How Long???

[Vincent713]

Hi. My name is Vincent. I am a 14 year old smoker. I have stopped for 6 days now. i started smoking when  i was 7. all i can say is wow. all the cravings are being a bear. my body achenes and hurts but ill try to pill through. but how long will all these cravings and other symptoms last???

[Jennifer-Quit]

I think the worst is over in 2 weeks.  For me the psychological addiction is tougher - the mind games - almost feels like someone (the nicodemon) is actually talking to you.  But you are smarter than that - I know of no one who was smart enough to quit at age 14.  Give yourself that honor - give yourself that chance - you deserve so much more than a life full of smoke.

[elvan]

Jennifer-Quit  is right, it is the psychological addiction that is the hardest.  Congratulations on quitting, you are doing a seriously good thing for yourself.  You will allow yourself to grow the way you are supposed to.  Smoking does not fix anything, not ONE thing, it makes everything harder.  Recovering is ONE DAY AT A TIME and this is a journey, it does not have a precise ending but I PROMISE you that it will get easier.  I'll bet there is not one person here who does not wish with all of their heart that they quit when THEY were 14!

Welcome to EX,

Ellen

[dwwms]

Wow - At first, I thought you meant you'd smoked for 14 years. You really are SMART enough to stop now. I first started when I was 13, though then it was only 3-4 times a week. I normally don't expect teenagers to listen (I know I didn't!), but as hard as it is now to quit, it will only be worse the longer you smoke. I'm 58 years old, have tried to quit numerous times and the longer you smoke, the harder it is. Hang on - I noticed you replied to another post. You're almost through the first week, the second week will get a bit better, the third will still be tough but you begin to see that you CAN make it through this! Anytime you feel like you're gonna cave - come here and ask for help!!

Doug

[JonesCarpeDiem]

Allow 130 days to get over the first major hurdle.

Relapse rates drop radically at 2 years. Two sets of seasons of unlearning the connections to smoking. Two sets of seasons to let it go.

[shashort]

Wow Good for you on quitting now while you are so young. I took my first puff when I was 14 years old and smokded a day here and there but didn't really get hooked until I was in my 20's. A very smart teenager you are to realize the damage of smoking. Good for you about through the 1st week hell week. Don't look backwards to your smoking days and know tis is the best gift and decision you can do for yourself.

[kristen-9-7-15]

Oh Vincent. This breaks my heart to hear how young you are. And to think that I and every other smoker/ex-smoker may have contributed to you starting. Please stick with your decision to quit. I regret ever starting to smoke. I am so proud of you.

[Puff-TM-Draggin]

How's it going, Vincent?  Still pilling through?  I'm impressed you were motivated enough to seek assistance rather than cave.  That's a good sign you can successfully beat this trap.  You don't just curl up and give in.  When I was 14 I told my mom I thought I was addicted to smoking.  She told me I wasn't, that I was too young to be addicted to smoking, so just knock it off.  I don't blame her.  She didn't know as much as I, i.e. how often I smoked, how long I had been smoking, the sinister mechanism of addiction.  Fortunately for you, here at EX, we do know and we do understand.

Kick it while you're young, buddy.  You will waste so much time, money, self respect, self esteem and, yes, LIFE, in all manners of speaking.

Stay close and keep me posted on your success!

[Puff-TM-Draggin]

Oh!  And to answer your question, the cravings stick around in a horrible way for a couple of weeks.  Then they become whinny brats that just need discipline for several months.  After a year or so, just the dangerous occasional thought that maybe you could have just one for old-time's sake and it will be alright.  Stay the course and steer clear of your mind's own lies and you'll do just fine.

[CommunityAdmin]

Glad to see so much support for Vincent713‌ and Beni678‌.  Would be great to see a trend of https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/youth-quitters?sr=search&searchId=1ebeb2e9-eafc-4b65-9b36-...‌ coming here to quit.

The wisdom in here abounds!

Mark
EX Community Manager