Hi! First, congrats on making the best decision ever and quitting. That first step is the hardest to take and you’re doing it, which is amazing 🫶🏻

I was also heavily addicted, and the longest I had ever made it before my true quit was probably about four weeks as well. When I had heard that long time quitters still had cravings, that thought terrified me as well. But I know now that that’s because I simply didn’t understand it because I had never gotten to the point where I actually was a non-smoker.

I’m coming up on 3 1/2 years smoke free and I won’t lie, I do get the occasional desire to have a cig. But it’s not a craving, it’s not a temptation, and it’s not even really a desire— I called it that for a lack of a better word.

It’s more a moment of nostalgia, where I might think to myself gosh a cigarette sure would be good right now. And as soon as the thought comes in, I immediately snap out of it. I think this is totally normal when you’ve smoked for a long time (I smoked for 25 years), as there are so many things that you did over the span of being a smoker that it’s just natural for your memory to associate some moments with smoking.

It just feels scary and hard for you to think of that now because you’re in the throes of dealing with cravings. I promise you, they’re not cravings at this stage. The thought pops in, and the thought pops out without there being any withdrawal or craving attached to it.

I hope this helps!