Vaping withdrawal symptoms: what to expect and how long they last

By Antonio Cappiello · Last reviewed 2026-09-21

Vaping withdrawal starts within hours of your last puff, is strongest in the first 3 days and lasts 3 to 4 weeks on average. The usual symptoms are cravings, irritability, restlessness, anxiety, trouble concentrating, low mood, poor sleep and a bigger appetite. It is uncomfortable, not dangerous, and the worst is over within a couple of weeks.

What does vaping withdrawal feel like?

Most vapes contain nicotine, so stopping brings nicotine withdrawal, much like quitting cigarettes. The NHS lists five symptoms for people who stop nicotine vapes: strong cravings, feeling irritable or low, trouble concentrating, feeling hungrier than usual and difficulty sleeping. Smokefree.gov adds restlessness, anxiety and headaches.

A 2020 trial asked 109 daily vapers, all former smokers, to go 6 days without their vape. Half managed it, and among them every standard withdrawal symptom rose, with scores peaking on day 1 or 2. Irritability rose the most, then restlessness, appetite, anxiety and trouble concentrating; low mood and insomnia rose less, and headache and diarrhea did not change. Withdrawal was about 25 percent milder than in a comparable study of smokers going without cigarettes, yet 38 percent said it got in the way of work or daily life in the first 2 days.

Symptom by symptom: when it starts, when it peaks, how long it lasts

Timings follow the NHS pattern for nicotine withdrawal, which the NHS gives for smokers and the CDC says is likely similar for vaping; rows note where a source is specific.

Symptom	Starts	Peaks	Usually lasts	What helps
Cravings to vape	Within hours	First 3 days	3 to 4 weeks on average, then tied to triggers	Let it pass; avoid triggers for 28 days; sugar-free gum; slow breaths
Irritability and anger	Day 1	First 3 days; biggest rise in the trial	3 to 4 weeks on average	Deep breaths; recall your reasons; a walk or a bath
Restlessness	Day 1	First 3 days	First days or weeks	A walk or chores; less caffeine
Anxiety or feeling panicky	Day 1	First 3 days	3 to 4 weeks on average	Walk, stretch, meditate, breathe slowly; a doctor if intense or not easing after 2 weeks
Brain fog	First days	First days	3 to 4 weeks on average	Small tasks, regular breaks; go easy on yourself
Low mood	First days	First week; a smaller rise in the trial	A short time	Stay active, keep a routine, talk to people; a doctor if intense, worsening or not lifting
Insomnia	First nights	First week; smallest rise in the trial	3 to 4 weeks on average	Fixed bed and wake times; no screens in bed; no late caffeine
Bigger appetite	First days	First week; about 1.6 pounds (0.7 kg) gained in 6 days in the trial	3 to 4 weeks on average	Healthy snacks to hand; eat without screens; stay active
Headaches	Listed by smokefree.gov, not timed	Did not rise in the trial	Not given	Water and rest; a doctor if severe or unusual for you
Digestive upset: constipation, gas, stomach aches	Not given	First week	A few days to a few weeks	Fluids; fruit, vegetables, high-fiber cereal
Flu-like feelings: cough, dry throat, nasal drip	First days	Not given	A few days to a few weeks	Fluids and rest; get a fever checked

How long does nicotine withdrawal last?

The CDC says quitting vaping is likely similar to quitting smoking, because both are nicotine addiction; the long-term numbers come from smoking research. The NHS says withdrawal can start within a few hours of the last dose, is strongest in the first week and especially the first 3 days, and lasts 3 to 4 weeks on average, sometimes a few months. Smokefree.gov puts the worst at a few days to a couple of weeks; Australia’s health department says a few days to a few weeks. In the vaping trial the scores peaked on day 1 or 2 and then fell, but 41 percent still had some symptoms on day 6.

So the first 3 days are the hardest, the second week is easier, and after a month most people feel much better. For the day-by-day view, read the quitting vaping timeline.

Does cutting down first make withdrawal easier?

Not measurably: in the Cochrane review of 51 studies of smokers, most trials did not report withdrawal, and quit rates were similar whether people cut down first or stopped at once. The NHS says cutting down nicotine vaping gradually can make quitting easier, because your body gets time to adjust to less nicotine: lower the nicotine strength, stretch the gap between vapes and make some places vape-free. The how to quit vaping cold turkey page compares the two routes step by step.

Cutting down needs a number, and counting puffs gives you one: within a few days you can see your daily total and when most of it goes. The quit plan in Puff Counter (a Premium feature) then sets a daily limit from your own average and lowers it step by step until your quit date. If you keep pushing past the limit, hold it for a few days before the next step down; the NHS makes the same point about nicotine strength: vaping more is a sign you cut it too quickly.

When should you see a doctor?

Nicotine withdrawal is uncomfortable but not dangerous. Still, talk to a doctor if low mood or anxiety is intense, gets worse or has not eased after 2 weeks. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, get help now: call your local emergency number or a crisis line (in the US, call or text 988). Chest pain, a racing heartbeat or trouble breathing are not withdrawal symptoms. Get them checked.

Questions people also ask

Sources

1. NHS Better Health: Managing nicotine withdrawal symptoms
2. NHS Better Health: How to quit vaping
3. Smokefree.gov (National Cancer Institute): Nicotine withdrawal and vaping
4. Smokefree.gov (National Cancer Institute): Managing nicotine withdrawal
5. CDC: 7 common withdrawal symptoms and what you can do about them
6. CDC: Quitting e-cigarettes
7. Australian Government Department of Health: What quitting feels like
8. Hughes JR et al. (2020), Withdrawal symptoms from e-cigarette abstinence among former smokers, Nicotine and Tobacco Research (PMC7171279)
9. Cochrane (2019): Can people stop smoking by cutting down the amount they smoke first?

Related

• Quitting vaping timeline: what happens day by day and week by week
• How to quit vaping cold turkey: what to expect and a step-by-step plan
• Benefits of quitting vaping: what changes, and when

This page is general information about vaping and nicotine, not medical advice. If you are worried about your health or want help quitting, talk to a doctor or a stop-smoking service.