How long does it take to get over the psychological craving of ciggerettes?
439045
Of course it can go away.  You were not born to crave smoking, you just learned it - firstly the desire to socialize with it and help you cope with certain bits of life and growing up, then the nicotine chemical habit.  So after the nicotine is out of your brain, you then unlearn your psychological habit, so that non-smoking becomes the norm and your conscious and subconscious mind recognize this. For some people it can take only a few days, for others the major hurdle is over in a few days to weeks - as long as the use the right techniques to quit.\nHave a read how and what to do at http://www.quitguide.com
232463
Yes.\n\nQuitting smoking is easy, it is the staying quit that is hard.\n\nThe craving for a cig lasts about three minutes so if he can stay quit for about three minutes each time he craves a smoke, then he can get through the first three days.\n\nThe first three days is the time when his body is going though withdrawl from the poisons from the cigs. During these three days, he should drink at least 10-8oz glasses of water a day. The oral craving can be stemmed by drink this water from a sports top bottle. Everytime he craves the cig, he should suck some water from the bottle.\n\nThe next ten days is the easiest time to return to smoking because all the "triggers" are still making him want to smoke.\n\nI smoked for about 3 years total, I am 45 and glad I don't still do that nasty habit. My "triggers" were, coffee in the morning, talking on the phone, driving, playing pool or being at a bar and most important;being around smokers.\n\nWhat I did to trick my mind into being ok when the triggers nagged me to smoke was I walked in the morning instead of drinking coffee, the exercise woke me up. I doodled when talking on the phone and I sang while driving and I stopped going to the bars (I don't drink by the way) except to play in my pool league and then I would munch on carrots, celery and other veggies I would buy in snack packs from the produce section of my store.\n\nIn other words, I kept my hands and mind busy. Eventually, the mental craving for the "hand to mouth" activity went away.\n\nLearning is a form of brain washing. Teaching yourself to smoke during certain situations needs to be retaught for good behavior.
594710
I've found that first you have to make it through like 3-5 days of withdrawel. Do not be around anyone that smokes. Then avoid being around anyone that smokes, second hand smoke is even worse. You have to change your attitude and tell yourself good things like only losers smoke!, or my clothes will smell better, I'll be more attractive, and brush your teeth more, chew gum, candy, etc... avoid bars and alcohol. Because people that drink, smoke! Your friends will have more respect for you , but first they need to go through the my buddy quit now I need to quit stage. Don't presure them to quit if they force you or tempt you their not your freinds, your real freinds willl respect you, for example not smoke in you car, at your hous they'll go outside. And last but not least go cold turkey. NEVER use nicotine products, they'll just keep you addicted. And most of oall thank God for helping you quit all the time and healing you from this dreadfull illness!
181070
you started on your own no one to help you pick up that first one and Now the only way to stop is to STOP... I quit 9 weeks ago and feel great I tried the commit lozenges, the patch and all of it was an excuse to need one more cig. Finally one night in my EMT class this girl looked at us when we came in from break and said why do you do that yourself and your children... I quit I am not saying quit for someone else that won't work, but find something in your life that would be better or happier if you would quit and QUIT the first 3 days are rough, but trust me you make it through those 3 and your are GREAT....
1146519
the question is How addicted are you? I gave up by reading the book How to stop smoking and stay stopped for good by Gillian Riley. I went to the smoking cessation clinic who prescribed me patches and lozenges. It was hard, i know someone who could stop for days at a time yet couldnt completely give up! It is hard yet its well worth it and four years down the line i can have a fag every 6 months yet its just not the same, yet im £1000 a year better off and i dont cough and wheeze in the morning and the numb feeling in my toes has come back. My ex is looking at having his legs amputated as the blood flow and oxygen dosnt reach his toes, still he smokes. the sooner you give up the better. if i can do it you can too!
370574
Stick it out. Yesterday was my three year anniversary of my last cigarette. The cravings suck, but make yourself stick it out. It's worth it! The cravings won't last more than a few days Good luck!
311666
Cold turkey. I did and yesterday was my 3 year anniversary with no smoking. My sister has tried with the patches and gum, but since it keeps giving you nicotine, she can't quit that way. It really isn't that hard to stop on your own, the cravings will stop after four or five days. Have confidence in yourself!
549535
Oh...this question sucks this morning!! NO OFFENSE but I am trying to quit...and the urge is so strong I can just about taste my Marlboro Light!! \n\n*deep sigh, gets a piece of gum.
