so tired of dealing with the cravings

[nonsgm]

And What does everyone do about the depression that comes from quitting?

[maryfreecig]

Even though I'd wanted to quit smoking when I did, and even though I prepared as best I could, I still found myself profoundly distressed by quitting. I also imagined that my body/brain would be relieved by my quitting and that after sometime...say a month or two, I'd be happy that I did quit. Didn't work that way. Adjusting to not smoking, learning to live without the smokes took some time--I got exasperated sometimes. I did work to stay quit--walked, stayed occupied, watched comedic clips on youtube when really frustrated and I did a bunch of other things-- still habits today.

The addiction was all I knew for most of my life, all I really remembered. I didn't think I could convert back!!!!! And the fact that I was not HAPPY about quitting as time passed, bothered me even more. But I relearned despite myself. Somewhere along the line of this quitting journey, I started to feel better. It wasn't one day, one event, one thought...nothing like that....it was time. 

One area that you might explore is the reality of the tobacco business. There are a lot of good talks online about this stuff. 

A while ago I created a youtube channel of collected quit videos (might have suggested to you before but here it is again)...

Marlboro Country is no place to settle in - YouTube  

Getting your head around the addiction and getting to the nonsmoking you (you were born this way!!) might take longer than you'd like but keep working it and you will get there. 

[bonniebee]

I found that positive thinking really helped me when negative thoughts such as, "I miss smoking or I am so depressed etc hit me. I realized I could dwell on these thoughts or I could change my thinking  for example : "I miss smoking it was like losing a best friend to .......... "Boy it is nice to be getting my freedom back  from  that Ole Nicodemon  who really  was an enemy in disguise what kind of "friend " would take away my  freedom and  make me  a slave and  ruin my  health  and steal my  money !!! I am so glad that I am quitting and it will take awhile to find a New Normal but I believe all of the Elders when they say it will happen ! It will it really will and believe me you will be glad you stuck it out ! I Love this one !!! 

PS What Thomas  said about dopamine is very important and I found out that music also produces dopamine in the brain I walked a lot in the beginning of my quit and listened to music that helped me a lot because I tend to get depressed easily and quitting made it worse for awhile  but as an Ex-Smoker  I still have bouts of depression and I had them as a smoker too unfortunately it is a part of my personality  !

[nonsgm]

Thank you everyone for all the great encouragement ! When I say I'm tired  I'm really tired  Have read everything for the last 5 months and still I don't seem to be able to get it in my head that Im a non smoker now and let it go So all day long I fight it I've been in some really bad situations where I feel like a zombie for hours and its always been when I remove Nicotine from my life that this happens Very scary when it just gets worse everyday

[maryfreecig]

Alright, if you have given up...and I am not sure that you have, you might consider saving every cigarette butt in a clear glass jar. Keep the jar in the open where you can see it. Give yourself some time to consider your future with cigarettes. Nicotine does not have to be your master. Lord knows, the tobacco companies will be glad to see you back, but me, I'm hoping you'll come round to that part of your mind that is wanting to quit...

[Giulia]

MOO (My opinion only) - you haven't give it up.  You haven't accepted your choice to be smoke free.  You still want it because you still know it's out there, yours to have.  You have to kill that in you.  OK, so you haven't been able to do that yet.  WHY do you want a cigarette?  It's no longer a physical addition for you, you're way past the chemical stage of that.  So what it is that you're not getting in life that you think, or believe, you'll have by putting a cigarette in your mouth?  WHAT?  Do you have an ache in your gut that you think will be relieved by a cigarette?  Do you think a cigarette will undo your depression?  How so?  What exactly will it give you that you are lacking right now?  Will it make you sigh with relief?  You say you've done the reading but have you practiced the suggestions made for relieving stress and the like?  Another thought - if the techniques offered by others who have been on the journey don't work, then it's up to us to figure out what will.  We have to be creative in this process and imaginative and think out of the box.  We need to experiment and  FIND our happy place with quitting.  Or at least our "OK" place.  Because if you can the OK place emotionally, the happy place will - fall into place eventually.

But seriously - what IS it that you feel you lack in your life by not putting a cigarette in your mouth?  

And one other thing - yeah, it gets real tiring fighting cravings all the time.  And you will lose the battle unless you discover a way to work around them.  But it also can take some us (more stubborn types) more than 5 months for that change in levels psychologically.  You obviously WANT this.  You've stuck with it this long.  I say hang in.  That's an awful lot of struggle  to give up when your "BINGO!" moment might be right around the corner.

[Puff-TM-Draggin]

I re-read my blog posts last night.  I was you for a long time.  You can be me too.  Keep at it.  DON'T give up!

Onward to FREEDOM!!!

Puff 630 DOF (days of freedom)

[nonsgm]

Thank you for the support you are really a great bunch of people but  for right now the fight in me is gone hopefully it will come back 

[Puff-TM-Draggin]

When you're ready ... we're here for you.

[crazymama_Lori]

Here's one of my blogs, we've all been there....... /blogs/crazymama_Lori-blog/2016/06/25/im-tired 

[Giulia]

for right now the fight in me is gone

Sorry to hear it.  I assume that means you've given up after 5 months?  Well, I'm guessing you'll be back.  Once you've had a taste of freedom (even if it wasn't that tasty yet), you'll never be a happy smoker again.  Because you now know too much about the truth of this addiction and what it does to us.  Peace to you.  The light is always on here.