Wondering How Long Does Nicotine Withdrawal Last? You’re in the right spot, we have all the answers to your questions.
If your thinking about quitting, your probably asking yourself “How long does nicotine withdrawal last? Oh man, is this gonna’ to suck as bad as I think it is???” When you start thinking about quitting, there’s one thing on your brain, the nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Every nicotine user has at one point been caught unable to get that little fix and experienced it. Nicotine users do everything in their power to avoid withdrawal.
They do everything in their power to get that fix before it gets that far, so that they don’t have to ask themselves the question “How long does nicotine withdrawal last?” Even the most unorganized people, who never plan anything, plan ahead when it comes to their nic fix. It is amazing how many dippers and smokers who loose their keys all the time, somehow never loose their tins or packs. The urge to steer clear of nicotine withdrawal is powerful.
That’s enough of that, lets get down to business and answer the question your here to get an answer to, how long does nicotine withdrawal last.
How Long Does Nicotine Withdrawal Take When You Quit Chewing Tobacco?
How long does nicotine withdrawal take?
Each and every quitter and quit are very different, but when you decide to quit chewing tobacco cold turkey, there are two major withdrawal hurdles you must overcome. If your wondering how long does nicotine withdrawal last, chances are you will have to deal with these when you do decide to quit. Here is a breakdown of these two and how long they usually last in most quitters.
The first and shorter term hurdle is the physical withdrawal. The physical is your bodies response to the removal of nicotine, it hits hard and violent during the first few days and weeks of your quit, then slowly dissipates.
The second and longer term hurdle is the psychological withdrawal. The psychological is more of a mind game, and can stick around for months, but know that with time this portion of the withdrawal lessens and even though it still lingers within you, it gets easier and easier to ignore the further out you get.
Physical Withdrawal – How Long Does Nicotine Withdrawal Last?
To answer the question, how long does nicotine withdrawal last, you must first tackle the physical symptoms. Nicotine’s physical withdrawal peaks at 72 hours and usually only lasts 14 to 21 days.
The severity in most quitters usually eases up around the 10 day mark. Some say that nicotine is completely out of your system by day three of cold turkey quitting, that’s true, but it doesn’t mean that the physical withdrawal symptoms are gone with it.
Nicotine stimulates glands, releasing increased levels of dopamine in the pleasure receptors in your brain and causing a euphoric and relaxed feeling. It also stimulates glands in your brain that release adrenaline into the blood, which tells cells in your body to dump their glucose stores into your blood stream. Both cause a burst of energy and the feeling of a rush. When the nicotine is removed, so are these unnatural chemical functions. The physical withdrawal you feel is a lack of these chemical functions and a rewiring of your brain trying to relearn how to preform these functions like a ‘normal’ body does.
Psychological Withdrawal – How Long Does Nicotine Withdrawal Last?
The psychological withdrawal is not as difficult to deal with, but also peaks at 72 hours and progressively gets easier through about 100 days. So if you want to know just how long does nicotine withdrawal last, this should answer the long term withdrawal portion of that question.
The psychological withdrawal is what you would consider the habit. Wanting to dip or chew while driving, working, changing your oil or mowing the lawn. No matter the task, these trigger a craving or thought of dipping because you have known nicotine in that situation for however long you dipped. Like a child who sucks their thumb or needs a blanket. Chewing is your safe zone. Each and every trigger event that you face and conquer makes the following event less dramatic. With time, they become weaker and much easier to handle. After the first few months they become so weak that you can push through most without even a thought.
I am 35 and I’ve tried not to smoke 3 times in my life and each time I’d do it as long as a year & some months but I also am a asthma patient since child hood and I’ve been hospitalized more then enough’ so I’m determined and it’s hard but I got a month so for and to me that is not enough cause I wanna smoke so bad.
I have tried quitting before but found out i was allergic to the adhesive on the nicotine patches, I quit for about 2 weeks. Just 2 days ago i started going cold turkey from cigarettes and the physical effects are really starting to get to me. I don’t know if I can make it again.
