Quitting Smoking

in #health7 years ago

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I myself was an avid smoker. I was pretty bad, and I want to preface this article that quitting smoking was not easy. It was comfy and at the time fun, and most of all an addiction. I was 2.5 packs a day. Now, this is not the right to stand on my soap box. This is one mans journey in quitting smoking.

It all started 17 years ago, and I remember it well. The first time I put a cigarette up to my lips. It was like yesterday. People would ask me "Why don't you quit." The retort I gave was "I am not a quitter." While I was right, I was also wrong in a dualistic sense. I was comfortable and I didn't care. I bought cigarettes at the time they were $3.25. I then remember the $3.75 increase. I then remember $4.25. I finally quit at $4.75. The interesting fact is that if you smoke you can understand one thing. You don't give a shit about your health and your self because if you did you would quit. Otherwise why would you do it?

Its the pull. The addiction. The smoke. The gestures. All of the above. I understand one concept about it. Not loving yourself is the causality behind it. You might say "But, Mario I love myself." I don't feel that way. That is your cognitive brain pushing reasoning and excuses to stay in the smoking zone. I told myself the same line of bullshit. Due to smoking being socially acceptable to a degree and a different degree unlike heroin for example. It makes the addiction really difficult due to the wide acceptance of it. The whole vape scene. This is a placation and passive stance with it. I took an aggressive one. I wanted to get to the root of the problem. The root of problem is self love. Caring about your health along with true self care. If you care about your self it becomes hard to smoke, and even difficult. Smoking is not a symptom caring about yourself is the symptom. We run on auto-pilot as the subconscious takes over. It is like someone else is flying the plane.

How did I do it? How did I quit? I took small steps and took a lot of courage. I had to stop going where cigarettes where. I stopped going to bars at that time. I saved a lot of money and fueled my education with that money. I valued learning over cigarettes.

I asked myself "How can I get through the week." Then I said "I don't have to" I need to get through the hour. I got through 1 hour. Then told myself. If I can do one hour I can do two. Then I made it to the two hour mark. I then did 4 hours as a challenge. Then I made 4 hours without smoking. I then did 16 hours and so on. I compounded the time and confidence. I finally made it 3 months and said I can do another 3 and it go easier.

Smoking is painful and sucks. I refuse to cave in an be weak about it. I have worked too hard on caring who I am.

Loving yourself is the key. If you don't believe that then you may fall into the clap trap idea and justification of it.
Most say "Why bother?" and "You are going to die anyway." Good luck with that rationale as it steps directly from not loving yourself.

This is not a soapbox to say I am better than anyone. This is my story of caring about myself and quitting a shitty habit that had taken my soul at one point. I got disturbed about it and made a strong decision and commitment 17 years ago. The doctor says lungs look great after all those years. One of the hardest things I have ever done was making a decision to care.

You can do this.
Go all the way! If you know someone who needs to quite share this story to them.

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Oh boy, I been promising myself everyday since last 3 years that I am goin to quit!

Perhaps you should follow through.

Thanks for sharing... Love it.

Very good lesson learn from your post. Yes self love is the main power to avoid bad habit. Thanks for sharing it is a nice lesson who are addicted seviourly. Actually everyone have wanted to get rid of it. I think addiction is not bad but in good things, you should have addicted in your job, friendship,steemit,love all these are not bad. Please have a look on my post I have also posted about addiction, but in good sense. Wish you good luck and happiness.

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