Man addicted to cigarettes for 13 years reveals secret to successful 'quitting'

When did you start smoking and why?

- I started smoking in my second year of college. At first, I saw my friends smoking very "cool", so I tried it for fun, and then gradually became a smoker without realizing it. Later, when I started working, work pressure and living habits made me dependent on cigarettes. I work in the construction industry, often working on construction sites, high-paced, occasionally having a break I would smoke a cigarette. It gradually became a habit, smoking when tired, smoking when sleepy, smoking when stressed. On average, I smoked about 2 packs of cigarettes a day, regularly for many years.

Why did you decide to quit smoking? Tell us about your journey!

- At first, I thought smoking was normal, a way to relieve stress, and it didn't affect anyone. After getting married, my wife suggested that I quit smoking, but I just ignored her. It was only when my wife announced that she was pregnant with our first child that I seriously researched the harmful effects of smoking and decided to quit.

My decision to quit smoking was supported by my whole family, especially my wife. My wife also made detailed plans for each day and each week. Every day, she arranged for me a regular schedule to give up the habit of smoking and to eat on time, ensuring adequate nutrition to avoid the feeling of "craving for cigarettes".

Honestly, the decision to quit smoking came quickly, but the journey was not easy. Thinking back to the first days of trying to quit smoking, I had to fight against feelings of restlessness, irritability, and cravings to the point that my hands shook every time I saw someone else smoking. There were times when I felt like giving up. I remember days when I tried to hold back for the whole day, but then I sneaked out to the balcony to have a few puffs to "ease the pain". Many times when I was secretly smoking, my wife discovered me and quickly put out the cigarette. At that time, my wife just looked at me without saying a word, which made me feel even more guilty. After those times, I was more determined to quit smoking, but honestly, I relapsed many times in secret.

In the past, I had to smoke a cigarette every morning after having coffee, lunch and dinner. But determined to quit smoking, I stopped smoking at those times and found something else to do. I did this for about 2-3 days, and the cravings for cigarettes gradually decreased and stopped completely. After more than 4 months of perseverance, I controlled my cravings and was no longer dependent on cigarettes. After quitting smoking, I saw positive changes in my body such as: sleeping and eating better, no more coughing in the early morning, no more smell of cigarette smoke in my clothes and my mind became clearer and more optimistic. In particular, I also saved some money every month.

What are your thoughts after quitting smoking? What advice do you have for people who smoke and want to quit?

- I should have quit smoking earlier or not started smoking in the first place because I saw many benefits from stopping smoking, not only for myself but also for those around me. Quitting smoking is not only about overcoming my addiction, but also helping me overcome myself.

Smoking is harmful to health, I have felt that for many years of being addicted to smoking so I want to advise everyone to quit smoking as soon as possible. Some experiences that helped me quit smoking successfully that everyone can apply are: Exercise, chew gum, eat fruit, go out for a walk instead of holding a cigarette, limit going to places that make you smoke again... There is no need to force yourself to quit smoking in a short time, set a specific goal each day and gradually increase it. The most important factor to quit smoking is determination and perseverance, after many failures you will definitely quit smoking successfully.

Thanks for sharing!

Alarming numbers related to tobacco

According to WHO statistics, tobacco is causing about 8 million deaths each year in the world . Each year, there are 1 million deaths due to passive smoking, of which 64% of deaths due to passive smoking are women and 160 thousand deaths are children under five years old.

In Vietnam, approximately 40,000 people die each year from tobacco-related diseases. The World Health Organization predicts that by 2030, the number will increase to more than 70,000 deaths if tobacco harm prevention measures are not effectively implemented.

Tobacco is linked to 25 leading causes of death, such as stroke, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer. Of these, the rate of patients at risk of lung cancer when smoking is up to 96.8%. Smoking not only affects health but also severely affects the economy . In Vietnam, according to preliminary estimates by the Vietnam Health Economics Association in 2022, the total cost related to medical examination and treatment, illness, and premature death due to diseases related to tobacco use is 108,000 billion VND per year.

Minh Trang

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/nguoi-dan-ong-13-nam-nghien-thuoc-la-tiet-lo-bi-quyet-cai-nghien-thanh-cong-post544917.html