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  • Stages of a quit

    STAGES OF A QUIT!

    Stage 1: Agitation

    Anxiety, muscular tension, irritability,difficulty sleeping, high craving. You've probably already experienced this innumerable times during your smoking career (this is when you root through the ashtrays looking for butts). It generally begins a few hours after your last cigarette and lasts for a day or two.

    Stage 2: Slump

    You feel depressed, fatigued, jittery, are forgetful, short-tempered, and
    emotionally volatile. You may also have trouble sleeping. You continually crave a cigarette. This may last for several days

    Stage 3: Honeymoon

    Somewhere in the first 10 days after your last cigarette, you start feeling better. A lot better. Your mood improves and your energy returns. Craving is still present but manageable. The danger is you'll become overconfident.

    Stage 4: Second Slump

    It's hard to pin down, but for most of our patients,this second slump begins two to six weeks after the last cigarette. Craving may return along with episodes of nervousness, irritability, sleep disruption, flu-like symptoms, and fatigue.

    Stage 5: Second Honeymoon

    Begins four to six weeks after the last dose. Improvement in the above symptoms leads to the conclusion that danger of relapse has past and withdrawal is over.

    Stage 6: Relapse Phase

    Most ex-smokers experience at least one more noticeable "slump" during the first four months of abstinence.Craving returns, and with it, the risk of relapse. To get through it, you have to avoid exposing yourself to risky situations.

    Stage 7: Stabilization

    Once the last of the initial slumps has ended, things stabilize. Craving is largely the result of conditioned responses (e.g., to smells, activities) which can be avoided.
    Abstinence is fairly comfortable with the exception of periods of unusual stress, recurrent craving, and occasional strong memories of pleasures associated with smoking.

    Patience is the key here......keep going in your quit, and all these stages will soon
    become history....
    ~ Elleth
    Baby Talk Zone

    40/f 5'5" Start 10/18/2003 - 180/133.0/125
    My Diet Progress | Read my Blog




  • #2
    Beautiful post Elleth,
    I just want to add Elleth mentioned smoking. It doesn't matter what your addiction is you will go thru stages just like this. Hold on to the just for Today attitude. We will deal with Tomorrow then.
    ~Lauren~



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    • #3
      I have been smoke free for 10 years and I've got to say, it was one of the hardest things I've ever accomplished. I started smoking when I was 15, realized a few months later it wasn't nearly as cool as I had thought and decided to quit. I was hooked! After 29 years of many, many, many failed attempts (and never making it more than 3 days without a cigarette), I finally succeeded in giving it up for good at age 44.

      Lisa
      Lisa (Female - 54)

      Started Atkins: February 12, 2005

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      • #4
        lisa welcome to the forum. If we can quit smoking after all those years we can do anything right!
        ~Lauren~



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        • #5
          Elleth,

          Brilliant post and applicable to most any addiction. I've been thinking "Oh I can't exersize, lose weight AND quit smoking" of course that's my way of saying I won't quit, I'm scared to quit and I'm experiancing all the wonderful benefits of smoking 3 packs a day.

          Anyway, your posts are so helpful and informative, keep me' comming I'll wise up sooner or later.

          Peter ha

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          • #6
            Absolutely, Lauren! Whether it's an addiction, losing weight or changing something else about our lives, we've not failed unless we stop trying.

            Lisa
            Lisa (Female - 54)

            Started Atkins: February 12, 2005

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            • #7
              Great post Elleth!! I just stumbled across this forum, what a most excellent idea, kudos to whoever brought this forum into being. As we all know, often people who are addicts replace one addiction for another. Whether one replaces food with something else, or vice versa, this is a very important forum :clapping :ThumbsUp
              - Redheaded giRlie giRl. 146/135/125, 5'6"

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