I have 12days I want to really quit .my mind is made up .I just had a set bk with the patch d adhesive. But I called my friend so supportive. She talk me down the crave was bad .I got busy washing dishes cleaning I didn’t smoke I’m depending and praying to god to be free and believing that I will .will power being determined motivated will help and be sick of the color of ur teeth..I’m speaking in faith I am free n I have quit smoking. In the name of jesus
I have 12days I want to really quit .my mind is made up .I just had a set bk with the patch d adhesive. But I called my friend so supportive. She talk me down the crave was bad .I got busy washing dishes cleaning I didn’t smoke I’m depending and praying to god to be free and believing that I will .will power being determined motivated will help and be sick of the color of ur teeth..I’m speaking in faith I am free n I have quit smoking. In the name of jesus
I quit on my birthday January 21, 2018. I prayed hard for God to remove my desire and urge, and He did. So I quit COLD TURKEY with no gum or patches Praise God ♥ Now I’m on Day 13 today and the desire is still gone. But the cloudy head and agitation is still here. Does anyone know how long this will last?
Hi Vince…Im 3 months 10 days in and my withdrawal symptoms are just as bad now as they were when I first quit. All I can tell do is tell you to hang in there. It’ll be worth it in the long run. I’ve been smoking since I was 17 and I just turned 30 this past Monday. Even though im still dealing with these symptoms, I can feel by body getting itself back to it’s normal state. I have the urge to smoke at times, but I can’t even fathom the thought of having to go through this again and that alone is the reason I will never smoke again. Just keep your head up and Pray on it…
I agree Candace, I only have 5 days so far and funnily enough, I have never once craved a cigarette during that time, and can look at someone smoking a cigarette and get no urges, and cigarette smoke is starting to bother me quit a bit, but I do have increased anxiety (sometimes leading to mild panic attacks), irritability, even mild shortness of breath, and I also feel generally uneasy, not myself, sometimes lightheaded, which all increase when I am in a situation or place in my house that is very closely connected with my smoking patterns (to the point that moving from watching TV on my living room couch to watching it upstairs in the bedroom (where I very rarely smoked produces an almost immediate and relatively long lasting decrease in all such symptoms). My point is that I am pretty sure that I will not smoke again because I would never want to go through these horrible withdrawal symptoms again, That is my main motivation and what is helping me most I getting through this.
I quit cold turkey a little over 3 months and I’m still dealing with these horrible withdrawal symptoms it seems. Frequent headaches, anxiety, clouded head, agitation and etc. It feels as if my brain has the jitters or something. I never felt like this while smoking and majority of these symptoms are on the list of withdrawls. I’ve checked several sites that have these symptoms lasting up to 4 months. I really hope that’s true because I can’t deal with this much longer. Is there anyone that’s dealing with the same thing after this amount of time? If so, are there any suggestions to help deal with it? Please Help…
I hear ya.. Was a smoker of about 30 years.. Wish i quit sooner. You will make it through!!
Same here! i’ve quit cold turkey for 2 months now and the withdrawrals are just getting out of hand.. always angry, depressed, super clouded head and have a bad case of social anxiety. how long is this shit gonna last! AHHHHHHHHHHH!
I quit rubbing snuff in the a month ago and I’m still going through the anxiety and it sucks. It’s not as bad now as it was at first but it still sucks. I also hope it goes away soon.
I agree Candace, I only have 5 days so far and funnily enough, I have never once craved a cigarette during that time, and can look at someone smoking a cigarette and get no urges, and cigarette smoke is starting to bother me quit a bit, but I do have increased anxiety (sometimes leading to mild panic attacks), feelings like my brain has the jitters or is “tingling”,irritability, even mild shortness of breath, and I also feel generally uneasy, not myself, sometimes lightheaded, which all increase when I am in a situation or place in my house that is very closely connected with my smoking patterns (to the point that moving from watching TV on my living room couch to watching it upstairs in the bedroom (where I very rarely smoked produces an almost immediate and relatively long lasting decrease in all such symptoms). My point is that I am pretty sure that I will not smoke again because I would never want to go through these horrible withdrawal symptoms again, That is my main motivation and what is helping me most I getting through this.
it has been 4 days for me and I am still hanging..
Cold turkey 7 days ago. The peak of withdrawal effects has hit me past 2 days and is still ongoing. Very tense muscles, muscle spazzams, horrible dreams, wake up drenched in sweat every night. I have been coughing up a storm and have been spitting a lot of phlem, usually in the morning before/during the hot shower. Racing thoughts and on the “edge”, but I know I will get past this and so will all of you guys!
I have been smoking a concrete 10 years, with 1 year clean in between. Whats horrible is I vividly remember the terrible withdrawals the first time I quit and am experiencing them all over again, if not worse! I’m determined to never pick smoking up again, the cost and health benefits are just not worth it! Good luck everybody!!
