After smoking since I was 12, I quit smoking about 5 months ago

[moobu2]

and I am still having very very intense cravings multiple times a day. Wonder if it will ever go away?

[rfranklin]

1. It will go away....

I smoked for 20 years and it took 5 years to quit but after 20 years of not smoking I never think about it.

[Vincardog]

2. It will go away when you let go of it

[slackmaster]

3. I'm having a similar problem with food, particularly carbohydrates

I need to lose weight and I have made some progress, but it hasn't affected my appetite.

Good luck to you in your quest to stay smoke-free. I hope some people with experience offer you some advice and support.

[Liquorice]

4. Yes it gets better. Eventually you'll just be happy you quit and never want one again. nt

[leveymg]

5. Hang in there! Use nicotine gum, put on a patch, get out and jog. Just don't start again!

Congratulations on quitting. Been there. You'll make it.

[BrklynLiberal]

6. Stay strong. It is worth it...

http://www.quitguide.com/benefits-of-quitting-smoking.html

20 minutes after you quit, your blood pressure has already decreased, your pulse rate has dropped and the blood temperature of your hands and feet has increased.

2 hours after quitting, you have significantly reduced the nicotine in your system.

8 hours after quitting, the level of carbon monoxide in your blood drops as the oxygen increases to the normal level of a non-smoker. This is one of the best advantages of quitting smoking, as carbon monoxide robs your muscles, brain and tissues of oxygen.

At 24 hours, your chance of a heart attack has already decreased.

At 48 hours. These will make you smile... a couple of nice little health benefits of quitting smoking are that you will find your sense of smell improved, and as those sensitive nerve endings start regrowing, your taste buds will come alive again.

In 2 to 4 days, all nicotine by-products have gone from your body. That means there is no physical addictive substance left to niggle your brain.

Between 2 to 9 weeks, your circulation improves, walking and exercise will become easier and your lung function increases.

By 3 months, your fertility improves. This is an oft overlooked reason to quit smoking. Men's quality and density of sperm increases and women's chances of conceiving are increased, with less likelihood of miscarriage, or giving birth to babies with higher risks of stillbirth, cot death, premature or low birth weight and lifelong afflictions.

By now, the tar stains on your fingers and teeth will be eliminated.

Within the first 9 months, you will find that you no longer suffer from shortness of breath, and coughing, sinus congestion or fatigue will be rapidly improved.

By 1 year your risk of coronary heart disease is already half that of a smoker!

Also by now, due to increased oxygen, you will have noticeable improvement in your skin and gums. The oxygen goes towards repairing dry skin and premature wrinkles.

After 5 years the risk of lung cancer drops by half. Also your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas rapidly decreases. And every day thereafter these lifesaving health benefits of quitting smoking increase.

In 5 to 15 years, you will have no higher risk of stroke than that of people who have never smoked!

By 10 years, your chances of coronary heart disease will be virtually the same as that of people who have never smoked. In fact your risk of an early death from all causes virtually disappears and returns to that of people who have never smoked.

Did you know that only 12% of smokers can expect to live to 85, as compared to 69% of non-smokers? Why risk losing even one year of life or being one of the statistical average of smokers and lose 10 years? Or 25 years? Why risk an average of 12 years disability before you die?

If you quit before age 35 your risk is reduced by a dramatic 90% or more, and even if you're over 65 and you quit, your quality of life and life expectancy is significantly increased.

more at the site...

http://blisstree.com/feel/what-happens-to-your-body-if-you-stop-smoking-right-now/

http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/benefits.htm

http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/afterquitting/a/after_quitting.htm

http://whyquit.com/whyquit/a_benefits_time_table.html

[reggie the dog]

25. my sociology teacher had that as a poster in her classroom

my senior year. i had been a smoker for four years and i finally quit and tried to reach all the dates on that chart....

[BrklynLiberal]

34. wow. guess you started young too. Hope you have stayed away from smoking.

Smart teacher, by the way.

[reggie the dog]

36. i still smoke grass

so i do smoke something, but no where near what i was smoking in tobacco...

