Sometimes it feels like I go for a full 24 hours craving cigarettes. My friend, who is a doctor, tells me that there is a pattern to cravings. What are these patterns and how long do they last?

Certain times have been identified as being "high relapse periods" in the quitting process. From the moment of abstinence, peaks in cravings and smoking relapse commonly occur:

• After the first 24 hours;
• After the first week;
• After the second week;
• At the end of the first month;
• In the third or fourth month;
• In the sixth month;
• After the first year;
• After the second year;
• After the fifth year; and
• After the eleventh year.

You probably noticed that you double the time between relapse periods if you can make it through a relapse cycle. A significant reduction in the frequency and severity of cravings usually occurs after the first month and after the fourth month. Generally, by your sixth month, you will begin to feel like a real ex-smoker!