Jess,
It's ALL about the attitude you have when quitting. If you "romanticize the smoke" and concentrate on what you've lost, then you can't appreciate what you've gained.
Yes, I too was very sad when I first quit. But I now realize that that's because when you quit, you're not getting as much dopamine as you did before and so you get depressed and it wasn't because I really "miss" smoking because there's not a whole lot to miss... I mean, unless you really LIKE smelling bad, wasting your money, being a social pariah, etc... But yes, it's totally normal to feel that way.
The way to get over that is to look at what you've gained. Here are a few really great duffisms for you to read. He puts it in perspective better than most can. You really have to concentrate on the reasons that you're quitting... i.e. your family and your health and not on the cancer sticks that were sucking that away from you.
Take time to enjoy life:
[url=http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/support/viewmessages.aspx?topic=24909&forum=1]Having Fun[/url]
[url=http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/support/viewmessages.aspx?topic=24848&forum=1]The Little Things[/url]
And if you're wondering when the cravings or this feeling that you're having will end, read this one:[url=http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/support/viewmessages.aspx?topic=22608&forum=15]When will they stop?[/url]
and this one:
[url=http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/support/viewmessages.aspx?topic=24509&forum=1]Another Duffis Sermon[/url]
The point is to enjoy what you have and what you've gained and NOT what you've lost by quitting. I know this takes time, but it all starts with your attitude towards quitting. YOU decide how you act. YOU decide what kind of person you're going to be. But if this seems to be more than you bargained for or it lasts longer than you think it should, talk to your doctor. You might need to be on anti-depressants for a while. And that will also help with quitting. Best wishes!
Crave the Quit!
Butterfly [IMG]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c177/kissnflirt/butterfly3.gif[/IMG]
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/28/2005
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 77
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,940
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $254.1
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 15 [B]Min