i quit smoking how long does it take for cravings to go away?

Question

It's been 4 days now I have not smoked one cig.. but, the cravings are still there how long will it take for it to go away and for me not to be tempted to smoke again?

Answer 1

Smokers are often furious with me because they believe I caused them to go back to smoking. Why do they think this? Well, I have this nasty habit of making a really big deal any time a clinic participant takes one puff or maybe just a few cigarettes. The smoker feels I am so persuasive in my arguments that he has no choice but to have a full-fledged relapse. In his opinion, I forced him back to the lifetime dependency which will impair his health and may eventually cost him his life. He is convinced that if I had not made such a major issue out of the incident, he would just have smoked that one time and would never have done it again. How can I sleep each night knowing what I have done?

I sleep quite well, thank you. For, you see, I am not responsible for these people's relapses to cigarettes. They can take full credit for becoming smokers again. They relapsed because they broke the one major law of nicotine addiction - they took a puff. This is not my law. I am not setting myself up to be judge, jury, and executioner. The law of physiological addiction states that administration of a drug to an addict will cause reestablishment of the dependence on that substance. I didn't write that law. I don't execute that law. My job is much simpler than that. All I do is interpret the law. This means, by taking a puff, the smoker either goes back to full-fledged smoking or goes through the withdrawal process associated with quitting. Most don't opt for the withdrawal.

Every clinic has a number of participants who have quit in the past for one year or longer. In fact, I had one clinic participant who had stopped for a period of 24 years before he relapsed. He never heard that such a law existed, that even after 24 years, the ex-smoker is not totally freed from his imprisonment of addiction. He didn't understand that the day he tossed his "last" cigarette, he was placed "on probation" for the rest of his life. But ignorance of the law is not excusable - not the way the laws of a physiological nature are written. By the American standards of justice, this seems to be cruel and unusual punishment. But this is the way things are.

Maybe instead of going to a smoking clinic, a recently relapsed person should contact his attorney to plead his case of why he should be able to have an occasional cigarette when he desires. Maybe he can cheat just once, get a sympathetic jury, be judged innocent, and walk out of the courtroom a free and independent person. Surely, in pleading his case before twelve impartial people, he will probably have no problem convincing them that he is innocent of any wrongdoing. And, as he happily walks out of court a free and independent person, he will probably have an uncontrollable urge and then light a cigarette.

Don't look for loopholes in the law of addiction. You will be convicting yourself back to smoking. While it may seem harsh and unfair, to many, smoking is a crime punishable by death. Don't try to cheat the system - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!

Answer 2

Natural Quit Smoking Magic

Answer 3

Congratulations!
I quit cold turkey on Dec 7, 1999 and still crave it and am tempted regularly, although it has gotten better as the years go by. I do love the smell (weird, I know) and love to stand downwind from someone smoking. That helps my craving usually. The key is that you have to decide that you're not going to start again. What I tell myself is that it was too hard to quit and I don't want to have to quit again. That and it's a lot more expensive now than when I used to smoke and I don't know what I'd have to sacrifice in my budget in order to smoke. Probably shoes and purses. NO WAY! lol
Keep on keepin on.

Answer 4

I don't know personally but I have friends and family that have quit and it just depends on the person. My mom quit and it didn't take long for hers to go away and shes been smoke free almost 30 years! She can't stand the smell... then I have friends that have quit for 5+ years and never have been able to get over the cravings.. they just have to really set their mind to now smoking!

Answer 5

Are you using the patch or nicorette gum to help subside the cravings?
My mother quit nearly 10 years ago, and she said that she sometimes has a craving for one. Right now your body is in withdraw, that is why it seems so strong. Using the patch or the gum will help in the next few weeks, until your body is totally rid of the chemical and does not need it anymore. You may think about if from time to time for the rest of your life, but you are doing the right thing! Keep up the good work, and good luck!!

Answer 6

Congrats on stopping smoking. :)

To answer your question: For some people, it can take years. For my mom, it was five years. She quit cold turkey and hasn't smoked in 45 years.

Try to do things that stop your cravings, like chewing gum or eating non-fattening treats.

Good luck and hang in there.

Answer 7

you officially haven't quit smoking until you haven't smoked for 5 years. It takes a long time to quit - my husband quit two years ago and every now and then he gets a craving. You are doing a great job - don't give in - chew gum instead.

Answer 8

Congratulations!!!! Your cravings will diminish as time goes by, but, unfortunately, you might have them for months. I quit cold turkey 2 years ago and still occasionally crave. Good luck to you, you can do it.....

Answer 9

Well, its been 7 years for me, and I still crave one now and then.

Answer 10

They should be lessening by now. Hangin there. It'll get easier. Good Luck!