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.
Need more Honeycombers in your life? Head this way…
The post The cigarette journals: I tried to quit smoking for a week and this is what happened appeared first on Singapore.