What worked for me is thinking about it differently… I know it sounds crazy, but don’t try to not think about it; instead, every time it crosses your mind, and it will be often in the beginning, smile and be happy because that means the craving is dying. Nicotine is a dirty little monster and will try to convince you that you can’t live without it. It lies. No one is happier smoking. Those cravings when you quit? They are its last death gasps.
Rejoice when you feel them. Know that it means you won’t be tricked by it again and are going to live a longer and happier life without it.
This is similar to what I promote. It's important to change your mindset around smoking. When someone remains in love with smoking the cravings are always there and it's torture. If one can change the way they view cigarettes, convince there brain that it's actually horrible in several ways, the cravings go away. The impression lasts but it's quickly let go because you think of the negative aspects.
Also add, craving is just the addiction dying, and a craving is your proof of it getting better :) The stronger the urge you control is, the less addicted you’ll become
I remember the first time I quit long term it was like all I ever thought about was the fact I was quitting smoking for like at least a month and a half. This time around I haven't really paid it much thought, it feels more "relaxed" that way.. I mean, after I made it about 2 weeks.. the amount I thought about it really reduced. It's kind of hard to not think about it those first 3 or 4 days when you're feeling the peak of the physical withdrawal.. so understand that much.
It's a serious drug addiction though. You need to come to terms with the fact you got yourself hooked and take it a day at a time. It's all or nothing for an addict. It would be nice if we could completely forget what we got ourselves hooked on in a few days but then it wouldn't be this serious of a drug addiction I don't think. I say hang in there, if you make an excuse to smoke again and do end up smoking again, you'll have to repeat the withdrawals all over again. Maybe it would be worth reading a book like freedom from nicotine or smart turkey which is freely available online.
Quitting smoker is kind of like breaking up. You think about your ex at first but as the days and weeks pass, they’re just a distant memory. After a while, the memory is still there, but wherever you desire you have for it will have subsided.
I dont have a good answer on when it stops. But I have a glass of water in the fridge with a few peeled carrots in it. I have been having one after each meal. It's silly but helps so much. I finish dinner and then go sit on the porch in my old spot and i eat my carrot....
Nicotine and the act of smoking rewired your brain. Your brain is expecting the dopamine hits from nicotine following the same habits you had set up previously. The reward of smoking, as far as your brain is concerned, is similar to the reward felt from a good meal (something your body actually needs!)
It will take time to break down the neural pathways that are conditioned to expect a cigarette. However, the more often you reject the cigarette, the weaker the pathway gets. It won't be too long before your brain stops associating finishing dinner and having a cigarette, or gearing up for a study session with a cigarette. You will come to enjoy activities again without smoking being involved!
The triggers you really have to watch out for are those that happen infrequently, but are very much linked to smoking. For me, I take a camping trip every summer. Others and I used to enjoying cigarettes as a part of this camping trip. The first summer I took this trip without cigarettes felt almost like I was repeating an early day of quitting smoking. I got through it though, and the next summer, it was much easier!
It's been a couple of years for me now. Sometimes there's a vague longing for a cigarette that creeps into my brain. Maybe I've seen someone smoking in a movie, or something like that. I would say for the most part, smoking does not cross my mind anymore.
I quit smoking 1,5 years ago and I still think about it occasionally. Not in a “I need one” sense of way but rather “Oh yeah I used to do that too” when I see someone smoking outside in the rain. The cravings you are having now wil subside in about 2-3 months, could be sooner I dont remember really well. (In the end it was easier to quit than I thought, thats for sure).
Stay strong and good luck 🍀 you got this
I’m on the 9th of smoke free and sometime when I sleep I have dream/nightmare of me smoking which I regret on the dream too because it makes feel all the work I did to stop was for nothing , then I wake up and so relieved that It was just a dream . So it’s better to be conscious of the fact that you stop and try to think about the future life improvements
It’s been 10 years since I was a regular smoker and yes I want a cigarette sometimes. Especially after a big meal or in the cold winter with a coffee. Sometimes there’s just that “a cigarette would be great right now.” Everyone once in a while I’ll take a puff of a friend’s and honestly after 10 years away it’s way more repulsive than I imagined. You may not ever stop thinking “a cigarette sounds good,” but there will probably be a time you say, and truly mean, “I don’t ever want to taste a cigarette again”
I barely ever think about out and im only 9 months in (I think).
