Quit smoking

[test_104]

How long does it take for you not to have the urge to smoke 

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

Just as all people are different, so is every quit, so it's tough to nail an individual timeline.  Some find it only takes a month or so; others find it takes much longer.   There are advantages to understanding this addiction, and things you can do to lessen the impact of your quit.  All of these will help you to shorten the amount of time you will continue to crave a cigarette.

The important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.”    You can search for it online or at your local library.  Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.

The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! .  Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.
 
You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. You might visit “Games”: https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/games. The active ones are at the top of the list going down the left side of the homepage.   Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:
 https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...

The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!

 Nancy

[sweetplt]

Hi and Welcome to Ex’s test_104 

Glad you found us...the answer to your question, everyone is different...for me, somewhere in my 70 days quit I knew i no longer had an urge to smoke.  However, even at 801 days quit I continue to stay vigilant, but for the most part, I don’t think about smoking.  Do the readings suggested by Nancy above YoungAtHeart ... Do the work and keep close to the support site for help...You can do this...Colleen 

[CrazyQuitter]

I think it varies. When I tried to quit I tried everything I could to deal with my urges and forget them. Within probably about 6 months to a year they eventually just go away. Some people have cravings after a year of being quit. I have been smoke free for 8 years and I don't get one single urge to go back to it now.

[Barbscloud]

Welcome to the Ex. Other's other have stated it's going to vary.  I think it's important to realize it could last a while and be prepared with the tools you need to be successful.  The psychological withdrawal normally lasts long the the physical.  If you educate yourself about nicotine and have a quit plan, you're be prepared to face it head on.  And, we're here to support you also.

Barb

[indingrl]

Thanks for asking - please I am ONLY talking about ME - not YOU or anybody else - it TOOK -  90 days - MY URGE of autopilot to be deadened in ME - because I stayed here and at whyquit.com - read and watching early death videos at whyquit.com and Bryon's video brought ME out of MY DENIAL and I was gathering MY PERSONAL QUIT TOOLS by educating MYSELF -  about MY OLD mindset and I learned from others sharing and I asked questions and I vented blogs - getting ALL crap out and I learned NEW coping skills to handled MY day and NOT let MY emotions run ME by having MY QUIT TOOL baggies READY and filled with QUIT SNACKS that HELPED ME -  for when craves HIT OR emotions ran wild with OLD addict FEELING thinking - I grabbed a lemon and bit into it peel and all - it BUSTED tha crave and then I came and blog - BEFORE I took that first puff over ME

[JACKIE1-25-15]

As Nancy said each individual is different depending upon how much you smoked, how you are going about quitting, and the skills you develop to get you through the cravings.  It depends on the mindset as well as the physical withdrawal. Cigarette cravings typically peak in the first few weeks after quitting and diminish greatly over the course of the 30-60 days without smoking. Typically you can not get around the withdrawal just like any other drug you have to go through it. It took me roughly 60 days for it to get easy. They never totally go away but are very rare and minimal.  While you might miss smoking once you make it past six months, the urge to smoke will be diminished or slightly sporadic to be gone.  It takes time. It is a journey that continues. 

[elvan]

I can’t remember how long it took but l CAN remember how amazing l felt when l realized l had not even thought about smoking at a time when l ALWAYS would have smoked. Eventually, they become memories & not urges!

It gets EASIER!

Ellen