Do Craves Last Forever?

[Thomas3.20.2010]

I know my EXperience but I want to hear from you!

Please add Days of Freedom to give perspective to your answer.

Thank You!

[kristen-9-7-15]

No, they do not last forever although in the beginning of my quit I didn’t believe that.  I thought they would never go away. I have no cravings whatsoever now.  I’m not sure how to word it but my feelings now are just a thought of smoking that passes quickly. A memory perhaps? Those thoughts/memories rarely happen. Once in a blue moon.

996 DOF

[desiree465]

I am on day 147. I still have cravings but they are different than in the beginning. In the beginning when I had one I thought "omg I'm not gonna make it". Now when they come it's more of an "I remember when this or that made me want to smoke". Maybe they aren't even cravings anymore. Either way it has gotten easier. 

[Bree19]

Hey there Thomas3.20.2010‌

Problem is I've never had one.   Derek really battled with craves years ago.  They sound awful when others here talk of theirs!!

At the start of my quit, I'd think of smoking and straight away say NOPE and move on and sign on here.

I still enjoy catching the smell from a FRESHLY lit one but that hardly happens now.

Taking a break from chores, the thought might come "I would have smoked now"....like my reward?

But even that happens only in a blue moon.

My "go to" since the start has been and still is busy hands, busy mind, stay connected here DAILY = minimal smoky thoughts.

Bree 457DOF

[Mandolinrain]

1366 Days Freedom for me.

My craves did not last forever, less than a minute but sometimes they were back to back and that was like the first month of my quit. Now I never have any. Maybe a rare thought ( and I do mean rare) of smoking, but not an actual crave. I  wanted this freedom so badly. I NEVER thought it was going to happen, I do recall that, because I failed so often...BUT...once I really got busy loading my brain with information and applying it...I took the heavy burden off of myself  and my quit became manageable

[AnnetteMM]

I have 156 DOF.  I no longer have craves, but I do have memories that can creep in silently.  The memory of lighting and smoking can occur out of nowhere, and I deal with them by letting them play out and then go about my business.  I quit cold turkey by not letting myself buy any more.  I still don't let myself buy any.

[karenjones]

yes, that is the key, not buying cigarettes, someone wrote on this site that you may want to have one cigarette, but they come in packs of 20.  I sometimes notice cigarette butts on the ground and think of smoking. But nope nope nope. They are dangerously addicitive and I know how unhappy that addiction makes me. The cravings do go away, but not if you feed them, ever.  I know one puff would make me addicted again. just writing this is making me burst out in a sweat.  Well, I am addicted already, and that is why I can never smoke again. That horrid feeling of addiction, of having to go to the store and buy cigarettes all the time.  Horrid

[MichelleDiane]

karenjones, I actually felt the dread in your words.  It made me sick to my stomach to think about returning to that place.

[MichelleDiane]

Day 44 and yes it does get easier, but there are still times when it is challenging.  I find the more engaged I am with activities (work, gardening, watching a movie, etc) the less I think about smoking or get an urge.  I'm finding that I don't even crave one after a meal and my morning coffee doesn't really trigger me anymore.  Just my experience

[TW517]

I had pretty regular craves for the first 80 days.  Then intermittently through the 5th month.  Some of those were the worst, often lasting an hour or more.  Then one pretty powerful one in each of months 6, 7 and 8.  And I'm talking strong, physical sensation in my chest craves.  Not the mental kind of crave like, "Oh, a cigarette would be nice now" crave.  I have not had a physical crave in months 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13.  I have had a couple passing thoughts of having a cigarette that are easily pushed aside by just doing something else.

Tom 380 DOF