Day three, no smoking

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

Not sure if this was the page someone linked for you before but it shows

the coughing can happen anywhere from 1-5 days

http://www.quitsmokinguk.com/getting_through_the_first_2_weeks.htm#The%20truth%2\

0about%20nicotine%20withdrawal

With the nicotine gum you are giving your system your symptoms will be

different than the ones shown.

The thing that is missing from SO many quit smoking things and that all the

non-smokers seem to miss the point on as well is that cigs are addictive on the

mental end more so than the physical end! For instance right now you are getting

nicotine through the gum - maybe not as much but you are still getting it, so

withdrawel from nicotine at this point should be mild. What I feel you are

experiencing is the mental withdrawel symptoms.

People always have and always will look for something to help them cope

with life. Personally I think the latest obesity problem can be linked to the

non-smoking push. People just moved from one coping mechanism to another. When

the obesity push is on people will find something else. You see it openly in

kids - we took away the cigs and tried to take away the drugs and alcohol and

instead they raid the home medicine cabinets and cleaning fluids.

Note that a lot of the times you want a cig are when you percieve stress in

some form or another. Smoking has become a crutch to help you through life. You

can not expect yourself to miraculously all of a sudden be able to handle the

things in your life without a crutch of any kind. I'm not saying you should go

back to smoking. If deep down you really WANT to quit then the odds are good

that you will. If you are quitting for other people then this will not work.

Something that may help is to find another crutch to subsitute for the one

your are giving up. Why do you think a lot of peole gain weight when they quit?

They use food instead of cigs. I would suggest trying to find something that can

be done pretty soon after the stress situation. You have become used to getting

your help quickly rather than letting it build up all day and then releasing it

in say a warm bath. It should also be something that gives you a break and

soothes you, which cigs do. If you can find a subsitute then your odds of

successfully quitting would go up tremendously.

I really wish you luck with this! Of course, we are all here for you if we

can help in any way :-)

Hugs,

B.

HEDS, New Jersey, USA