i am new here, and i stopped smoking 10 days ago. i was a 2 pack a day, 20 year smoker. i was wondering, the past few days i've had a non stop urge to light up and i don't like that feeling. when does that go away? i have heard around the 2 week mark but i know everyone is different. it doesn't bother me if i'm near someone who smokes, i actually find that it really stinks! i just want these urges to stop so i can stop thinking about it. i keep myself as busy as i can, cleaning, cooking, laundry, mowing the lawn ect. but that urges is always there. any advice please? thank you! sherry
when do the urges stop?: i am new here, and i... - No Smoking Day
when do the urges stop?
I have been quit a month now, first couple of weeks was all I could think about, recently (past 2-3 days) I have noticed that I can be sat at my desk at work for a couple of hours without thinking about it (then the fact that I have thought about not thinking about it makes it the only thing I can think about until something distracts me doh!). So for me the answer to your question was first couple of weeks really bad urges (almost constant) then around week 4 not so bad but still getting urges now and then (but the urge doesn't seem as strong anymore either).
Also I found it helped to tell myself that no matter how bad the urge, I am still not smoking anyway so 'bring it on urge'
Your body is trying to make you give in and let it have its nicotine supply back, but you are not giving in so its trying harder and one coping strategy is to embrace that urge as a sign that you are winning over the addiction.
You have a choice to feed the addiction or not, you are choosing the right path which is not feeding it and it is a bit of an endurance. Yes everyone is different but I promise it will be better soon and in a couple of weeks you'll be looking back on it and wondering how it was so tough.
Hang in there
Nic
wow, thanks for the reply's guys! i know that i can not give in nor will i, but those urges just drive me nuts, make it all i can think about, make me very irritable and cranky. i chose to quit for myself and also because i am a mother of 5 wonderful kids! i do tell myself all the time that i'm not going to light up again, and that it will get easier. then on some days i'm constantly trying to talk myself into going back to it. what a powerful hold this holds on us. good luck to you all and thank you!