I am on day 13 of cold turkey quitting and have had a real struggle with anxiety and muscles so tense that it’s been hard to even eat! Hardest thing I have ever done. any one else having major muscle tension?
I am give up about 14 days ago..but on gums.today i decide to leave even gum,but withdrawl severe and craving increase’so what i do ,how long withdrawl symptomts will persist.
Quit dipping 5 days ago. I’ve found that lifesaver breath mints are really a life saver when I have an urge to dip. Also when my brother quit smoking he would either get a toothpick or a coffee stir to help out with the withdrawals. Read somewhere that helps get your mind off smoking/dipping for the time being. Hope that helps out for anybody.
I chewed Copenhagen for almost 8 years, i quit yesterday after i cleared my throat and blood came out. I knew it was time to put it down. Im on my first day quitting. The psychological withdraw effects are incredible! I also often times catch myself moving my tongue along my lower lip and gums. I did just about every drug in the book, and i know without a question of a doubt that nicotine, is by far the hardest substance to quit. I used to smoke cigarettes. Quiting cigs was far more easy compared to dip. I would advise nicotine patches if your chewing tobacco. The nicotine content almost doubled that of a cigarette. If you can conquer this, then you were built to conquer the world!!!
I feel ya on the chewing! I started chewing at the age of 15 and I am now 42. I quit 60 hours ago. The dizziness and drop in blood sugar levels have been very hard. I however love the fact that my heart rate is now back to a steady 72 bpm instead of the almost 100 bpm it was hovering at for quite some time. Does this suck? YES!! But the health benefits of quitting outweigh the heck out of not quitting. I will also be able to reduce my life insurance premium almost in half after a waiting period from quitting. That alone is a $1,500.00 per year savings not to mention the cost of the tobacco.
I dipped snuff for over 25 years.
and quit cold turkey it is every hard but I’m making it
If it gets really bad I buy a can of ground up beef jerky to put in my cheek. its not
Tobacco or bad for you
so if you need some thing to help on those times when you need a dip
Like fishing or
any other try it. it can’t hurt.get a can befor you need it. Good Luck.
This is day 3. Quit cold turkey. First thing I did, I prayed to God to free my mind and body of smoking. I’m drinking water with Grape seed extract. Taking cayenne pepper capsules. Sucking on raw ginger and drinking plenty of orange juice. I’m eating healthy and so far my withdrawal symtons are far and few. Not sure if it’s all the things I listed or did God free my from my addiction. Whatever it is…it’s working. Best of luck to all that is trying to kick the habit.
Today I am at 70th ‘no nicotine’ day. 1 small thought almost everyday is what I fight now days. Keep mind busy, light workout and lots of water.. Is the real secret!! And keep it up guys, quit smoking is little tough but not that huge challenge though. If you find it difficult then just give little more.. That’s what it is needed.. All the best.. And if can do then anyone else can definitely do it.. I just don’t mean it but know it definitely.. All the best.. Remember just little more of efforts.. OkEY
Thanks
I am on day 3 without a cigarette. I’m 60 and have smoked since I was 13. This is about the 5th time I’ve quit, and this is the last time. I am on Chantix, and I think it’s a miracle drug. I went from 18 cigs a day down to 5 with no sweat over a 5 week period. This weekend I quit those 5 cold turkey. The drug does away with the psychological habit — now it’s the nicotine withdrawal from my body that I’m dealing with. Congratulations to everyone on here who has quit and stay strong.
I have tried Chantix twice for over a month I didn’t like the medication because it gave me vivid dreams which is one of the common side effects of that medication. But I am glad it has worked for you. I am taking the generic brand of Bupropion it is used as a antidepressant but also helps reduces the nicotine cravings it helps but not always I am just experiencing the withdrawals of no nicotine I just decided to quit just this last Saturday and that’s when it all began for me. Praying and hoping for the best!
Sorry the Bupropion is the generic brand of Wellburtin that is what I am on.
Hello,I’m a little over two months of not smoking, you got to re lax ,don’t let it get the best of you,stay busy when you can’t relax and don’t think of smoking,just think what meals you can cook,what game your going to play&win,trying is what your doing ,like any thing we do,we want to do it well,your reason to quit is worth a life,your life,I hope i helped some,it helps me to, try.
I try not to notice the withdraws,even when there there,I’ll go do somthing,its better then giving up,when the urge stop i’ll let you know,i’m going to find out soon,see ya later.
