Wellness

I Quit Smoking a Year Ago. I Don't Miss It.

2022

6 min read

HGF Team

One in every 14 people in the United States is an active smoker. We interviewed three ex-smokers and compiled their stories on what made them quit.

When Did You Start Smoking?

Participant 1: "I started at 16 with my best friend. We were curious about what's special about smoking. When we first took the puffs, we started coughing. But as days passed, we began to smoke routinely."

Participant 2: "My father is a smoker. I lit my first cigarette in secret when I was only 13. But it only became a habit when I was 19, I smoked through all of my bad and stressful days."

Participant 3: "I started at 17 because I felt it looked cool. Eventually, I got to one pack a day and continued for the next 20 years."

Why Did You Want to Quit?

Participant 1: "I couldn't afford smoking as a habit anymore. Cutting down on cigarettes would help improve my financial state."

Participant 2: "It got to a point where I couldn't sleep without smoking. That's when I knew I had to quit."

Participant 3: "I stopped having fun with it. I experienced panic attacks, vivid dreams, paranoia."

How Did You Finally Quit?

Participant 1: "I diverted my energy to exercising. I changed my mindset to focus on the long-term benefits. My best friend joined me in the process."

Participant 2: "I quit cold turkey. No patches, no substitutes. I had a strong mentality of WANTING to quit instead of NEEDING to."

Participant 3: "I used nicotine patches to eliminate physical cravings. Without the withdrawal symptoms, it made efforts to quit easier."

Advice for Anyone Who Wants to Quit

• Remove triggers, throw away cigarette packets and ashtrays
• Craving feelings only last about 20 minutes, do other activities during that time
• Talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider for guided steps
• Nicotine gums and patches can help, take it slow and trust the process

"Men's natures are alike; it is their habits that separate them.", Confucius

Smoking is a debilitating habit, but it can be overcome. Consistency, determination, and a strong purpose are the common factors of successful quitting. Let's break the smoking habit cycle in our communities because our bodies deserve much more!

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