was Relapse/ Anxiety, Panic
I was not expecting the level of anxiety and
panic that I have experienced — not during the
first couple of weeks — but beginning week 3.
[I’m now at almost 3 mos.]
Because I had already had a couple of fairly
easy weeks, in the very beginning — without
much anxiety if any –
and because I was not having much problem
with cravings, my guard was down; I wasn’t
consistently continuing to make enough effort
regularly to breathe deeply and stretch, treat
my body physically through this extended time
of change.
I realize now — because the anxiety became so
acute and some has continued even after a
couple of months — that it’s essential to
keep using these techniques. Recently I
started just walking a bit more, and more
deep slow breathing, more often, more
stretching, even a bit here, there, of all of
these… taking care of my body.. and it is
directly affecting my tendency to be anxious
and panic… I am feeling way, way better.
The panic/anxiety is almost entirely physical –
a bodily thing, first and foremost. I am sure it
is a physical reaction to quitting smoking, and it
has lasted longer than I was expecting. Perhaps
it will last a very long time, for me. That’s ok, as
long as I know how to deal with it. Eventually
it will go away.
But I think it would have been easier if I had
been expecting this difficulty in advance — and
been mentally prepared to “do the work” for a
good long time after quitting.
Each person is probably unique in this regard.
Depending on how long a person has smoked,
and what one’s own physiological and emotional
history may be — the adjustment back to being
a healthy nonsmoker may take time, and be
more (or less) difficult than expected.
But quitting is still VERY doable. Even when it’s
hard, it’s easy; it feels good to do it, to make it
through, to breathe freely. Feels right. Annie
In a message dated 11/9/05 11:05:21 PM, ddsteve@… writes:
<< I’m not going to say that just stretching and breathing will eliminate
panic attacks, but if you deal directly with the body cues that are part of
the panic/anxiety, you’ll go a long way toward easing your experience of
the early stages of quitting.