As an attempt to live a healthier life, I took a shot at breaking up with smoking for seven days. Here’s my account of what transpired.
Everyone knows that smoking is bad for your health. It disrupts your sleep, rots your gums and, most importantly, is a cause of lung cancer. But why do people still do it? How does one turn a blind eye to the warning labels and jarring images of deformity, rot and tar-drenched lungs? These are all questions I should actually ask myself…
Let’s take a walk down memory lane, shall we? I still can recall my first encounter with the filter-tipped monster. I was 19 and in a club with my crew on a regular Saturday night. It was my first time listening to hardcore house music (a night of many firsts, I must say) and I was not impressed. So, I decided to escape the loud music by heading to the sound-proof smoking room with one of my smoker buds. As usual, my friend offered me a cigarette but this time ‘round, I decided to take one and spark it.
Fast forward 10 years later, I’m now a walking chimney and I can’t go without smoking for more than two hours. True confession: It’s a real addiction. What have I gained? Nothing. But what have I lost? Time, cash and the luxury of climbing the stairs without heaving like an 80-year-old. I’m aware of the health risks but they just don’t seem tangible or real to me. So with everything to gain and nothing to lose, I decided to try quitting smoking for good – or at least starting with a week. However, to be honest, a big part of my reason for wanting to quit is vanity. Especially the idea of getting crow’s feet, fissure-like lines around the mouth and yellow teeth. With that in mind, I embarked on my journey to live a smoke-free life.
Day 1: Saturday
It didn’t start off bad. I would typically smoke a cigarette in the morning with my black coffee. But this time, I didn’t. The real struggle was in the evening when I was out drinking at a wine bar with a couple of my friends. With bated breath, I watched my friends light up and blow out toxic fumes without an ounce of worry for their health. Nope, I didn’t cave in. I thought to myself, “I’ve quit and I don’t need nicotine to have fun.” Hanging onto that feeling of superiority, I survived that night.
Cigarettes smoked: 0
Day 2: Sunday
Cigarettes tend to make you nauseous when you’re going through hangover hell. I’m speaking from experience, of course. Luckily for me, I was too busy trying to remedy my wine-induced hangover the next day. I even squeezed in a run in the evening. Who am I? I guess I’m a new person and that person runs for fun. Because health.
Cigarettes smoked: 0
Day 3: Monday
Humans are creatures of habit, so I was concerned about how I was going to substitute my cigarette breaks during work. I’m not gonna lie – I was hankering for a ciggy at 5pm. So I decided to seek help from my sponsor aka the internet. It turns out that after the one-day mark of not smoking, I’ve decreased my chances of getting a heart attack (yay!). And by the end of the day, I would have an easier time breathing. Holding on to this piece of valuable information and the fact that my throat was hurting less, I stayed strong.
Cigarettes smoked: 0
Day 4: Tuesday
I couldn’t believe I survived three days without smoking. It was a huge feat for someone who inhales one pack a day. Having said that, I’ve got bad news. The little nicotine monster came knocking after lunch when I was feeling bloated. After an hour or so, I gave in to my cravings and smoked one cigarette. Oh yes, I have an emergency stash for dire times like this. Did I feel good about myself? Not really. Did I enjoy it? Nope. Plus, I told my colleagues that I was trying to quit so I felt like a criminal trying to sneak out the office for a smoke. All I know is that I’ve no self-control and maybe Mercury was in retrograde.
Cigarettes smoked: 1
Day 5: Wednesday
Being a firm believer in the saying, “new day, new me”, I started my day off with confidence. However, the feeling soon dissipated just like the smoke from a cigarette and I smoked not one but two cigarettes after work. The frustrating part? I wasn’t even craving for it. Maybe my idle fingers missed holding a fag.
Cigarettes smoked: 2
Day 6: Thursday
I found a new love for chamomile tea. I traded ciggies for something that would soothe my throat instead. How much did I drink? Six cups. Don’t judge, please. I was too busy going to the loo every hour. Still, the idea of inhaling poisonous gas on an exceptionally muggy day didn’t entice me.
Cigarettes smoked: 0
Day 7: Friday
Sadly enough, I wasn’t entirely smoke-free by the end of the week. But hey, my cigarette count for the last six days was three, which is a lot less than my usual. The journey to quitting is a long, winding road, but I’m hopeful that I can find the light at the end of the smokey tunnel. On that note, I’m going to reward myself with a fresh pack of cigarettes. Joking, of course!
If you, like me, are looking to quit smoking, check out I Quit 28-Day Countdown for tips.
