Why am I Craving a Cigarette Three Months into Quitting?
An About.com Smoking Cessation reader asks:
"I quit smoking cold turkey almost three months ago. I've had my ups and downs in that time, but feel like I've been making progress overall. However, in the last week or so, I've been thinking about smoking so much and it's getting worse. I know the nicotine is long gone from my body, but I swear I'm having cravings for a cigarette that feel just like nicotine withdrawal. Why is this happening to me, and will I always feel this way?"
The three month mark is a notoriously bad time for quitters. The rush, or excitement of quitting has worn off, but we haven't yet completed the healing process from nicotine addiction. We're still thinking about smoking, and most of us are still feeling the urge to smoke now and then. It can leave a person feeling edgy and sad. We wonder if we'll always be doomed to feel this way.
More Reading:
- Three Months Along -- Kay's Story
- The First Three Smoke-Free Months -- A Personal Account
A friend gave me a piece of wisdom before i quit, because i was terrified: of ‘the icky threes’, missing it, weight loss, everything! This simple rephrasing of the situation made all the difference to me, and there’s no need to take a negative approach to the 3s. He told me:
If you can make it through 3 days, you can manage 3 weeks. If you reach 3 weeks, you can definitely make it to 3 months. And if you can do it for 3 months, you’ll do it for life!