Mental Health Support

[mark_k]

Linda, first of all... Congratulations! You're doing great for yourself and I hope that the road is smooth from here on out with only minor bumps along the way. I'm hoping that after a while we'll be able to walk past people smoking and turn around the 'if only I could' attitude into a 'if only I could help them like so many had helped me'. Oh, and lest I forget.... I wanted to tell you... 'mentally challenged', though very PC isn't as fun as how I like to consider phrasing it... try 'social underdogs'... everyone loves an underdog and it makes people smile! (Admit it... you just smiled... at least a little bit) 😃

[skypeople]

I was in the Marine Corps also!!  I joined one month after graduating high school in 1966....was only in 13 months and got out after getting married and pregnant but was in long enough to start the nasty habit of smoking which I did on and off for period of years.  My quit date was April 12, 2010 at 10:30PM and so far I am being successful; I am determined this is going to be my last quit as have NO plans to smoke again. Best of luck and I also suffer from panic attacks and agoraphobia plus fibromyalgia which is biggest reason I have smoked since I was in service.  If you want to write me, please do as have been a patient with VA off and on since 1984 and mostly since 1995.  Lynda

[rhi3]

Hello, I also suffer from  panic disorder. Ended up in the hospital a few of the panicy attack times. Not a good feeling. I'm on meds to help prevent them, but most of it (as told to me by my psych doctor) is me learning to train myself to relax. Ok, I'm working on that part, but now comes the part of I am quitting and getting rid of one of the biggest solutions to getting myself to relax. Looonnnnggggg road ahead of me I feel, but any help is welcome at this point 🙂

[lana3]

I am 63.  I know smoking masks alot of feelings.  Sometimes it isn't that I want to smoke, I just want to feel better.  I just have to learn how to make myself feel better without the nicotine fix.  I find that the hardest thing is knowing that when you feel really rotten, smoking does make me feel better or at least forget my troubles for awhile.  I need to learn another way.  Any ideas? Please don't tell me carrot sticks.  LOL

[cruzer-mike]

Wow all you guys are awsome!  Iam a new member and have been smoke free for about a month and a half. Ive been clean from drugs for 2 years and i have to say cigaretts are way harder to kick than even heroin! Anxiety has always been a factor in my life but since I quit it has gotten a little better. I used to focus on how toxic cigaretts were and the damage they were doing and that would create alot of anxiety. Now i dont have that and its one less thing to worry about

[need2quit11]

I think that the added emotional struggles make it impossible for me to quit.  I would rather go through natural childbirth 20 times than go through the withdrawl and anxiety that I experience when I try to quit.  Is there hope?

I am new obviously and very skeptical.  I hope this works, as I want to quit very badly.

[skypeople]

I came from a family of non-smokers but started smoking when I joined the Marine Corps in 1966 just out of high school; smoked for many years and quit a couple of times but always went back to smoking.  But I cannot afford to smoke because I was diagnosed with COPD (thank goodness in early stage) and also because the cost is going up and up on this habit that only shows lousey waste of money.  But cannot tell you how many times I have smoked to get me to relax after panic attack, trying to work up courage to leave the house for needed trip to grocery store; getting up in middle of night due to nightmare or just not feeling good; dealing with too much pain from FMS, etc.  But I want you all to know that we can do it; I just past 12 weeks since I quit (using nicotine gum to help me get to this point) Monday at 10:30pm and working pretty close to that 13th week.  It is hard when we use smoking as a way to deal with nervous problems and I so understand the need to do that; and will admit I cannot tell myself how I would/need a cigqrette but know I canont even smoke one; I just do not want to go through the past 12 weeks over again.  Hang in there and believe that you do have the power to quit.  Lynda

[nightshine]

WTF???  No one posts on here?  Pleeeeeeeez, give me a break.  Last time there where posts everywhere and it helped me a lot.  But this one?  With all the meds we are probably on don't we need more help in a different way? 

Must be time to find another site where I can actually discuss everyday if need be.

[tinytina2]

Wow, I think this may be the most important group in the whole program for me. I have been on disability for 20 years because of a anxiety and panic disorder. i have recently been diagnosed with COPD and i know I have to quit. I am hoping to fine online resouces where I can go to help with these very real mental health symptoms while going through the quit process. I am a firm believer in affermation,medition,and peaceful sounds of nature to help me through these difficult times but these resources can be very hard to find.

[psjgggoff]

Hello I also suffer from panic attacks and untill a couple of days ago I smoked for 23 years I have been an ex for 3 days tonight at midnight I started suffering with painc attacks around 15 years ago and they were terrible I thought I was dying the first time I laied in bed for 3 days and would not get up I could not breath and I felt as if my chest was caving in on me I have never taken medicine to stop the panic attacks but I have learned how to controll them now if I get them they last 3 to 5 minutes and they are over I have learned to train my mind and to let myself know that I am having a panic attack and that everything was going to be ok I also develope a scare of taking medicine that I also worked through I could not swallow any without feeling as if I was chocking Today i can take medicine and I am ok In that department The only other thing that I am dealing with besides That is I can not eat in a restaurant if there are alot of people there I have not worked through that one yet but for some reason when there are lots of people arounnd while eating I get nervous I can eat fine anywhere else at families home just restaurants so now the good news to all the others who are still smoking I have not had a panic attack in the 2 days I have been quit I have been trying to concentrate so hard on quitting that whatever is in my subconqious that is causing the panic attacks does not have time to come out so maybe I need to replace that with something that will keep me busy Or have somethin g that I have done good that i am proud of to outway what is bothering me to have them even if I do not know what it is that makes me have them Thanks for letting me in this group

[ravenwolf86]

Hello everyone. I am new to this site. I'm not sure if I qualify for this group or not because I dont have a panic disorder but an anxiety disorder. I have been told before that they are so similar that it doesnt matter because anxiety can cause panic attacks. (I agree) Congradulations to everyone here, this is no easy feat. I am praying for us all.

With love,

Steph & Steve