How I Quit Smoking

Written by Rolf

Smoking is bad on so many levels. There are no reasons to start, only to quit. Yet many people have ever started. Almost as many have tried quitting at some point. Some succeed, some fail. Twelve years ago I started smoking. Two years ago I quit.

The most important success factor is motivation. You need to want to quit. Luckily, there are hundreds of reasons to quit smoking. I'll just name a few here.

Smoking is expensive
Here, a pack of 19 cigarettes is over 5 euro (over 7 USD). I smoked a pack a day in the last year or so. That's almost 2000 euro (2500 usd) in a year. It's a month of income. Imagine what you could have done with that. Buy a big television, go out to dinner every month, go on vacation for two weeks, you name it.

Smoking is unhealthy
Do I need to elaborate? I don't have lung cancer, but the last few years I really noticed being short-winded. I'm not much of an athlete, but I shouldn't get an increased heart rate from walking to the supermarket or going up and down the stairs twice. Now, after two years I'm sure my lung capacity is still not back to normal and I doubt it will ever be, but I don't get winded from a regular walk anymore.
On top of that, smoking makes you want to have sex less, and indirectly makes you get to have sex less due to the smell of your breath and your yellow teeth.

Smoking is filthy
Your clothes smell, your breath stinks.. even your house smells of smoke if you do it inside. The curtains and every bit of cloth and textile are full of the smell of old smoke. The wallpaper near the ceiling is clearly a more yellow than near the floor.

So how to put values into action?

If you agree with the three reasons above, you know why you want to quit. All you need is discipline and you are ready to quit. If I can do it, you can, too. My ex-girlfriend was an enthusiastic smoker and failed to quit, not making my attempt any easier. She was considerate enough to go smoke outside, though. Here are some tips to help you quit.

Don't make excuses
If you want to quit, you need to really quit. One cigarette on a special occasion is not okay. If you're stressed and think you need one, think again. One on your birthday is not a present. Your body needs to get rid of the addiction. One cigarette will reset the progress. Trying to quit together with someone close to you is not necessarily a good idea. If it's hard on you both, you might try to reason your way to a cigarette.

Be aware of the reasons to quit
When you're having a weak moment, remember why you were trying to quit.

Brush your teeth
This is also a nice tip if you're trying to lose weight and are on a diet. Brushing your teeth gives you a fresh minty taste in your mouth and you'll get reluctant to undo that by smoking. Chewing gum is a nice, quick fix if you don't have your toothbrush nearby. I don't believe in nicotin gum.

Tell people
By telling people, you are making a promise to them in addition to yourself. Disappointing others is harder than disappointing yourself. Tell a handful of people that are relatively close to you and will be supportive and understanding. If anything, it will warn people that you might be a tad prickly and on edge. Be sure to tell the people that might occasionally offer you a smoke.

Find distraction
Chewing gum is a good distraction. If you smoke out of habit, try to replace the habit with something else. Learn to juggle, knit a sweater or if you must, eat non-fattening snacks like beef jerky.

Don't tempt yourself
Do not keep a pack 'hidden' in a drawer. Don't keep them in your car or anywhere within reach. Make sure you need to make an effort to get a cigarette so it doesn't seem worth it.

So there you go, start quitting today! The first week or two are the hardest. If you can survive that period, you're safe.