My Quit Smoking Journey Day 1

This September 21st, 2014, will be 2 years since I quit smoking. I have kept a hand written journal during this time and would like to share it with anyone who might be going through the same thing, or anyone who might just want to read about it. Here is my entry from day 1 which I started writing on day 3:

The first day after I put out my last cigarette, was a Friday. I remember Thursday night feeling very apprehensive, excited, and ready to get on with it. I had read the book already, I was ready to quit. Friday was euphoric, almost unreal.

I was high on life, all day. Just like the book said, I had sensations, or nicotine withdrawals all day, but I was staying positive & that made it easy to get through them. It wasnt even that hard to pass up the usual morning cigarette- Definitely not like I had expected. I just kept telling myself what I had read in the book, "If you don't quit smoking this time, you never will quit smoking." That rung in my head all day, everyday. I guess I truly wanted it.

Then, came night.

The first night was a little bit harder than the day. I had a hard time staying asleep. I kept jolting up and out of bed with nightmares that I was choking or couldn't breathe. My legs and arms were restless & would not stop twitching. The nicotine was leaving my body, but it was not going out without a fight.

The weirdest thing I remember is the way I would get all excited right after a craving would start. Almost like my body was thinking I would cave, but then a feeling of blankness would wash over me.

The hardest times during the first day were in the car, during work breaks and right before bed.