S/O: Ex-smokers, do cravings ever go away?

[Anonymous]

Posted in the thread on quitting cold turkey, but then I realized I had a question:

quit smoking without joining any group or following any plan in particular. I just decided I was not going to smoke any more and I took it one day at a time. It was a private resolution and I did not tell anyone because even so much as talking about the quitting process made me want a cigarette.

What was most crucial was breaking up with my chain-smoking boyfriend and no longer hanging one on one with friends who were smokers. Nowadays, I don't have any friends who smoke. I had some times when I was almost sobbing in my apartment because I wanted a cigarette badly (usually in periods of great stress) and I did experience the ex-smoker's weight gain of about 20lbs. But 7 years later, I am still hanging in there. I

Now, here is what I am wondering about: Even though it has been 7 years since my last cig, I still have powerful cravings whenever stress hits. Just two weeks ago in a moment of real distress about my marriage, I made a whole game plan to buy a pack of cigs and have "just one." I had to sit myself down and repeatedly go through my list of reasons not to smoke. I could imagine myself taking a drag and that lovely, calm feeling spreading through me and all my nerves settling down. Nonetheless, I made it without smoking and here I am, two weeks later and still smoke-free. Will a day when I no longer have cravings come? Has any ex-smoker gotten to that point?

[Anonymous]

I'm an ex-social/stress smoker. I was never a big smoker, but I really enjoyed it. I probably would have kept on smoking but at 40, my doctor put me on meds that are very bad in combination with smoking. So I quit.

It's been several years and I miss it. I probably always will. When I'm stressed, I wish I could smoke. When I'm out with friends and they go out to smoke, I wish I could smoke.

I did smoke a couple of times after going for a year or more without it, and I can tell you that it sucked. It tasted really terrible and made me nauseous. So you wouldn't necessarily get that calm feeling if you did it now - it might taste awful and make you feel sick. Maybe if you remember that, it will help.

[Anonymous]

I am an ex social smoker, who would sometimes chain smoke when I got stressed out.

I never would have thought I could totally get over the cravings, but it's pretty complete now. They used to be super strong, especially in times of stress, but now I can smell cigarette smoke and instead of having a huge craving I actually get grossed out.

It's awesome.

[Anonymous]

I am an ex smoker, and I, too, had to stop hanging out with anyone who smoked in order to do it successfully. I've been smoke free for 15+ years and I don't crave it at all. I craved a cigarette the first couple of years, but I got over it and now I never think about it, have zero desire for a cigarette. ZERO. It only irritates me when people smoke around me. I can't remember when that change took place, maybe 5 years after I quit...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am an ex social smoker, who would sometimes chain smoke when I got stressed out.

I never would have thought I could totally get over the cravings, but it's pretty complete now. They used to be super strong, especially in times of stress, but now I can smell cigarette smoke and instead of having a huge craving I actually get grossed out.

It's awesome.

+1

[Anonymous]

I was a regular smoker who became a very very limited smoker (ie, one when out with a friend or when I was stressed but regularly went weeks with nothing. Now I'm pregnant and haven't had one since January. I don't really have cravings anymore but I do miss it. Every once in awhile I'll have a fleeting moment of really wanting one but it's not what I've heard other people describe. I've usually forgotten by the time I'd be able to do something about it.

[Anonymous]

I quit smoking when I was pregnant with DC#1, who is now 13. Every once in awhile, I will crave a cigarette in the worst way. I'll walk past someone smoking and smell it, and I want one really badly. Most of the time, though, I don't have any cravings.

[Anonymous]

All cravings left me after a year. Once I picked up a pavk of cigarettes for someone and this triggered a desire to smoke and it had been over 10 years since I had quit.

Just remember that you have invested so much time and no way can you give in. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I quit smoking well over a decade ago - actually getting close to two decades ago. Probably for the first 2 years I would get cravings during times of stress. I actually had a couple of weak moments when I smoked some cigarettes. Thankfully, I had the wisdom to stop that before I became physically addicted again.

Now it's hard to believe that I ever used to smoke. It's just not something that I would do now.

[Anonymous]

It gets SO much better, I promise. I've not smoked in 12 years and after the first three months, which were hard, I've on had cravings twice (both under exceptional stress in a work-related issue, involving two very difficult direct reports). In both instances, a really, really long hot bath helped. Good luck and congratulations on quitting!

[Anonymous]

In my experience, NO.

[Anonymous]

OP here and thanks for the responses. I find it interesting that most people posting considered themselves social smokers. What counts as social smoking versus just being a plain old smoker? I would imagine that cravings are probably less of a problem for those who never smoked regularly, since the addiction was not fully developed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, NO.

OP here, how much did you used to smoke most days and how long has it been since you quit?

[Anonymous]

OP here, I wonder if the method one uses to quit affects cravings. Is there anyone else here who was a regular, habitual smoker (so, not whatever counts as social smoking) and quit cold turkey without using nicotine replacements, therapy, whatever else? How are your cravings?

I know I will never go back to smoking. I think addictions of any kind are moral failings and, when I was a smoker, I despised myself for being so mentally weak.

[Anonymous]

I used to smoke 20 a day. I gave up 15 years ago, but I had a few cigarettes in the first years after I gave up, when I was drunk etc. Probably a total of 20 cigarettes in the 5 years after I gave up. But now I haven't had one for 10 years, and I can't remember the last time I had a craving.

So, in short, the cravings die down rather than disappear, and it takes a long time, but yes, the cravings do eventually subside.