Welcome to the Community Forums

Living whithout nicotine. Cancel

1. pxp

   

   4 posts
   Registered:
   25 Nov 2019
   17 Dec 2019

   Link to this post

   I have recently noticed that whenever I feel something I automatically want to smoke. No matter what the feeling is; tired, happy, excited, bored, etc... I guess this is the emotional addiction.  It is as if I do not know how to real feelings feel, without nicotine as an additive. Does this ever pass? Does it get better? I have been smoke-free for more than a month now :)
   thanks
2. justfortoday

   

   168 posts
   Registered:
   12 Aug 2019
   17 Dec 2019 in reply to pxp

   Link to this post

   Hi pxp,
   
   I can promise you, this is a normal, albeit annoying, part of the quit and it will ease off.
   
   I couldn't believe how I connected every freaking emotion to smoking! Happy? Go for a cigarette. Sad? Go for a smoke. Anxious? Go for a smoke! It never ended.
   
   Something that helped me was doing some research and discovering that nicotine triggers the release of dopamine and I needed to find ways for my brain to produce it without nicotine. I learned that "learning" something new releases substantial amounts dopamine.
   
   And so I began to just pick topics I wanted to learn something about. For me it involved choosing a country I'd love to visit and then learning a complicated recipe from that region. I cant believe how much better, and happier I began to feel.
   
   Regardless of how you move forward, pxp, you're doing so well and the "obsessive" connection between feelings and smoking will get better!