579651
Well, having quit myself I must say it is difficult.... especially "cold turkey".  I remember there were days that were easy, days that were hard and days that were close to impossible.  I had a huge problem trying to find something worthy of replacing my cigarette addiction.  Gum didn't do it, drinking water never worked, chewing on pens only ruined my teeth, and everything started looking like a cigarette.  What did work for me was hiking.  I hiked the Na Pali coast in Kauai and I was a hurtin' pup.  I felt like somebody stabbed me in the lungs.  It was at that point when I thought "hey Robin, smoking has done some damage here.  Let's work on fixin' this."  \n\nAnd so every day I would wake up and say "today I won't have a cigarette.....maybe tomorrow I will".  And then I'd go about my business trying to keep my mind occupied.   The tough times were when I had a glass of wine or when I was finished with a meal.  It took awhile for me to realize the meal ends when the food is gone....not when I light up a cigarette.  In fact, 5 years later, I still crave a nice smoke once in awhile.   I think it is something that stays with you always.  But the intense urges that you experience in the beginning will soon fade.  Each day will get slightly easier and before you know it weeks turn into months and months turn into years.   \n\nWhat Monitorhead is going through is rough but I can tell he is strong enough to make it through.  Please remind him, that if he caves in and lights up, although it won't be the end of the world, he will have to start at square one again when quitting.  7 days is awesome.  Keep up the good work!
541902
It can take 30 minutes to an hour for the effects of a cigarette to wear off and for blood pressure to return to baseline.
640538
When it got really hard for me, I would remind myself that, if I had a cigarette now, it would take me a whole week to get back to where I was now. Somehow, knowing I didn't want to go through quitting all over again helped. Good luck.
805236
It just won't be as strong of a craving as time goes by.  So, don't ever think that you are fixed and can begin to hang around your old friends and do the things you use to do that got you caught up in drugs because as soon as you do this, you will be finding yourself fighting strong cravings and maybe just falling.\n\nI use to smoke and I am so glad that I quit but there are times from know where that I look for my smokes or think about buying a pack and of course there are the times that I crave it but the craving does pass.\n\nHang in there and please substitute  that craving with something healthy (exercise, walking, jogging, painting, sewing, movie, book, etc)\n\nBest of luck and God bless !!
1050428
Ok......i gave up just 3 months ago, and was told it was going to be really difficult and i was gonna die!!! well.....im still alive and found it quite easy. I have to say i got through lots of food and hard boiled sweets to suck on, but this oly happens for a few weeks. im telling u its well worth it!!!! i just had enough, it was giving me breathing difficulties and i hated the smell and taste and everything, i had had enough of one little stick control my life, and it costs way too much!! i woke up and threw my cigarettes far away, and its al in the mind! just say no, no, NO!!! once you have got past day one, you have an urge to get through day 2, and etc etc. I feel so much better now! and i gave up in a house where there are 6 smokers around me! GOOD LUCK!!! you can do it!
84387
nicotine leaves the body very quickly, that is why you have to constantly keep lighting up. Five days is all it takes to get rid of the drug part of the smoking addiction, the rest is psychological. If you do end up having some withdrawls it might be more mentally that actually physical.But do give respect to nicotine it is so powerful, I never tried what you did when I quit because I thought I would get hooked easily. I have quit smoking for about fifteen years now and it feels like I have never smoked, and you know what, you have nothing to prove to anyone, yourself included, whether you can have one drag or not....good luck.
252914
You're ok, it takes 1 - 3 days for the nicotine to be out of your blood. For a very heavy smokers, it could take another day.  There's are traces of nicotine left in your organs for months, but they don't cause cravings, or show in Dr's tests.\n\nIf you're in need of a bit of encouragement and help to stay quit, so that your op and afterwards goes well, go to http://www.quitguide.com
933383
The best way is cold turkey and suffer through the first 10 days until the nicotine is out of your system.  Then it is just mind control after that.  You control your mind.  It doesn't control you.\n\nCoach
53985
You will probably want a cigarette for a long time. I have been off cigarettes now for two years and I STILL want one. It is funny though. Your brain makes you think it is better than it really is. If you think you NEED one - then do have one, you more than likely will be disapointed as it was not as good as you expected. It is hard no doubt, but it gets easier the longer you are off them. I know many people that, like myself quit smoking by using the nicotine gum. I started on the Nicorette, and now I am perfectly happy on the Kroger brand @ $29 for 110 pieces. Just remember - when you are craving a cigarette, the craving will pass REGARDLESS if you smoke or not. Goodluck to you, it can be done - and you will happy you did.