Many ad campaigns for stopping smoking although well intentioned do give the impression quitting smoking is a short term willpower effort that manifests into a snowball of unstoppable momentum, benefits and becalmed sea of plain sailing soon after.
Somehow also quitting smoking is portrayed as a portal in time, that will transport you back to the you you were before you smoked. As soon as you stop you will become the you you were miraculously before you began smoking; like something from a science fiction movie.
All quit attempts are different experiences do bear in mind but to manage expectations here:
On stopping smoking you will not be transported to the you of 25 years ago- you won’t be running the 100metres in 10 seconds, be the Center of attention at the disco necessarily or fitting into your size 6 hot pants- you are 25 years older after all😀
Your life won’t necessarily be magically different or better- it will be the life you have just without smoking.
conversely - if something not your liking happens, such as you lose money on the stock market, the freezer defrosts and all your food has to be binned, or you bang your head, it’s not because you’ve given up smoking, and if you were smoking that this would have somehow prevented it; or that by smoking somehow smoking will make the situation better and more manageable to palate. That’s nonsense too. Stuff happens whether you inhale tobacco or not.
Also, every attempt is individual- you may feel extremely tired as I did - you may start comfort eating being kranky having mood swings drink gallons of caffeinated drinks daily to stay awake; become forgetful, feel depressed, angry, tearful, be lethargic, gain weight- I felt & experienced all of these things.
Don’t feel worried if you are not living up to the experience depicted on NRT ads as seen on tv - that you should be roller skating down the street in your first week, playing soccer in a team or or in a swanky bar surrounded by scores of friends being courted by admirers.
However, do touch base with a CA quitting advisor for support and do use the forum for peer support. If you feel unhealthy physically or mentally 10-14 days still after quitting (or sooner if you feel it is not you or you are concerned) speak to your doctor.
I am 6 weeks into stopping smoking- And yes, I have lost money in the stock market this week, had to bin all of my freezer food and have banged my head every day - this has nothing to do with giving smoking-would not have been avoided by continuing smoking and wouldn’t have been helped by starting smoking.
All the best with your quit attempt.