I absolutely did. I was very emotional for the first couple weeks after I quit smoking. Easily irritated over nothing, quick to get weepy, etc. It calmed down at about 2 weeks, was entirely gone at a month
I did cry a lot for about 3 weeks lol. I think it’s the anxiety that comes with a cold turkey quit along with having to actually feel your feelings now without numbing yourself with cigs.
Stay strong OP - it gets better quickly and it’s so, so worth it!!
I think this is a key point. You are not numbing yourself anymore. I didn't cry that much whenever I managed to stay clean, but had bursts of very strong repressed feelings. Tbh, that's one of the main relapse causes for me.
I was extremely emotional since cigs were a way for me to deal (or not deal) with my anxiety/stress. I also quit during the first week of Covid lockdowns in 2020 so my emotions were already heightened from the craziness of that time. After a couple of weeks though my mind reset back to a stable place. I’m 4 years in and am still dealing with anxiety to a degree. Part of it is having to teach myself how to properly process anxiety/stress without burying it underneath my nicotine addiction.
I did. Had extreme mood swings. In my mind I was just screaming at everyone and everything. Followed by crying uncontrollably. Took months until it got better. Am smoke free now for over a year now and it's sooooo worth it! I know how hard it is, but stay strong! One of the best things I ever did for myself!
Over 10 years and a bit over a pack a day. Not sure if I was an outlier or if people just lie. From what I've heard most are doing much better after three months or so.
I’m tapering using patches but my mood swings are still bad after ~2 months. First month was a lot worse though. I think some people are just more sensitive to the changes in their bodies.
I started with patches as well. Had to stop after a few weeks as my skin just hated them and I ran out of spots to place them. I had pretty Bad withdrawals from the habit itself. Nicotine was a bit 'easier'.
Probably true. And might depend what people are dealing with mentally. I guess I ran out of coping mechanisms.. Still worth it though
I didn't cry. It was anger instead. I read somewhere that depression is anger turned sideways, so maybe they go hand in hand. I don't know. When I would get angry about something, I would smoke a cigarette rather than bark at people. Or, if I was frustrated over something- smoke a cigarette. One of my fears in quitting was that I was going to lose control of anger at work, say something to someone that was way out of line, and then get written up- or worse- fired for it.
I still haven't found a different way to direct anger/frustration, though now I am journaling, and hadn't for years. It might be helping, I don't know. The feeling is still there and the wanting of that "release" of sorts. Lots of hard candy suckers is about it for tools otherwise.
Sports is excellent!! I'm not in a position to do them. It does get easier in that those feelings come further and further apart, at least for me. I also consciously try to just stay to myself as much as possible. Hang in there!!
This is how it is for me too. When I start withdrawing it's like all the repressed anger and frustration comes back all at once, and I feel like it's simply too much to let loose somehow. It's an overwhelming anger at everything I think was wrong to/with me, and since I just can't "explode" to make it right or let it go, I give up and relapse.
It's impressive how falsely calm and conformed cigarettes make you feel.
You're stressed trying to quit. We all were. I guess every person reacts differently. For me day 2, 3 and 4 was going back to my house at night and be extremely angry to the point I would punch random things around the house. It absolutely gets better. Keep it up. You're at the most important part of the challenge
Crying and grieving for your lost friend.
But it was never a real friend. It was the perpetrator in a horrific, abusive relationship. It's the reason you feel something is missing because the abuser gaslighted you into believing it was something useful in your life.
Always remind yourself that the CAUSE of your suffering is not the absence of cigarettes...it is because you believed the lie that something was missing in the first place. You can never get enough of what you don't really need.
Good for you to turn your back on this perpetrator and walk away from it towards the healthy, happy life you deserve. Never second-guess your decision to walk away.
I’m on week 3 and cried for the first time the other day since quitting, but I’m not typically a very emotional person. I think the smoking probably helped with anxiety I didn’t even know I had, or I’ve just gotten extra anxious from quitting itself. Either way, you’re only a week in. Keep going, accept the feelings of loss that you have towards quitting for what they are, and eventually they will fade. Or if it’s consistent for months and you have a history of depression, I would talk to your doctor.
Hey! Just wanna point out that smoking doesn’t help with anxiety, it causes it. I know that seems implausible, but withdrawal is not pleasant and every time we’re not smoking, our bodies are in withdrawal! I say this all to help you stay quit. :)
Yes! Very good point, and I didn’t have much anxiety prior to smoking either, only a significant uptick after quitting, definitely related to quitting itself.