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

7. Intensity of cravings has nothing to do with "willpower", "moral fiber", or "really wanting to stop"

It's chemical. The cravings will get slowly weaker the more time passes without you relapsing.

[w8liftinglady]

it will get better.I quit in 1991,after 14 years

patches and working out were life savers.I had to stay away from bars/beer.

[Journeyman]

8. I smoked for 15 years, from age 17 to 32, and averaged between 3 and 5 packs a day. . .

This January, I'll celebrate 25 years smoke free. I still have cravings. Usually when I find myself next to a smoker. Their smoke may repulse me or entice me, I never know, and either way I make haste to get away from them. But the cravings are still there, just recessed.

Eventually, moobu2, the desire will diminish and the cravings will cease to be an active part of your life. You just have to tough it out. It's definitely worth it. Good luck.

[Dorian Gray]

39. That happens with me, too

Sometimes it appeals to me, sometimes it disgusts me.

The only time I really crave a cigarette, though, is if I'm drinking. And with a one month baby in the house, it's been 10+ months since I've had any alcohol at all. So...... Not really a problem!

Moobu, good luck on staying strong. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's hard. But it's always worth it... for your health and well being.

[peace13]

9. Keep on keeping on!

I wish you the best!

[Kennah]

10. My brother ...

... is a recovered addict and alcoholic, and he's been clean for about 20 years. AFAIK, he never relapsed even once.

He smoked on and off pre and post drug addiction, and I think he finally kicked it about 8+ years ago. Some kick the habit once and they are done with it. Others have to quit several times before they quit for good.

Be forewarned, friends of mine who are ex-smokers become some of the most ardent anti-smokers.

Don't give up. You can beat it.

[COLGATE4]

11. It'll go away - eventually. But as for me, 20+ years after quitting,

I still dream about smoking.

[WestSeattle2]

28. Me too - very vivid, realistic dreams of smoking. Nicotine is one

wicked drug.

[Tikki]

12. Sure will...but, beat the monkey on it's head by not putting..

yourself in situations that trigger the memory so much.

I know it can be difficult, sometimes, to avoid those places and times..
but working on a different strategy is a diversion in itself.

Keep your eye on the prize..why you quit in the first place.

By the end of the first year ...I was so over smoking.

Tikki
Smoke free for 7 years.

[truebrit71]

13. Yes it will. I finally quit July 3rd this year after smoking since I was 13 years old.

More than half of my life had been spent enriching tobacco companies and I finally decided to quit once and for all.

The cravings can be very intense, but the longer it's been, the easier it becomes.

Stick with it. You CAN beat it. And it is so nice to be able to taste food again and not have my hair and my clothes smell vaguely like ass all the time...

Remember, every day you don't smoke your lungs and your health improve...

Happy Thanksgiving!

[a kennedy]

14. D*mn I quit 5.5 years ago and I STILL WANT ONE!!!

The urge does pass but you'll never get over wanting one or several....the desire is ALWAYS there, and it NEVER goes away. Good luck, stay strong, and think of what you're doing for your health.....hang in there. Go here for additional help, I found this website really got me through some tough times. http://sg.stopsmokingcenter.net/support/ :yourock: :fistbump: :hug:

[geckosfeet]

15. Congratulations on quiting! Yes - the craving will go away.

Hang in there. Give it a year. You should feel better. And keep away from smokers.

I quit many years ago. For a while smoke made me nauseous. Now it's just annoying and stinky.

[onehandle]

16. Like any bad habit, you have to focus on what kicking it gains you.

Health and money.

[Glassunion]

17. Quitter...

:P

Yes the cravings will pass. I applaud your quit. Addiction for some is easy, for others it can be damn near impossible. Stick with it.

[Rambis]

18. Yes in time

at some point you will wonder why you ever smoked- Keep it up!:fistbump:

[Speck Tater]

19. Hang in there. I've been quit two years now. Yes, the cravings go away. But ...

every once and a while I still get hit by a desire for a smoke. The thing is, now I know that if I just ride out the craving it will be gone in a couple minutes, and that's that. The real key is learning that cravings can be made to go away by one of two methods. Either you can fall off the wagon and light up a cigarette, or you can wait a couple of minutes and they just go away by themselves. Knowing that you can choose the method you REALLY want to use, waiting a couple minutes.

