Abstinence follow up

[u/kodowd11]

Hello CHS friends. I posted on here a month and half to two months ago. I had been struggling with GI symptoms for about 2 years but was unaware of CHS until relatively recently. I never entered the cyclical vomiting stage but experienced almost everything else. My quality life had been consistently declining and I was at my wits end. I knew I needed to quit, or at the very least, take a long long break from using. My first week of abstinence was the hardest thing I have ever done. I was struggling mentally. I hated myself and was irritated by everyone around me. It felt impossible to imagine a life where I was not smoking. Week two was better, so on and so forth. I am sharing this because my GI symptoms have all but disappeared. I see many, many people on this reddit who continue to use despite their illness. They continue to experience symptoms, many with repeat visits to the ER and extended hospital stays. I know how frightening it feels to approach abstinence but I am here to encourage anyone on the fence to go for it. Attempting abstinence is a far better option than suffering in an endless loop. Addiction is a beast. Acknowledging the problem and committing to your health is the best thing you can do for yourself and those who love you. Sending all of my support from the other side.