After several start-stops, I decided to give it another go during Rosh Hashanah with the idea that I would not bring it with me into the new year. The past few times I have quit, I have managed to stay off for 5-6 months. It feels a bit like the anti-depressant trap of “I feel better, so I’ll stop.” Or in this case, “oh, I’m not addicted anymore so it must be okay for me to have a cigarette every now and again at parties or hanging out with so-and-so,” which quickly spirals.
This Summer, I learned that I was using nicotine to self-medicate ADHD and anxiety which is a catastrophic plan since nicotine dependency and the attendant mini-withdrawals of smoking addiction massively exacerbate both conditions. I am now in the initial stages of treatment for both so I am guardedly optimistic that this quit will go better.
And yes, I have read ‘the easy way to quit smoking’! :p Great book up to a point.
the first three days are the hardest, but full physical withdrawal in my understanding is completely gone at 3 weeks. everything after that is habit/compulsion. so once you power through those 3 weeks, after that the strategy shifts.
Gotcha so I can have as much beer as I want for three weeks to compensate then taper. Gonna go from a pack-a-day to a keg-a-day. /j