Quitting nicotine after eleven attempts
Priya 24yo, Emergency room nurse
Eighteen months
“The twelfth attempt was not more willpower. It was a different plan.”
Read this first
Quitting nicotine after eleven attempts
140 wordsLife before I started
I vaped from nineteen and told myself it was temporary for six years.
What I was experiencing
Constant low-grade anxiety that I was certain the nicotine was fixing, and which it was mostly causing.
What I'd tried before
Cold turkey, tapering, patches, and a bet with a friend.
What I explored
Nicotine replacement done properly with a pharmacist, a habit-tracking journal, running, and a quit-support community online.
What happened
The community was the surprise. Reading other people's day-four posts at 2am got me through my own day four.
What surprised me most
That my anxiety dropped substantially about three weeks after quitting, not before.
What didn't help
Cold turkey with no substitution. Four times.
What I'm still working through
Stressful nights still bring the urge. It passes in minutes now instead of hours.
What I learned about myself
That I was treating a withdrawal symptom as my personality.
Where I am now
Fourteen months nicotine-free. Running a half marathon in spring.
What I'd tell someone starting out
Stack your supports. One method alone kept failing me; four together did not.
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