I just quit smoking this past Saturday I am a mother of a 9 yr old girl I am doing this for her I had been smoking on and off since I was 18 yrs old I had a son he passed away 5 yrs ago and after experiencing all that trauma I noticed that my smoking habits got worse I had gone to my doctor this past Friday and he put me on Wellbrutin the generic brand of it. I have been experiencing some sadness and anxiety and some lack of sleep. I have been trying my best to keep myself busy. I do have a job so I work most of the day 8:30 am to 2:30 pm so that helps. When I am at home though I sometimes have that urge I just think of my daughter and that urge goes away but is there anything I can do further to help myself get through the sadness, anxiety, and the lack of sleep? Please let me know.
i am now on day 4 of going cold turkey from a pack and a half a day to no smokes for ten years. i have tried to quit with the ecigs multiple times but went rite back to the real thing. what every one here says seems to be true the cold sweat’s, no sleep night’s, discomfort, anxiety too but i keep my eye on the prize, MONEY in my wallet i haven’t spent the $15 a day i usually do! i can also take a deep breath now! a full deep, can’t get any more air in my lung’s (no wheezing no pain no hacking) f-ing sweet! i have nic fit’s alot but have read they are short lived and they are, just keep trying to get your mind off it and they do go away. this is truly some thing you have to want to do you don’t just quit. what’s a good reason to quit for you? i breath deep every time i want a smoke and realize i can breath again.
Am on day 3, wearing a patch until a few hours before bed. Tough to sleep, easy to annoy, eating way more. BUT…do not stink, saving money, and most importantly do not want to die.
on my day 8th of not having a tobacco in my mouth. i m 34, i started when i was 18 so basically my body doesn’t know how to live without nicotine. And i was chewing indian Tobacco one of the worse. good quality but still i have found ocassinally solid stone which will crunch between my tooths. and glass some time which will cut my tongue. anyways I am looking at this tobacco as my open enemy and all the friends who offer me free tobacco are not my friends. I am using a stick called MISWAK. i been using miswak since i quit. Search it…Miswak is to brush ur teeth but i keep it all day in my mouth and whenever i feel like i brush around my mouth. i have brown tooth. its been working for me. and also we all have to keep in our mind that we can not change some one else life style unless a person him/herself wants to change. So i m looking at everyone as loosers who do tobacco products, including my own family members. good luck to me if i quit i will be back on this site for more comments.
I started smoke free tobacco (Snuff) Pakistani (Naswar ) when I was 20 , I have quit suddenly befor one year back . I am still committed not to take (Snuff). But some time I still feel craving in my gums area ( where I used to put the snuff pouch). Can anyone suggest me How long will this continue ?
I started when I was 12. I am 60 now. Today is day 7 cold turkey. Right now my brain feels like its in a frying pan, every muscle in my neck and head is locked. my skin feels like pins and needles all over. I can’t sleep. My chest hurts, lungs hurt, have severe anxiety attacks, my doctor gave me 1Mg Lorazipam for the sleep, it (don’t) work. I think I’m going crazy. Help!
Joe I have only smoked for around 5 years and I tried to wean myself for a week and quickly realized that even this caused withdrawal symptoms (less severe than cold turkey but I knew that this weaning would likely prolong the withdrawal symptoms), so I stopped cold turkey 5 days ago and I have all of the symptoms you describe, including panic attacks, chest discomfort and a feeling that I sometimes cannot pull in a full and sufficient breath, which of course increases the anxiety and panic. I find that one thing that helps with the anxiety is to spend as much time as possible in a place (a room in your house, an outdoor park?) in which you have never smoked, or thought about smoking and that generally makes you feel safe an secure. On the second day, I was sitting on the couch where I daily relaxed and had a couple of smokes and I was so anxious, had tingling body, slight difficulty getting a full breath in, etc. but when I went upstairs to my bedroom – where I never smoked – I had an almost immediate and long lasting reduction in these withdrawal symptoms, as a matter of fact they practically went away -and that still works.
Day 5 without a smoke…. Only using Chantix when I feel like I’m going crazy.. Maybe 1 every two days.. I don’t like how it makes me feel. But it does it’s job. When I’m on Chantix, I could care less about a cig. When I quit in the past the night of day 6 is my breaker.. I have to break that this time…. Im 40 and sick of my lungs hunting.. I quit for over a year like 4 years ago.. I felt great, I could be around people smoking and did not care.. Sometimes the smell of a burning cig was nice…. Just had one at a hockey game after having a triple rum and coke and I was back at it again. So this time, NO to just one.. Wish me luck, and good luck to all of you.