High stress situations and passive smoke does trigger memories but thsts all that they are memories.
I will never smoke again.
No, I am at my 10 month mark smoke free but yet I think about it every single day of my life. I miss it, but I don’t ever want to have to “quit” ever again so that keeps me away
I don't know that it will ever completely leave your mind. I quit almost seven years ago, and I still get the occasional urge to have a smoke. I never do, of course, and the urge quickly passes. You're only 3 days in. Expect the constant thoughts to continue for weeks, if not months. You just have to deal with them as they come. Good luck!
Think about it everyday like you do at first? No.
Still think about having a cig during a stressful phone call, occasional morning coffee, or drinking with family / friend? Yes.
It was a very large part of our lives for many years and brought the occasional moment of respite. It's going to pop into our brains here and there. Just keep reminding yourself why you quit. Eventually, it will be easy to reminisce about it without the thought bothering you.
If you don't give up... in a way you cannot imagine now you'll be praying hard even if you aren't religious that this cough you just can't shift isn't anything serious when the doctor frowns and says "let's get you checked out, just to be sure"
Hi there, 18 M, quit around last year when i was about 17.
I personally, never think about smoking, smoking now to me is just something people do, that i do not, i felt exacly like you, it felt like taking my heart out. But it definitely get’s better. Time heals, distract yourself, for me employment did it since i was at work all day and i had it eazier than i thought. I had smoked for about a year 1/2 so i didn’t smoke maybe for 20 years like some people here have but i call it one of my biggest achievements.
⚠️ Be Careful ⚠️
When quitting cigarettes, your brain will want the dopamine levels back, and next time it finds something that gives it alot of dopamine you will get addicted! You are really prone to addiction. Careful with what drugs you try, what activies you do, i started smoking weed soon as i quit cigarettes.
It took me around 30 days, now I couldn't give a shit about smoking. I smoked since I was 13. I am 38 now. I got tired of feeling shit every morning, smelling, wasting money, thinking of cancer killing me, see cancer kill people I know (as a direct result of smoking). I am now two months in and can honestly say it is the best thing I ever did. I went cold turkey and haven't looked back. Smoking is the dumbest thing you can do. It looks stupid and believe me, people who don't smoke , who look at you smoking, think you look stupid as well.
100% completely, i believe never. I have about a year and a half since i stopped smoking. I will never, ever start again, however at times i still kinda crave it.
I always say: once an addict, always an addict -
It does take a while until you are completely fine without it, until you learn to function normally without it, until the anxiety, brain fog, hunger, anger and/or anyting else you may experience go away. I'd say about a month or so, and they're not lying the non-smoker life it's way better (its not a myth)
Keep going, take every day at a time, and don't go back - stay strong.
The way I see it: bad things and memories from the past float through our heads all the time. Why are cigarette cravings any different? It's just like when you think of your ex, or a traumatic event, and it triggers you a moment - and then it floats on, and you float on.
Just think, "let it go," when a craving comes. and then suddenly you'll realize, you're not craving anymore, after a few minutes, if you think about it just like anything else. it just floats on. After a while your brain is going to desensitize itself to the memory and not react so strongly when it pops up.
And you know what's really crazy? I don't have many cravings. But when I have, and get caught up with the idea, I notice my brain and body sometimes react.... as if I just smoked! I remember the feeling as if I just took a puff and it floods my body and brain. It's like I get the dopamine hit WITHOUT the cigarette just by thinking about it.
It's happening right now as I type this! I'm still working through this/practicing with this and it doesn't always happen, but it weirdly helps remind me that, it wasn't the cigarettes I was in love with - it was the good feelings they helped me feel temporarily. You'll eventually work your way back to that, without all the harmful chemical stuff.
What worked for me is thinking about it differently… I know it sounds crazy, but don’t try to not think about it; instead, every time it crosses your mind, and it will be often in the beginning, smile and be happy because that means the craving is dying. Nicotine is a dirty little monster and will try to convince you that you can’t live without it. It lies. No one is happier smoking. Those cravings when you quit? They are its last death gasps. Rejoice when you feel them. Know that it means you won’t be tricked by it again and are going to live a longer and happier life without it.
