I quit smoking 31 days ago and the cravings havent deminished any, what can i do?
November 1st, 2010
anyone have suggestions on things to do to fight to craving? people that have quit and understand what im going thru. what are some things you did? how long did it take for the cravings to go away, if ever. whateva are some postivie things you’ve experience from quitting?
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i just celebrated my 7th anniv of no smoking,i was a 2 pack plus smoker for over 20 years…30 actually…i still get cravings….sometimes none for days and sometimes 20 in a day….i would love a smoke right now with my black coffee…..just have to tough it out everyday forever….
Depending on how long you were smoking for, the cravings may persist for up to a year, gradually diminishing. It will take a lot of will-power and maybe even some nicotine patches or gum to get you through it but it is important to your health and that of those around you.
It took a month or two at least to stop the worst of my cravings but you have done the worst of it already! Well done. I tried sugar free lollies and keeping active. I also took up learning the guitar! I have been smoke free for 3 years now. Positive things from quitting: MONEY (more of it) Health (I can workout/bike for much longer) my house smells clean and so do my clothes oh and I dont have to stand in the freezing rain to have smoke. Most of all I appreciate the sense of achievment it has given me.
Keep at it, it does get easier. I very very occasionaly get a wee craving but it soon leaves and my life is so much better since I stopped I wouldn’t want to start it up again.
No offense meant, but get another hobby. If you do things that normally allow you to smoke or revolve around smoking, do them less often. I think it was Freud who said if you do something 21 times it’s a habit. For instance if you you play video games and you light one up play less, or start chewing carrots. If you go to the bar with friends often, don’t drink as much, as you’ll be more likely to think “hey one won’t hurt”. Another good idea is to start running or biking which will lessen the urge for nicotine and you will feel your lungs open up so you’ll be killing two birds with one stone repairing your lung capacity and getting/staying in shape.
I quit smoking just over a year ago after having been a smoker for about 10 years. I don’t think the cravings ever totally go away. There are still occasions when I want a cigarette. But I don’t do it, simple as that, because I’m sure it would get me started smoking every day again. I have used Tic-Tacs, beef jerky, sunflower seeds and Jolly Ranchers to appease the desire to smoke after a meal.
Also, look at the price of tobacco and the face of people who have smoked regularly for a long time.
I’ll take my money, good looks and improved health over a temporary nicotine fix.
I quit 1 Yr and 8 months ago. I used the patch- it took away the physical cravings, then I just had to deal with my mind – which is a scary neighborhood to be in the first place.
I was constantly tempted the first month or so but I kept resisting. The cravings came further and further away.It was one of the hardest things I have ever done but I really wanted it. It took about 10 times of really trying before I finally succeeded. One thing I learned – I had to give up alcohol at least for a year- I could not quit as long as I was drinking – it was impossible. Also try to stay away from people you are prone to argue with- stress will get you as well.
After a year I would only get a craving once every blue moon. You start to notice how bad people reek after they just come in from a smoke- and that helps.
I am soooo glad I quit. I dont worry about having to go outside all the time to smoke, I dont stink, I can date girls that dont smoke, I am healthier. I started working out and feel much better. My chances of dying from lung cancer and emphysema are greatly reduced. There is nothing negative about quitting.
Nicotine addiction is a big one—worse than heroin. Yet this need not discourage you, because others have succeeded (including me).
Your doctor can prescribe a nicotine patch to help wean you gradually off the drug. Addiction-wise, One of the affects of nicotine is that the addicts body actually builds additional pleasure receptors for the nicotine. These receptors start screaming for satisfaction, which you satisfy by lighting up. When you stop lighting up, they scream real loud.
The good news is that if you don’t feed these receptors, eventually your body dismantles them and takes them away. The cravings lessen over time.
Expect a fight. Get all the reasons you can for quitting your addiction, write them out, and keep them somewhere where you can remind yourself when the temptation seems great.
Cigarette smoking is hard to forget about since you associated so many things in your life with it. You smoked after a meal, with your coffee, while talking on the phone, etc., etc., etc. Obviously you still do those things, and you do them every day.
You can substitute that former activity with something else, like a sucker, carrot stick, or even chewing on a straw.
The more time you live past your last cigarette, the better. Not only do the cravings eventually subside, but you don’t want to lose the benefit of what you went through by going back to smoking.
Although your cravings will eventually subside, they may never go away entirely. You’ll even hate other people’s second hand smoke. Addiction is addiction. You’ll always remember the pleasure you got from the drug, but time heals in many ways.
Have courage, and stay with it. Never quit quitting!
SirJohn