Quitter

 I can't say that I've tried all the ways to quit smoking., actually, if I come to think of it, I only tried  two types: medication, once when my dad brought home some from abroad and cold turkey, this one for numerous times.  The medications, for me, didn't work at all.  Though it made cigarettes taste like cardboard it didn't really remove the urge to smoke.  


For the cold turkey, I would say it's effective - as long as you do it properly.  I remember all the New Year’s eves that I would have my ceremonial last stick before the stroke of 12 and would only be able to quit for a week. I also tried quitting before my 1st child was born, but after a few days in the hospital, I would finally go with one of our friends who are visiting to smoke at the back of MMC.  I even tried getting in to some physical activities so my lungs would give in because of the shorter breaths I'd have., but instead of quitting, I began to realize how satisfying it is to take a puff after a good jog... eventually, I stopped running.

So what worked?  Amazingly, it's the same thing that got me hooked to smoking in the first place: peer pressure.  I started smoking when I was in high school.  Nobody really forced me to but having friends that do made me curious about it.  A few tries in the school's comfort room led to doing it in parties and soirees while pairing it up with alcohol. Then I was doing it while walking outside, after eating, taking a crap, basically, doing it by yourself (without my peers).  It's part of my system already.  A few months and I'm hooked.  It's that easy to start but a 100 times harder to stop.

How To Quit -> check this site

 

• Making the decision to quit

What pushed me to eventually quit is when I realized that more and more of my friends are no longer smoking. It used to be that most of the group is outside while only a few are left inside drinking or eating, now it's the other way around. Now you'll only be the one excusing yourself to quickly smoke outside so you can get back in and not miss anything that the other peer is talking about.  Again, peer pressure but in a positive way.


Besides this, the event that really gave me a push or a slap on the back is this one instance when my daughter and her new friend saw me smoking after a meal, her friend asked her, "Oh, your Dad smokes?" and with an embarrassed face my daughter shamefully answered, "Yeah..." It is only during these moments that you would realize that you’re not only hurting yourself but your little ones as well. 

• Picking a Quit Day and making a plan

Eve of my daughter's birthday and a month before my second daughter is born.  I would suggest get a date that has a meaning to you personally; it will make it more special and would definitely make you feel guilty. On making a plan, I really didn't have one, just cold turkey and I stuck with it...

• Dealing with withdrawal

The first few days without it are really the hardest… I felt the complete opposite of what I've supposed to feel, like there are headaches, instance when it's harder to breathe while walking or even resting, you won't be able to sleep well, taste buds felt numb, and there's this thirst that no amount of water can quench and i feel like I want to vomit.  This is the withdrawal stage, admittedly the hardest to surpass.  Remember, this is more than 15 years of having this in my system 8 times a day; my body will surely look for it.  But i tell you, once you get over this stage which lasts to about 2 weeks, you'll be half way there.  Really!  After this, you would regret and feel bad if you take a puff because you'll tell yourself that you've been without it for 2 weeks now and it's not worth to waste the effort...

• Staying quit (maintenance)

Then it's day by day by day, similar to eating an elephant, piece by piece by piece.  Eventually, your body will no longer look for it... there will come a time that you'll even ask yourself why you smoked in the first place: It doesn't really taste that good, it makes you weak; it gives you bad breath and yellow teeth.  But there will be times when you get really tempted and like me, give in. But hopefully and you'll surprise yourself on this, it will not be that easy for you to get hooked again. But it will be best not to challenge yourself on this just to be safe.

Fashion? Nah, there's really nothing fashionable about smoking.  You may think that you'll look good when you're smoking but in reality, you don't.