Why three minutes
Clinicians have used the four Ds for decades: delay, deep breath, drink water, distract. Delay works because most nicotine cravings are time-limited.
Individual urges often peak and fade within about three minutes. The fight is not white-knuckling all day; it is surviving each short wave.
What a craving timer app should do
Open fast, one tap, no scrolling. Count down three minutes with clear phases. Offer grounding, not cheerleading.
Log the trigger after so patterns emerge. Optional AI messages during the wait help some people stay present.
- Craving SOS shortcut on home screen
- Box breathing or water prompts
- Trigger log after the timer
- No forced streak reset on slip
Quitt: timer plus full toolkit
Quitt centres on a three-minute craving timer with quitt ai and a PWA Craving SOS shortcut, but that is the entry point, not the whole app. You also get an NHS + Quitt plan, trigger map, if-then plans, risk-hour push, slip alerts, buddy ping, and community.
Not medical treatment. Pair with NHS for patches or gum. £6.99/month, cancel anytime from your profile.