One in every 14 people in the United States is an active smoker [1]. Though many are aware of the negative repercussions of smoking, the rate at which people quit is still lower than ideal.
We interviewed three ex-smokers and compiled their responses on what made them quit smoking, what it takes to quit, and their experiences after that.
Q: When did you start smoking?
Participant 1: I started smoking with my best friend when I was 16. We were curious about what’s special about smoking and how it tasted. 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, and he always had a stash of cigarette packets at home. So I lit my first cigarette in secret when I was only 13 for the kick of it. 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, at that time, that it looked cool. Initially, I looked at smoking as something to do to pass the time or make a socially awkward moment less troubling. But eventually, I got to one pack a day and continued that for the next 20 years of my life.
Q: Why did you want to quit smoking?
Participant 1: In my mid-20s, I understood that I could not afford smoking as a habit anymore. I had many commitments and goals (i.e., buying my apartment) for myself. So I realized that cutting down on cigarette packets 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 started to develop tolerance and couldn’t experience the same “high” from one packet of cigarettes. Instead, I experienced many side effects from being a chain-smoker: panic attacks, vivid dreams, paranoia (also worsened my ulcerative colitis)
Q: How did you finally quit smoking?
Participant 1: I made sure to divert my energy and attention to other activities like exercising. It’s not like cigarettes can light themselves up, right? It requires conscious processing and decision-making. So I had to change my mindset to focus on the long-term benefits of quitting smoking. I also had my best friend (yes, the same person it started with) join me in the process of quitting.
Participant 2: There are probably better ways out there, but I quit cold turkey. I didn’t use any patches or substitute cigarettes with vape or e-cigarettes. I think I could do it because I had a strong mentality of WANTING to quit instead of NEEDING to quit.
Participant 3: Honestly, for the first year or so of trying to quit, I kept giving in to my overwhelming urges to pick up a stick of cigarette. It’s difficult to break a 20 year-long habit. So I started using nicotine patches to eliminate the physical cravings for cigarettes. Without the devastating nicotine withdrawal symptoms like tremors, bad headaches, and nausea, it made the efforts to quit easier. I finally had to break the habit loop to break free from my smoking addiction.
Q: What’s your advice for anyone who wants to quit smoking?
Participant 1: Removing possible “triggers” for smoking is essential. For example, you need to throw away your cigarette packets and ashtrays, so you’re not reminded of your smoking habit loop.
Participant 2: Something interesting I read online is that “craving feelings” only last for about 20 minutes for most people. So every time you feel this intense urge to pick up a cigarette, remind yourself that the feelings will disappear within the next 20 minutes. Do other activities like cleaning your house or going out for a walk during that time fram
e to actively prevent yourself from falling back into the habit.
Participant 3: Talk to your local pharmacist or healthcare provider to help you quit smoking. They’ll guide you on the steps-by-step framework. There are nicotine gums and patches that can help you quit. Take it slow and trust in the process.
In the words of Confucious, “men’s natures are alike; it is their habits that separate them.” Smoking is a debilitating habit that will negatively impact your health. But it can be overcome successfully, as described by these three interviewees. Consistency, determination, and a st
rong purpose are the three common factors of successful quitting amongst all three candidates.
On the other hand, if you know someone in the journey of quitting smoking, be as supportive as possible. A little act of kindness or a word of motivation can go a long way. Let’s break the smoking habit cycle in our communities because our bodies deserve much more!
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