FUNKS
Several people have asked me about funks lately. Here are a few thoughts:
Funks are emotional ups and downs that are a natural part of quitting. They can occur on Day 21
or on Day 521; i.e., they are not limited to the beginning of a quit.
Funks can simply be caused by exhaustion. The intensity of quitting and keeping focused wears
on us mentally, emotionally and physically.
Funks are a lot like grieving. As addicts we saw nicotine as a “friend” and since that friend is gone our
emotional reaction is to experience a “loss.”
Finally, we often used nicotine as a “fix” for our emotional struggles resulting in a type of dysfunction
that displays itself as avoidance. We never really dealt with stress, anxiety and depression properly;
we simply masked those things with nicotine. Without nicotine we are being forced to deal with that stuff head
on and solve it. ItÂ’s a new, better way of living.
Funks are depressions that need to be relieved through other, more positive, behaviors. We “work
through” a funk as we would any other mild depression. Exercise, proper diet and good sleep habits help.
Keeping active, hanging out in CHAT and doing things with family also help. Getting involved with some
new quitters also helps to develop a more positive focus.
Most importantly, remember that funks are a normal response to nicotine cessation and as such are the result
of your success as a quitter. Determine to keep your focus on your quit, keep posting roll, and keep involved
on KTC. Push through the funks; there is always a sunrise on the horizon.
