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Give and get support around quitting

Ready2021
Member

When does the cravings go away

Yesterday was so bad I thought about smoking more than ever Im ok today but my goodness how do you go from like I got this too omg i want to smoke thank god for this site when does the cravings go away since I quit cold turkey June 5 I chose gum from the quit.com for emergencies but chose not to chew anyhow long does cravings last help

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29 Replies
elvan
Member

Ready2021   PLEASE remember that this is a journey and there will be good days and bad days...the nicotine has worked its way out of your system after about 3 days if you drink lots of water, if you are using NRT, it takes a bit longer. You need to make new memories and associations, it takes time, this journey has ups and downs and curves and bumps and it is not easy.  I remember wondering if I would ever think about anything OTHER than smoking.  It seemed that my mind had been hijacked by my addiction and it pretty much had.  I can't tell you exactly when the craves let up but I can tell you that I had a particularly challenging day at work, early in my quit, and when it was over, I was surprised to come to the realization that smoking never even entered my mind.  I think THEN, I knew I could do this.  I took it one day at a time and one EVENT at a time, one EMOTION at a time, everything was tied up in my addiction, everything I did, everything I THOUGHT, and then, it wasn't.  I am honestly not sure when it happened but the important thing is that it DID happen!  It can happen for you as well.  Hang in there, take it slowly and say NOPE, a LOT!

Ellen

Rebeccasts
Member

The craving go away in about 2 months, but don't get lonely,cause even without a craving, if you get lonely you will possibly smoke again, the loneliness is the hardest part, that time you have for just you, I quite for 3 months and I got too much alone time and lite up, stay connected to family and friends . 

maryfreecig
Member

One thing you can do to deal with the cravings is to counterbalance them with good distractions. Movies? Video? Comedy? Exercise? Walking? Cooking? Clean out a closet or draw. Count up the money you have not spent on cigarettes. Reading? Start a blog on Google blogs... it's free. 

Write up a list of your own ideas as to what you can do to distract your brain away from thinking about what it is missing and keep the list handy for when you feel out of sorts. 

Not smoking is natural, and your brain will come to terms with the loss of nicotine, but in the mean time find distractions you can go along with...stuff you like to do...or you like well enough!

This rough patch will end, and you will be the stronger for it. 

High five for asking for help!

Strudel
Member

I reminded myself that I smoked for a very long time - so moving past smoking would take time. It will get better - I promise! Keep moving. You are doing this - congrats! 

Giulia
Member

I just answered this same question on this blog:   https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/people/Redsoxnut/blog/2017/06/18/when-do-they-end   You two are obviously in the same quit time frame.  We were ALL at that stage in our quit journeys.  In the beginning it's kind of cool and we have all this support and we're EXCITED about our quits and then....  we think we should be OVER IT! by now.   It's like "OK, I've stuck with this and I've done what I'm supposed to and they say the nicotine is out of our bodies after only three days and..... I'M STILL NOT A HAPPY CAMPER!"   So then you need to really sit down with yourself and ask yourself if this is a journey you're committed to - or not.  If the amount of study and work and commitment and yes PAIN you've already put into the process is worth continuing.  You're not attempting to be a concert pianist here, but you ARE trying to be a Master Quitter.  And to become a MASTER at anything takes all you've got, for all the time you've got.  You know?  

Some Master Quitters have to fail numerous times before they get there.  Other's don't have to fail as much because they paid attention to those who had beaten the path before them and they paid attention and listened.  

We go from "Hey, I'm cool, I don't need a cigarette, I can CONQUER THIS!' to "I WANT A CIGARETTE SO BAD I'M GONNA EAT MY FINGERS OFF!"  That's the back and forth nature of this journey.  What you have to understand and TRUST US ON THIS!  - is that the journey changes each day.  And, yes, you're gonna gonna have 'wham bam thank you ma'am' moments.  But they pass.  And you will have less of them the more smoke-free time you acquire under your belt.  But you have to hang in until you get there.  

This is a little play I wrote that was kind of my back and forth dialogue.  Maybe it will help you:  /blogs/Giulia-blog/2016/09/06/a-quit-dialogue-in-iv-acts   Point it - just hang in.  You've got nothing to lose if you do.  Except your quit - if you don't.

TW517
Member

I have the same question.  My quit date was May 15, and I still have some awful cravings.  I appreciate the responses so far.  They are encouraging.  But they don't answer the question.  I'm curious of those of you who quit cold turkey, when did you notice the cravings gone (or at least become a rarity)?

Ready2021
Member

Yes I quit cold turkey but it seemed for me it got bad at week 2 its been 15 days now and i still have them I just ride the wave breath but boy oh boy I need a surf board LOL

TW517
Member

I was having my best week ever last week.  Fooled myself into thinking I had it beat already after only 4 weeks.  My cravings were quite a bit fewer, and seemed less over-powering.  Then Friday, Saturday and most of Sunday were the worst 3 days since my first 3 days of quitting.  I honestly don't know how I got thru it.  Glad I found this site.  It really helps.

elvan
Member

Good days and bad days happen and it has nothing to do with smoking.  I am so glad that you found this site and that you made it through those tough three days...think about what worked for you because there are going to be some tough days and whatever works...OTHER than smoking, is something to keep in mind.

Ellen