Nicotine Withdrawal

Hi all,

Does anyone have advice for living with someone who is giving up nicotine after being pretty much lifelong user? He goes in cycles; hasn't smoked cigarettes in many years but on and off vape, dip etc. He has quit before using gum/patches but it never works well so has decided to cold turkey.

Academically I know the first 3-5days are worst and for most people 14days the receptors are mostly dormant. But honestly (selfishly) the last 2 days his irritability is kinda hard to manage. He's understandably easily annoyed rn and is....I don't know the proper term for this behavior but he's.....fizzy? Sort of restless and high energy is a negative way. He's uncomfortable and clearly having a rough time. It seems quite severe but also pretty typical for people quitting smoking

I know most quit more successfully with something to support the behavioural/habit/mood. I'd like to help as quitting is something he wants, and honestly I'd like to have a peaceful home again! I'm being patient and trying to be patient, while I know the theory of how nicotine works I've never been addicted to anything so I have no experienced it.

Any advice gratefully received

Ps not sure how relevant but he medicated with SSRI and low dose SGA (I think this is the right term). He's still on his meds and hasn't missed any pills. He also has adult ADHD which he manages with coping mechanisms but is not medicated for

3 comments posted: Friday, May 13th, 2022

Pinterest Fails

I thought it might be funny for us to share our pinterest/craft/culinary fails.

Why did come up with the idea of sharing pinterest fails? Well, today is WH's birthday. His absolute pride, joy and love is out little miniature dachshund, M. So, I think to myself "Wouldn't it be nice for little M to make a special gift for her "hooooman" dad?"

So I set to work, buy a cheap dollar tree mini canvas. Get non-toxic, non-staining, finger paint. A stylish canvas with a few little paw prints and the words "Happy 32nd Birthday" painted around them (which I would add in, because M just turned 1 year old and doesn't know how to spell 'birthday').

Well....whoever is created all this lovely pawprint art on pinterest obviously has never met a dachshund. There was paint on me, the bathroom cabinet, the dogs whiskers and paws, my arms, my t shirt, my face, the bath tub.....there was a huge mess on the canvas that doesn't look like paw prints. If I can get it working I'll upload the idea that inspired it vs the blurry mess that M created. It's the thought counts, right?

1 comment posted: Wednesday, October 3rd, 2018

April Fools' Day

I rarely participate in pranks (1st April also happens to be my birthday so I'm usually preoccupied), which is why H is never going to see it coming....

Anybody care to share some prank ideas and anecdotes?

My rules;

- No physical harm

- No emotional abuse

- Preferably inexpensive

My mum used to do food based pranks. Taking the foil wrappers off mini chocolate eggs and putting them on grapes. Taking brussel sprouts, dipping them in chocolate and then putting them inside ferrero rocher wrappers (this one is particularly bad as you can't tell until you bit into it!)

When I lived in halls I know someone who went into a friends room, opened up the shower had and put in broken pieces of hard candy. It dissolves in hot water and gives them a sticky shower (I don't recommend this one as it has potential to really gum up the shower head - however, I believe it also works with bisto stock cubed )

27 comments posted: Monday, March 26th, 2018

Weirdest Dream

I have always had very vivid, often very strange dreams. I always assumed it was normal to dream every night and am always surprised by people not remembering them. Im not a big believer in overanalysing dreams, unless you have a specifuc worry or concern that the dream is addressing. And frankly my dreams are so weird that it's probably best not to! But I do enjoy sharing the odd things that go through people's sleeping brains.

Last week I was back in secondary school and the school was taking a trip to go skiing. On the bus the teacher told us it had to be indoor skiing as none of us were old enough for a "skiing licence" yet. When we got there it was an indoor hill covered in maroon carpet. The "skiing" involved sitting on cushions and trying to slide down the hill. As all the students complained tgat the carpet was too cheap to ski properly...and believe it or not this dream is a hudred times more normal than what I was dreaming last night!

So come on fellow SI folk. Tell me your weirdest/funniest dreams and let me know I'm not alone in my peculiar night time imaginings.

5 comments posted: Saturday, March 18th, 2017