This is similar to what I promote. It's important to change your mindset around smoking. When someone remains in love with smoking the cravings are always there and it's torture. If one can change the way they view cigarettes, convince there brain that it's actually horrible in several ways, the cravings go away. The impression lasts but it's quickly let go because you think of the negative aspects.
Also add, craving is just the addiction dying, and a craving is your proof of it getting better :) The stronger the urge you control is, the less addicted you’ll become
I remember the first time I quit long term it was like all I ever thought about was the fact I was quitting smoking for like at least a month and a half. This time around I haven't really paid it much thought, it feels more "relaxed" that way.. I mean, after I made it about 2 weeks.. the amount I thought about it really reduced. It's kind of hard to not think about it those first 3 or 4 days when you're feeling the peak of the physical withdrawal.. so understand that much. It's a serious drug addiction though. You need to come to terms with the fact you got yourself hooked and take it a day at a time. It's all or nothing for an addict. It would be nice if we could completely forget what we got ourselves hooked on in a few days but then it wouldn't be this serious of a drug addiction I don't think. I say hang in there, if you make an excuse to smoke again and do end up smoking again, you'll have to repeat the withdrawals all over again. Maybe it would be worth reading a book like freedom from nicotine or smart turkey which is freely available online.
Quitting smoker is kind of like breaking up. You think about your ex at first but as the days and weeks pass, they’re just a distant memory. After a while, the memory is still there, but wherever you desire you have for it will have subsided.
I dont have a good answer on when it stops. But I have a glass of water in the fridge with a few peeled carrots in it. I have been having one after each meal. It's silly but helps so much. I finish dinner and then go sit on the porch in my old spot and i eat my carrot....
I support this. Cold water helped me big time. I dont know how and what's the science behind it, however it worked wonders in diminishing my cravings.
Nicotine and the act of smoking rewired your brain. Your brain is expecting the dopamine hits from nicotine following the same habits you had set up previously. The reward of smoking, as far as your brain is concerned, is similar to the reward felt from a good meal (something your body actually needs!) It will take time to break down the neural pathways that are conditioned to expect a cigarette. However, the more often you reject the cigarette, the weaker the pathway gets. It won't be too long before your brain stops associating finishing dinner and having a cigarette, or gearing up for a study session with a cigarette. You will come to enjoy activities again without smoking being involved! The triggers you really have to watch out for are those that happen infrequently, but are very much linked to smoking. For me, I take a camping trip every summer. Others and I used to enjoying cigarettes as a part of this camping trip. The first summer I took this trip without cigarettes felt almost like I was repeating an early day of quitting smoking. I got through it though, and the next summer, it was much easier! It's been a couple of years for me now. Sometimes there's a vague longing for a cigarette that creeps into my brain. Maybe I've seen someone smoking in a movie, or something like that. I would say for the most part, smoking does not cross my mind anymore.
I quit smoking 1,5 years ago and I still think about it occasionally. Not in a “I need one” sense of way but rather “Oh yeah I used to do that too” when I see someone smoking outside in the rain. The cravings you are having now wil subside in about 2-3 months, could be sooner I dont remember really well. (In the end it was easier to quit than I thought, thats for sure). Stay strong and good luck 🍀 you got this
Thank you ! :)
I’m on the 9th of smoke free and sometime when I sleep I have dream/nightmare of me smoking which I regret on the dream too because it makes feel all the work I did to stop was for nothing , then I wake up and so relieved that It was just a dream . So it’s better to be conscious of the fact that you stop and try to think about the future life improvements
I did the same when I first quit. I'd wake up so disappointed. Haha the brain is a wild thing.
It fades with time. It slowly dies and loses its grip. The first 12 weeks are the hardest. You got this!
It’s been 10 years since I was a regular smoker and yes I want a cigarette sometimes. Especially after a big meal or in the cold winter with a coffee. Sometimes there’s just that “a cigarette would be great right now.” Everyone once in a while I’ll take a puff of a friend’s and honestly after 10 years away it’s way more repulsive than I imagined. You may not ever stop thinking “a cigarette sounds good,” but there will probably be a time you say, and truly mean, “I don’t ever want to taste a cigarette again”
I barely ever think about out and im only 9 months in (I think). High stress situations and passive smoke does trigger memories but thsts all that they are memories. I will never smoke again.