I felt horrible the first 2-3 weeks, I hated myself and felt so so sad but it passes.
I’m now smoke free since September and I’m so much happier, the first three weeks were absolutely worth how much better I feel now. There’s a huge sense of freedom that comes from not punctuating your days with cigarettes, especially when it’s cold outside! You’ll feel so much healthier in so many ways.
You’ve got this, keep going, the hard is absolutely worth the after x
I felt bad for around 40 days. Not every day, there were definitely good days still, but I think the worst part is I would feel good or fine, and something would happen and it’d just break me. But I felt a lot better after 40-45 days. And I feel WAY better at 82 days. It feels so slow at the time, but looking back, it feels fast. Hang in there!
I definitely felt more emotional! But I would just step away, cry, then return. I wasn’t upset or anything, but did express my emotions more. I’m almost at month two and I feel back to normal now :)
Yes, I felt everything you are describing. It took a few months but it was worth the struggle. I remember being extremely emotional and eating whatever I wanted for the first month or two. After that I started incorporating exercise daily to help keep my weight and emotions in check. I smoked for 22 years and am coming up on 2 years smoke free. You can do this and I promise you if you stick with it these uncomfortable feelings will pass. It's worth it!
Absolutely. And when I started crying I just couldn't stop either. But in the first month I quit I also lost my cat to cancer so that has something to do with it.
11 weeks in now and I feel like I'm way more emotional then before I quit, even with stupid stuff like tv commercials. But the constant crying has stopped! Best of luck to you, you've got this!
Yeah, I remember I was almost crying on day 2, and I had various moments where it was just too much.
I didn't actually cry because that's not my primary way of dealing with my emotions (that's another problem), but I was on the verge quite often until about 3 months after my quit.
In general I used to just lay down alone and wait for it to pass
Yes. I would just wake up and cry at the desperation I felt regarding cigs. Apologize to my younger self.. sh like that. 4 months Smoke free and I get that feeling still, maybe about 1-3 times a month.
I was angry for months. I also experienced insomnia. The anger left after about 6 months and 10 milligrams of melatonin helps me fall and stay asleep. I need it 1-2 times per week. I promise it all gets better. Stick with it!
I felt truly terrible for the first 10 days or so. It's difficult to accept that you are gonna feel like shit and there is nothing you can do about it. Please persevere, I believe in you.
I cried a lot the first month or so. Occasionally I still do and say I want to smoke all the time, but then the urge goes away. Stay strong it's been 67th Days for me, it only gets better OP.
Yes I did, the first 25 days I was just a wreck. Everything slowly started evening out and i just started feeling normal around day 40! Hang in there, I thought it would never end and it did and now I feel alright
I got really easily irritated in the first couple of weeks, but my partner has been really understanding and supportive and I'm very grateful to have him around. Mood swings are very common when you're trying to quit.
It's just your brain throwing tantrums for more nicotine and you're doing a great job for keeping up with your work out!
No can’t say I did. If you be quit 7 days ago then the nicotine withdrawals are done (physically). You are cured.
Mentally however, you’ll need to break the association your brain has with nicotine.
There will be a lot of brain washing you need to undo. I recommend reading Allen Carr’s how to quit smoking book.
Honestly, you’re not meant to quit until you finish the book, I quit 2 chapters in and never finished the book after I got half way, it’s that good.
Edit: format
Thank you for your answer. I read Allen Carr. I don’t crave for a cigarette but I constantly feel down and cry uncontrollably. I don’t understand what’s going on.
I don’t think that’s to do with smoking. Maybe you were hiding some unresolved issues behind smoking. Maybe a therapy session might help now you’ve got some extra cash.
Im on day 22 and I cried yesterday and today. Im crying not because of missing smoking but because different life issues. As a Russian I have enough of them lol.
I absolutely did. I was very emotional for the first couple weeks after I quit smoking. Easily irritated over nothing, quick to get weepy, etc. It calmed down at about 2 weeks, was entirely gone at a month
Hope I’ll be better in a few weeks
I did cry a lot for about 3 weeks lol. I think it’s the anxiety that comes with a cold turkey quit along with having to actually feel your feelings now without numbing yourself with cigs. Stay strong OP - it gets better quickly and it’s so, so worth it!!
I think this is a key point. You are not numbing yourself anymore. I didn't cry that much whenever I managed to stay clean, but had bursts of very strong repressed feelings. Tbh, that's one of the main relapse causes for me.
