Why You Crave Cigarettes Months After Quitting

Why You Crave Cigarettes Months After Quitting Addiction Nicotine Use After You Quit Print Why You Crave Cigarettes Months After Quitting By Terry Martin facebook twitter Terry Martin quit smoking after 26 years and is now an advocate for those seeking freedom from nicotine addiction. Learn about our editorial policy Terry Martin Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Armeen Poor, MD on January 29, 2020 Armeen Poor, MD, is a board-certified pulmonologist and intensivist. He specializes in pulmonary health, critical care, and sleep medicine. Learn about our Medical Review Board Armeen Poor, MD on January 29, 2020 More in Addiction Nicotine Use After You Quit How to Quit Smoking Nicotine Withdrawal Smoking-Related Diseases The Inside of Cigarettes Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Coping and Recovery It is unnerving to have smoking thoughts and urges resurface months after quitting. However, this can be expected as you recover from nicotine addiction. While the  nicotine  will be long gone from your body, you may have cravings for a cigarette that feel just like  nicotine withdrawal. Learn why you have them and how you can make it through this period. Verywell / Cindy Chung When Cravings Start The three-month mark is a notoriously bad time for people quitting tobacco, so much so that there is a term for it coined by ex-smokers known as  the icky threes. There are  three tricky time periods during the first year of smoking cessation that many folks stumble overâ€"three days, three weeks, and three months.?? At the three-month mark,  people will often experience an emotional letdown. The excitement of quitting will have passed, but you will still be dealing with the psychological aftermath of nicotine addiction. Youll still be thinking about smoking, often to the point where the cravings become all-consuming. It can leave you feeling edgy and sad. You may even wonder if youll always be doomed to feel this way.?? Will I Always Miss Smoking? Where Cravings Come From Its not surprising if  youre experiencing cravings to smoke that remind you of nicotine withdrawal. Your mind has a powerful influence on your body, and a strong focus on thoughts of smoking can bring on some very real physical reactions. Sensations like tension in the throat, neck, and stomach, as well as headaches and tremors, can mimic  the physical symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.?? Although the symptoms can be the same, dont confuse cigarette cravings with nicotine withdrawal. Withdrawal is ultimately biological; cravings are psychological. It is important to consciously acknowledge to yourself that the origin of your discomfort is in your mind  and that nicotine is not playing a part in this scenario. Taking stock of what is behind your urge to smoke is a first step in regaining control over errant thoughts that can lead to trouble. Remind yourself that youre  doing the work now to change the mental responses you have to smoke triggers, and with practice, those thoughts (and the urges that come with them) will fade away. How to Relieve Cravings As you did during the first days of smoking cessation, use the distraction to help you get your mind off smoking. Be proactive and deal with each craving as it comes up. The good news is that this is a phase in the recovery process that almost everyone goes through.  It will pass  as long as you dont smoke. Managing these bumpy days and months into your smoking cessation  will be much easier when your batteries are fully charged. Find activities that relax and rejuvenate you. Good nutrition and regular sleep can help ease your tension. Daily exercise, even a short walk, can improve your mood and energy levels. If youre spiraling downward, take it as a cue to treat yourself with kid gloves and spoil yourself a little. Dont think of it as being selfishâ€"think of it as good therapy, because thats just what it is. Promise yourself that youll dedicate the entire first year of smoking cessation to healing from nicotine addictionâ€"all of it.  It takes that long to work your way through the many activities in daily life that you associate with smoking on one level or another.?? Think of time and patience as your two best quit buddies. If you can relax and let time pass, it will help you heal. Time really is a wonderful tool for changing your lifeâ€"as long as you can be patient enough to let it do its work. 10 Ways to Overcome Cigarette Cravings A Word From Verywell Dont fear the ups and downs that come with quitting smoking. Cravings to smoke are not signs of impending failure, they are signs that you are healing from both the physical addiction you have to nicotine and the psychological associations you have with smoking as well.?? Keep your eye on the prize and do the work it takes to quit successfully.  The rewards are outstanding and youll love the person you become without the chains of this killer habit weighing you down. Believe in yourself and you can free yourself. It is important to remind yourself that although youre feeling raw and unhappy right now, all of this discomfort  will pass if you just keep applying yourself to the task at hand one simple day at a time. 10 Things to Stop Doing When You Quit Smoking