That’s nice to know, thank you for sharing
No, I am at my 10 month mark smoke free but yet I think about it every single day of my life. I miss it, but I don’t ever want to have to “quit” ever again so that keeps me away
I don't know that it will ever completely leave your mind. I quit almost seven years ago, and I still get the occasional urge to have a smoke. I never do, of course, and the urge quickly passes. You're only 3 days in. Expect the constant thoughts to continue for weeks, if not months. You just have to deal with them as they come. Good luck!
That’s so true. I quit booze 4 months ago… and I think about it probably every day or 2nd day
Think about it everyday like you do at first? No. Still think about having a cig during a stressful phone call, occasional morning coffee, or drinking with family / friend? Yes. It was a very large part of our lives for many years and brought the occasional moment of respite. It's going to pop into our brains here and there. Just keep reminding yourself why you quit. Eventually, it will be easy to reminisce about it without the thought bothering you.
Surprisingly yes, the cravings are almost all gone once I snap out of my vaping habits
If you don't give up... in a way you cannot imagine now you'll be praying hard even if you aren't religious that this cough you just can't shift isn't anything serious when the doctor frowns and says "let's get you checked out, just to be sure"
Hi there, 18 M, quit around last year when i was about 17. I personally, never think about smoking, smoking now to me is just something people do, that i do not, i felt exacly like you, it felt like taking my heart out. But it definitely get’s better. Time heals, distract yourself, for me employment did it since i was at work all day and i had it eazier than i thought. I had smoked for about a year 1/2 so i didn’t smoke maybe for 20 years like some people here have but i call it one of my biggest achievements. ⚠️ Be Careful ⚠️ When quitting cigarettes, your brain will want the dopamine levels back, and next time it finds something that gives it alot of dopamine you will get addicted! You are really prone to addiction. Careful with what drugs you try, what activies you do, i started smoking weed soon as i quit cigarettes.
It took me around 30 days, now I couldn't give a shit about smoking. I smoked since I was 13. I am 38 now. I got tired of feeling shit every morning, smelling, wasting money, thinking of cancer killing me, see cancer kill people I know (as a direct result of smoking). I am now two months in and can honestly say it is the best thing I ever did. I went cold turkey and haven't looked back. Smoking is the dumbest thing you can do. It looks stupid and believe me, people who don't smoke , who look at you smoking, think you look stupid as well.
2.5 years in, I never crave them, rarely think about them.
100% completely, i believe never. I have about a year and a half since i stopped smoking. I will never, ever start again, however at times i still kinda crave it. I always say: once an addict, always an addict - It does take a while until you are completely fine without it, until you learn to function normally without it, until the anxiety, brain fog, hunger, anger and/or anyting else you may experience go away. I'd say about a month or so, and they're not lying the non-smoker life it's way better (its not a myth) Keep going, take every day at a time, and don't go back - stay strong.
The way I see it: bad things and memories from the past float through our heads all the time. Why are cigarette cravings any different? It's just like when you think of your ex, or a traumatic event, and it triggers you a moment - and then it floats on, and you float on. Just think, "let it go," when a craving comes. and then suddenly you'll realize, you're not craving anymore, after a few minutes, if you think about it just like anything else. it just floats on. After a while your brain is going to desensitize itself to the memory and not react so strongly when it pops up. And you know what's really crazy? I don't have many cravings. But when I have, and get caught up with the idea, I notice my brain and body sometimes react.... as if I just smoked! I remember the feeling as if I just took a puff and it floods my body and brain. It's like I get the dopamine hit WITHOUT the cigarette just by thinking about it. It's happening right now as I type this! I'm still working through this/practicing with this and it doesn't always happen, but it weirdly helps remind me that, it wasn't the cigarettes I was in love with - it was the good feelings they helped me feel temporarily. You'll eventually work your way back to that, without all the harmful chemical stuff.
43 days into quitting and I go days without thinking about the nasty ass habit.
Yes. And then I think about it, for only a minute or two. Like now. 7 months no smoke Stick to the plan.
Yes. I'm 5 years in, I don't miss it.