All the scientific research tells us that nicotine withdrawal symptoms are strongest in the first 24-48 hours after you quit, and all but disappear after 10-14 days. Why do so many people stop smoking for months or even years, only to start again? It’s not because of addiction!
Here’s the good news – it’s true! Nicotine addiction doesn’t last very long, a matter of a week or two. Most of the cravings you get for cigarettes after you have quit disappear after 2 weeks. Even after the first 3 days, they have already started to decrease in frequency and intensity. This is what the scientific research tells us.
Not only that, but withdrawal symptoms when you stop smoking aren’t very severe. There is none of the severe pain, convulsions, nausea and vomiting or severe muscle and bone aches that people experience when withdrawing from other drugs like heroin or methamphetamine.
The physical symptoms of nicotine withdrawal can best be described as slight feelings of uncomfortableness. You might feel a ‘pang’ for a cigarette, feel a touch off balance or feel slightly restless. The pang doesn’t cause any pain; it is merely a little uncomfortable. And the other feelings of uncomfortableness are not much different to some of the many emotions people feel in their normal day-to-day, and easily deal with.
So, after a couple of weeks, the physical cravings for nicotine are all but gone. But you still need to be able to negotiate any cravings that might arise in those first 2 weeks, right? Here’s the second piece of good news. There is a quick, simple and highly effective method you can use to deal with those cravings in the first couple of weeks, and any other uncomfortable sensations or emotions that arise at any time (indeed, for all uncomfortable feelings you get at any time of your life – how good is that!) – it’s called Mindfulness.
You can use Mindfulness anytime, anywhere, it’s quick, it’s easy and it’s free.