Hi,
I quit chew and smoke after 25 years.
It was a decision I made at last…
First few days were very tough but I did it cold turkey…
Solution:
I started fasting and extreme workout…. I m taking 300 calories with 8 glasses of water a day ..
I started running about 6 miles in the morning with 500 push-ups , 500 crunches, 500 lunges and that takes approximate 2 hours…
In the evening I lift weights for about 2 hours including warm up..
So altogether it’s 4.5 hours of workout daily…
I m in the best shape of my life with extreme energy and the withdrawals are very minimum..
As a matter of fact I love the withdrawals, when I feel Cloudy in my head and when I feel not focused..
If anyone works out about 4 to 5 hours a day with fast , it will
Change the breathing pattern and change everything mentally and physically …
Honestly it took me 24 hours and I felt better…
Change ur mind by working out like crazy, trust me quit chewing and smoking is the easiest thing I have ever done in my life…
It’s my 3rd day and I feel perfectly normal except cloudiness and not focused for 3 to 4 time a day …. For about few mins I m just lost but after deep breathing I m fine and normal …
I don’t hang around people smoking or chewing anymore …
I have no support of any kind while going through this .
I work 8-10 hours every day and it’s intense sometimes …
I have been working out since 15 years on and off but after this quit I m more regular to my workouts…
7 days a week . Twice a day around 4 to 5 hours and I can see 6% to 8% of body fat and it’s all because of fasting, running and water…
I m not taking any supplements except multivitamins…
Green tea and 18 egg whites a day with 8 glasses of water …
I listen to motivation tapes every day and write my future goals daily that helps me focus on where I m going each day each min and each sec….
Thanks folks for reading my post
Hope u like it
Day 3 without smoking and I feel a little crabby.. I will feel so happy when these withdrawal feelings are completely gone, which honestly should only be a day more or so.. I’m glad I quit, was smoking a pack a day for the past 13 years.. I wanted to quit so when I go back to work I can actually work all day without needing a damn cigarette.. That has been one of the most annoying things for me, every time I turn around while working or even in general, I would need a cigarette.. I’m really glad to be smoke free! I’m gonna keep to it so I don’t go back..
I quit cold turkey. This is my fourth day and I am still really craving a cigarette! It is so hard. I smoked for 15 years then quit and started smoking again a year ago. I am trying to hang in there.
On my 4th. week of quitting cold turkey. I quit at a high stress level period in my life. The worst part of my withdrawal is the foggy confused state of mind. I am noticing social anxiety to the point of telling people I am sick so I can avoid them. I do not want to leave the house. On a few occasions i felt like committing myself to a pysch ward. Could it be possible that nicotine was masking mental illness or is it just withdrawal? I have quit in the past and experienced brain fog but this time anxiety, hiding, thoughts of mental illness. Really think am going nuts.
Mike,
I definitely know what you mean about feeling like you are going nuts. Its all changes within the body, and you have to persevere. (I am at week 2 of quitting- have been up to 4 months before) Hardest thing in my life to do, don’t particularly want to feel like this again, and will make sure I don’t slip up this time around.
*Really important you get some exercise to relieve the anxiety build up.
(I still wake up and feel like I am going to explode, go mental or whatever that feeling is, all I know is its very distracting.. (somewhere between screaming and crying??)
*Bikram Yoga will also assist in this greatly.
Not sure what else to say, just have to trust that every day you will be starting to feel better about life.
I also quit at a time of extremely high stress (partially because I had begun having panic attacks), and I also, thought that I was forming a mild form of agoraphobia. I have also thought that maybe I might need psychological help (and still haven’t ruled it out). I went to a doctor that gave me Xanax to, as he put it, “take off the edge”. He said to take it 3 times a day but to cut back if it made me too drowsy or otherwise worse as Xanax can be quite addictive itself. As I definitely do not want to replace one addiction with another I took one the Saturday that it was prescribed (3rd day of cold turkey) as I needed it but didn’t take another until Monday morning when I went back to work – I plan to take them only when or if I really need them as I want my mind and body to do as much of this work as possible. This is not ideal I guess as I still have withdrawal symptoms an anxiety) but it has helped a bit. My plan is to combine this treatment with temporary psychological analysis as I believe that there are some depression or other mental aspects to my particular brand of nicotine withdrawal.