolism. Therefore, if you are feeling irritable and have recently ingested caffeine (coffee, tea, energy drink, etc.) then you can expect a craving for the antidote.
Think of all those folks who used to hang out at coffee shops, smoking cigarets. Up on the cup of coffee, down on the smoke. Just riding the roller-coaster all day.
I haven’t smoked in 10+ maybe 15+ years, can’t really remember.
I still want a cigarette.
Feel exactly this… Sometimes you just still want one randomly. But 99.999% of the time do not think about it at all anymore
I’ve never done any drug or experience as remotely addicting as nicotine.
Ever done cheese?
You ever suck dick for nicotine?
Yea I’m at least 10 years post quitting properly and I’d fucking kill for a ciggie right now.
Not gonna do it, because of all the many, many reasons that they are fucked up. But still.
I’m three years in, still want to smoke.
Glad I don’t, and the cravings from the first bit aren’t as bad, but I still want to.
Months absolutely. Years, very rarely. But wild that it still happens like 8 years later. Even though I rather dislike the smell now.
This is my experience. It’s fading with time. There are certain situational triggers, and sometimes out-of-the blue cravings, but they become less frequent and easier to ignore, slowly, as time goes on.
No. I actually find the idea of doing it again pretty disgusting.
I smoked about 20 a day for nearly 20 years, and gave up the stinkies about 12 years ago. Switched to vaping and then gave up that and nicotine about 8 years ago.
Even after all this time, about once a year my brain tells me it’s time for a smoke break. I don’t think I’m craving a fag, just the downtime and doing something else with my hands/brain/time.
Hey OP, how ya doing? Try any advice? Anything help?
Lol thank you, I just waited it out and read comments to pass the time. This happens once or twice a year and it’ll probably be a good while before it happens again, appreciate the support though
Does this happen to anyone else out there?
No, you’re completely unique and utterly alone in that uniqueness. Tragic, really. RIP.
Any tips?
Is $5 too little?
Okay enough jokes. Yes, every other addict ever gets craving symptoms down the road, but they’ll clear up soon.
In rehab, doc taught me something that’s remarkably powerful and yet insanely simple: BHALTS. Are you Bored? Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired? Stressed? All those make cravings worse and make relapse more likely, especially since we’re talking about the thing we used to do to avoid dealing with those feelings properly.
If anything on that checklist checks out, attend to it ASAP. You’ll be shocked how quickly the cravings leave your body.
I do, the longer it’s been the shorter they are (almost 10 years now). My trigger is seeing someone, usually in a TV or movie, take that long, exaggerated drag.
Oooh. That’s a big one. I’ll be fine and suddenly halfway through a movie: “Smoke break?”
When I was quitting I swapped cigarettes with tea tree oil infused toothpicks to handle the oral fixation part. Helped a lot. I have (thankfully) never experienced what you describe and haven’t been a smoker for about 7 years now. Maybe get some toothpicks to nom on if it happens again.
Edit: somehow forgot to add “never” to that third sentence. Sorry for any confusion. Hope you can conquer these spells of cravings.
I smoked for 20 years. I beat it by successively taking habits away. I quit twice for a year each time and fell back into it at the bar both times.
The first time I went back, I didn’t smoke in the house. That was big but I really didn’t want my house smelling like that. The second time I didn’t smoke in the car… Also a big one.
Then I vaped and successively brought the levels down. Each time it was really hard but my body adjusted. At my last level (3mg), I had bought some 0 for whenever I wanted to take the plunge, and accidentally switched to it. It felt really light on nicotine, but it was only after 3 days that I realized. I decided that was it and kept vaping 0.
It was surprising how badly my body would react if I didn’t get my fix. I knew there was no nicotine in there, but boy did I get irritable and jittery if I didn’t get my hit. By this time, my first child had been born and I knew I’d have to call it. I was contemplating a date when one night she picked up my device and stuck it in her mouth like she’d seen me do. Threw it all away right then. That was about 7 years ago.
Yea, the smell of cigarette smoke is nice and I can still remember the feeling of that first one in the morning with a coffee. The worst I do now is an occasional cigar, but I make sure it’s never repetitive or a lot.
Quit for 7 years. Didn’t miss it for a second after the first week. Starting again was the worst mistake of my life. Hold fast. You’ll regret it if you go back. Quitting a second time seems much harder.
Almost 3 years after quiting a heavy 26 years habit. I quit cold turkey.
Currently being forced to move having no income and no social circle and family is distant.
Super proud I haven’t broken yet. I want one ALL THE DAMN TIME.
I use physical exercise to help me get through my cravings.
If a random internet stranger’s comment means anything to you… keep it up dude!
On the contrary, i hate the smell way more than my have-never-smoked peers.
I quit cold-turkey ages ago, after a decade as a pack-a-day smoker.
I never missed cigarettes, never really craved them except when binge drinking. But i quit that too, mostly. By the time I quit, I absolutely hated the smell and taste, so that helped a lot. It caused me to just avoid places where I’d encounter lots of smokers. Bans in restaurants and bars helped a lot.
edit: one key being that when I quit, I didn’t like smoking. I didn’t want to be a smoker anymore. So I stopped thinking of myself as a smoker.
You probably don’t hate the smell more, nonsmokers have just learned to be polite about it.
Dated a smoker once. I love the man, but kissing him was like licking ashes. A major turn off. I never let on.
Right, my lived experience isnt valid because of your lived experience.
Been clenching my teeth for about two years now, I started when I quit smoking. I actually had to get a splint (mouthgard) because I’m fucking my teeth.
So I quit because I was about to become a dad, a home-owner, and also because ciggies here are about 30 usd a pack that doesn’t go well with having a family and and paying a mortgage. But mostly health, I need to be around as long as possible for my family.
I don’t think about it nor I miss it most of the times, but every time someone takes a long drag in a movie, I just start salivating and I wish I had one in my hand.
Accidentally I temporarily became a smoker again for a week or so just recently. Wife took the kids away for a few days and I was given some weed, I bought two packs of ciggies with the intention that once they are gone that’s it. They are gone now and i am again a non smoker but I thoroughly enjoyed them. Unlike other people on this thread I LOVE the smell, and I really really like smoking. What I don’t like is to have an addiction, the fact that they kill you, and the cost.
As for suggestions, nothing that gives immediate relief but microdosing mushrooms really helped me before (I quit many times before, longest i think was 7 years not smoking)