When going through withdrawal, craving is a psychological
urge to administer a discontinued medication or recreational drug. The duration
that cravings last after discontinuation varies substantially between different
addictive drugs. For instance, in smoking cessation, a substantial relief is
achieved after approximately 6–12 months, but feelings of craving may
temporarily appear even after many years following cessation. Cravings may be
triggered by seeing objects or experiencing moments that are associated with
the drug or usage of it, and this phenomenon, termed post acute withdrawal
syndrome, may linger the rest of the life for some drugs. For the alcohol
withdrawal syndrome, the condition gradually improves over a period of months
or in severe cases years.