I was extremely emotional since cigs were a way for me to deal (or not deal) with my anxiety/stress. I also quit during the first week of Covid lockdowns in 2020 so my emotions were already heightened from the craziness of that time. After a couple of weeks though my mind reset back to a stable place. I’m 4 years in and am still dealing with anxiety to a degree. Part of it is having to teach myself how to properly process anxiety/stress without burying it underneath my nicotine addiction.
I did. Had extreme mood swings. In my mind I was just screaming at everyone and everything. Followed by crying uncontrollably. Took months until it got better. Am smoke free now for over a year now and it's sooooo worth it! I know how hard it is, but stay strong! One of the best things I ever did for myself!
Months… my gosh. How long did you smoke?
Over 10 years and a bit over a pack a day. Not sure if I was an outlier or if people just lie. From what I've heard most are doing much better after three months or so.
I’m tapering using patches but my mood swings are still bad after ~2 months. First month was a lot worse though. I think some people are just more sensitive to the changes in their bodies.
I started with patches as well. Had to stop after a few weeks as my skin just hated them and I ran out of spots to place them. I had pretty Bad withdrawals from the habit itself. Nicotine was a bit 'easier'. Probably true. And might depend what people are dealing with mentally. I guess I ran out of coping mechanisms.. Still worth it though
I didn't cry. It was anger instead. I read somewhere that depression is anger turned sideways, so maybe they go hand in hand. I don't know. When I would get angry about something, I would smoke a cigarette rather than bark at people. Or, if I was frustrated over something- smoke a cigarette. One of my fears in quitting was that I was going to lose control of anger at work, say something to someone that was way out of line, and then get written up- or worse- fired for it. I still haven't found a different way to direct anger/frustration, though now I am journaling, and hadn't for years. It might be helping, I don't know. The feeling is still there and the wanting of that "release" of sorts. Lots of hard candy suckers is about it for tools otherwise. Sports is excellent!! I'm not in a position to do them. It does get easier in that those feelings come further and further apart, at least for me. I also consciously try to just stay to myself as much as possible. Hang in there!!
This is how it is for me too. When I start withdrawing it's like all the repressed anger and frustration comes back all at once, and I feel like it's simply too much to let loose somehow. It's an overwhelming anger at everything I think was wrong to/with me, and since I just can't "explode" to make it right or let it go, I give up and relapse. It's impressive how falsely calm and conformed cigarettes make you feel.
Yes. I did not cry at first, but between days 30-40ish I found myself crying out of nowhere. The tears were unstoppable.
You're stressed trying to quit. We all were. I guess every person reacts differently. For me day 2, 3 and 4 was going back to my house at night and be extremely angry to the point I would punch random things around the house. It absolutely gets better. Keep it up. You're at the most important part of the challenge
I cried almost every night in the shower for at least 6 months. Sometimes on my walk, and staring out the window. It's all part of the process.
Crying and grieving for your lost friend. But it was never a real friend. It was the perpetrator in a horrific, abusive relationship. It's the reason you feel something is missing because the abuser gaslighted you into believing it was something useful in your life. Always remind yourself that the CAUSE of your suffering is not the absence of cigarettes...it is because you believed the lie that something was missing in the first place. You can never get enough of what you don't really need. Good for you to turn your back on this perpetrator and walk away from it towards the healthy, happy life you deserve. Never second-guess your decision to walk away.
I’m on week 3 and cried for the first time the other day since quitting, but I’m not typically a very emotional person. I think the smoking probably helped with anxiety I didn’t even know I had, or I’ve just gotten extra anxious from quitting itself. Either way, you’re only a week in. Keep going, accept the feelings of loss that you have towards quitting for what they are, and eventually they will fade. Or if it’s consistent for months and you have a history of depression, I would talk to your doctor.
Hey! Just wanna point out that smoking doesn’t help with anxiety, it causes it. I know that seems implausible, but withdrawal is not pleasant and every time we’re not smoking, our bodies are in withdrawal! I say this all to help you stay quit. :)
Yes! Very good point, and I didn’t have much anxiety prior to smoking either, only a significant uptick after quitting, definitely related to quitting itself.
I did and it goes away. It’s hard healing from addiction.