After two years I guess I might get a brief craving that lasts for a minute or so about once a month. It's no big deal. Just remember this above all: It is in the nature of cravings to self-extinguish in a minute or two. Just ride them out and they ALWAYS go away.

[moobu2]

20. I think I'm going to make it this time

it's just those damn cravings, but, I know they will only last a few minutes so I just wait em out. Very weird though being a none smoker after so many years, I mean, it had become such an integral part of my identity and everything, but, I seriously think I'm going to make it this time.

[leveymg]

23. You'll make it. You're in charge,

not the damn tobacco industry. Next time you think about giving in and lighting up, just visualize the faces of tobacco industry executives. It's you or them . . . they aren't in control of your body, anymore.

[Vickers]

21. Hang in there! I quit in '98 after 19 years of smoking, and STILL get the

occasional urge (usually months apart).

You are over the worst part, now enjoy running up the stairs!

:thumbsup:

[HopeHoops]

22. Congrats! And yes, it goes away. I was a heavy smoker and quit almost 26 years ago.

I've had a few cigarettes since then when I was out in a smokey place, partially out of defense, and yet the next day I had no cravings. Just keep strong. You've probably already seen the improvements in your breathing capacity and energy level, and that continues to get better with time.

[reggie the dog]

24. how old are you???

how long did you smoke? the cravings should be very tiny next year as your brain will remember passing through the four seasons as a non smoker.

[moobu2]

31. I'm 48 and like I said, I smoked since I was 12 besides

a couple of months that I stopped when I was about 31.

[reggie the dog]

37. i wish you the best of luck

my girlfriend is trying to quit now, it is not easy

[kywildcat]

26. 33 year smoker

started when I was 12, quite 5 months ago cold turkey. No patch, no gum, nothing. It was extremely difficult. Check the website 'quitter'. It deals with triggers, like driving or meals or stress triggers or celebratory triggers.
Congratulations on quitting.

[myrna minx]

29. Hey, congratulations!

:toast:

[WCGreen]

27. I stopped smoking 25 years ago and still dream of it...

The cravings stop after about a year or so, when you start developing other paterns of behavior...

At least that was my case...

[woofless]

30. Yup, time helps.

I smoked for 38 years starting at 16. I rarely think about smoking tobacco five years+ down the line. When I do think about it, it is always with revulsion. Hang in there,

Woof

[Hello_Kitty]

32. Remind yourself how much money you're saving. I still smoke but have cut way back due to the cost.

I'm ambivalent about sin taxes in general but can attest to the fact that this one is working on me. I'm down to 4/5 cigs a day and hoping to quit completely soon.

[Mojorabbit]

33. I quit just over a year ago after 39yrs of 2 pk a day.

I used chantix and the e cig for inbetween to get me over the hump. I only rarely have a small craving now and when I do I take a deep breath and do something to distract myself for a few minutes and it is gone. Wishing you the best of luck. It is terribly hard to do but you will be so happy in the end that you stuck with it!

[etherealtruth]

35. It really and truly gets better ....

.... but, for some (I include myself), the cravings never go away completely. They do become manageable. Stale cigarette smoke and cigarette butts smell disgusting but the smell of a burning cigarette still smells good to me.

Sadly, cigarettes seem to sing a Siren's song (to me) ....but, again ... it gets significantly better.

On edit: congratulations!

[JuniperLea]

38. Don't give in!

It's been about five years for me, and I still have the thought once in a while... then I remember the smell, or I ride in the elevator with a smoker back from a break... and the urge goes away.

I found that taking a walk, or even sitting outside for a while, helps a lot to distract me.

Keep up the good work! The hardest part is behind you! You really don't want to go through that part again!

[meti57b]

40. Major congrats to you!!!!

May it soon go easy for you!