I used the patch so I would know my cravings were habit-based and not physical. I also knew that if I started smoking with the patch, it could be dangerous, so I would not be able to smoke.
It was so hard. The whole oral thing is the hardest to beat. I started supplementing with Twizzlers and French fries...but that would have packed on the pounds, so I switched to water from a straw. Not as good. It's the whole hand-to-mouth thing that was hard for me.
Also the moments where you forget you've quit and want to smoke, like after a meal or after a shower or whatever. "Time for a cigarette! Oh. Wait. It isn't. Ummmm...."
In the car was tough, too.
On occasion, I still get a little jealous of smokers. I see them and I want one.
But eventually, it all eases up, you don't crave them any longer and you don't want one. Plus, the smell. Ugh.
Your sense of smell returns when you quit, which is not always a good thing, lol. It's good for flowers and stuff. But there are unpleasant odors you were missing. You will notice how badly some smokers stink.
The phlegm thing ends. You'll notice that after a while you don't have to clear your throat all the time, too.
It's all good. Stick with it. You'll be so glad you did!