1. Home
  2. General Questions
  3. How can I avoid feeling empty, a void or that something is missing after quitting smoking?

How can I avoid feeling empty, a void or that something is missing after quitting smoking?


There are 2 reasons you may experience or may have experienced this empty/lost feeling after quitting smoking.

It’s important to understand where it’s coming from so you can avoid it.

Reason 1: It’s the Adjustment​ Period

You just stopped smoking, which is something you’ve been doing for a long time, so you’ve entered a new phase of your life, and this is the adjustment period.
When you move houses or go on vacation, you experience a weird feeling at the beginning. It’s the adjustment. ​
It’s neither bad nor good. It’s just different and unknown. ​
So the faster you adjust to your smoke-free life, the faster this feeling will go (about a week for most people). Doing your replacement activity consistently will help speed things up. ​

For more, watch video 1 and video 2 from day 11 of the CBQ Program:

https://cbqmembers.com/modules/day11/


Reason 2: Emotional craving

Smoking is an emotional behavior, and we have linked it to our needs and emotions. When we crave cigarettes, in reality, we crave to meet a need we used to meet or mask by smoking. 

When you have that feeling of wanting or feeling empty, ask yourself, “What do I really need right now?”  (certainty, comfort, excitement, connection, attention, self-love…) 
Once you find what’s the need you’re after and meet it in a healthy way, the craving will go. 

For more, watch video 2 from day 8 of the CBQ Program:

https://cbqmembers.com/lessons/2-what-if-you-miss-smoking/

Updated on October 5, 2022
Was this article helpful?

Related Articles

Need Support?
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Don’t worry we’re here to help!
Contact Support