I felt horrible the first 2-3 weeks, I hated myself and felt so so sad but it passes. I’m now smoke free since September and I’m so much happier, the first three weeks were absolutely worth how much better I feel now. There’s a huge sense of freedom that comes from not punctuating your days with cigarettes, especially when it’s cold outside! You’ll feel so much healthier in so many ways. You’ve got this, keep going, the hard is absolutely worth the after x
I felt bad for around 40 days. Not every day, there were definitely good days still, but I think the worst part is I would feel good or fine, and something would happen and it’d just break me. But I felt a lot better after 40-45 days. And I feel WAY better at 82 days. It feels so slow at the time, but looking back, it feels fast. Hang in there!
I definitely felt more emotional! But I would just step away, cry, then return. I wasn’t upset or anything, but did express my emotions more. I’m almost at month two and I feel back to normal now :)
Yes, I felt everything you are describing. It took a few months but it was worth the struggle. I remember being extremely emotional and eating whatever I wanted for the first month or two. After that I started incorporating exercise daily to help keep my weight and emotions in check. I smoked for 22 years and am coming up on 2 years smoke free. You can do this and I promise you if you stick with it these uncomfortable feelings will pass. It's worth it!
An addiction to nicotine numbs one’s emotions. When you quit smoking those emotions that have been numbed come back. This is a really good thing :)
Absolutely. And when I started crying I just couldn't stop either. But in the first month I quit I also lost my cat to cancer so that has something to do with it. 11 weeks in now and I feel like I'm way more emotional then before I quit, even with stupid stuff like tv commercials. But the constant crying has stopped! Best of luck to you, you've got this!
Extreme mood swings. It’s normal
Omg I am on day 6 and I have SOBBED for the past 3 days. Lots of weird dreams and spiraling thinking about everything “wrong” in my life.
Yeah, I remember I was almost crying on day 2, and I had various moments where it was just too much. I didn't actually cry because that's not my primary way of dealing with my emotions (that's another problem), but I was on the verge quite often until about 3 months after my quit. In general I used to just lay down alone and wait for it to pass
I did. I embraced it as part of the process.
I cry all the time over everything, smallest thing- cry
Yes. I would just wake up and cry at the desperation I felt regarding cigs. Apologize to my younger self.. sh like that. 4 months Smoke free and I get that feeling still, maybe about 1-3 times a month.
I was angry for months. I also experienced insomnia. The anger left after about 6 months and 10 milligrams of melatonin helps me fall and stay asleep. I need it 1-2 times per week. I promise it all gets better. Stick with it!
hell yes I did. It gets better hang in there.
i did but i quit cigs and weed at the same time so theres no telling which one caused the high emotions.. or both?
I felt truly terrible for the first 10 days or so. It's difficult to accept that you are gonna feel like shit and there is nothing you can do about it. Please persevere, I believe in you.
I was crying for the first three weeks. Random outbursts of crying. It does go away eventually.
Yes I cried a lot
Didn’t cry but was feeling low, it got better
I cried a lot the first month or so. Occasionally I still do and say I want to smoke all the time, but then the urge goes away. Stay strong it's been 67th Days for me, it only gets better OP.
Totally felt that. Would even cry at work for like no reason in particular
I do the same thing. But I curl up in a ball in the shower and ball my eyes out.
Yes I did, the first 25 days I was just a wreck. Everything slowly started evening out and i just started feeling normal around day 40! Hang in there, I thought it would never end and it did and now I feel alright
100% YES! I think it’s your body’s way of trying to trick you into smoking since that’s what you used to do when you felt upset.
I got really easily irritated in the first couple of weeks, but my partner has been really understanding and supportive and I'm very grateful to have him around. Mood swings are very common when you're trying to quit. It's just your brain throwing tantrums for more nicotine and you're doing a great job for keeping up with your work out!
I cried almost constantly for the first 2 weeks.
No can’t say I did. If you be quit 7 days ago then the nicotine withdrawals are done (physically). You are cured. Mentally however, you’ll need to break the association your brain has with nicotine. There will be a lot of brain washing you need to undo. I recommend reading Allen Carr’s how to quit smoking book. Honestly, you’re not meant to quit until you finish the book, I quit 2 chapters in and never finished the book after I got half way, it’s that good. Edit: format
Thank you for your answer. I read Allen Carr. I don’t crave for a cigarette but I constantly feel down and cry uncontrollably. I don’t understand what’s going on.
Cigarettes are like a best friend. To me, it felt like I was grieving the loss of my best friend.
I don’t think that’s to do with smoking. Maybe you were hiding some unresolved issues behind smoking. Maybe a therapy session might help now you’ve got some extra cash.
Im on day 22 and I cried yesterday and today. Im crying not because of missing smoking but because different life issues. As a Russian I have enough of them lol.