Three weeks after quitting smoking: real feelings and the process

After thirty years of smoking, almost three packs a day, it’s terrifying to think about!

At 50 years old, long-term smoking undoubtedly poses health risks, and I can already feel it in various aspects. If it weren’t for my habit of exercising a bit, I might have been in trouble.

Quitting smoking has always been on my mind, but I never took real action. This time, my motivation to quit was purely out of health concerns, driven by a bad premonition that if I didn’t quit, I might lose everything!

In the early stages of quitting, I spent most of my time reading articles on Zhihu about quitting smoking and nicotine addiction.

There are generally a few methods to quit smoking: 1. Willpower method 2. Easy quitting method (that book) 3. Self-deception method (reducing intake, e-cigarettes, nicotine patches, etc.)

I decisively chose the willpower method. I firmly believe that to change a bad habit cultivated over 30 years, strong willpower is essential.

Those who have been through it say the first week is the hardest. After that, it gets easier. This conclusion was very effective for me; the first three days felt similar to what all quitters experience, with withdrawal symptoms making it very uncomfortable, and there was a strong urge to smoke every few minutes, continuously breaking down my psychological defenses. Interestingly, my confidence also increased simultaneously; indeed, the feeling of health improvement began to emerge. It’s a game of strategy!

I won’t dwell on the uncomfortable aspects; the only way to overcome withdrawal symptoms is simply not to smoke. Let the pain escalate and then endure it. Once you reach the peak, it becomes the easier process of quitting.

The actual withdrawal symptoms lasted only five days!! Coughing up phlegm, insomnia, depression, anxiety, and hysteria—if I had to describe it, it would be overly dramatic compared to going to the hospital for treatment.

Three weeks have passed.

Feeling light!

Reminder: 1. Avoid environments with smoke during the quitting period 2. No alcohol during the quitting period. Not even a sip.

—July 27, 2021, two years after quitting—

What I want to express today is that if you can refrain from smoking for just five days, the following two years will be free from cravings. If there is any so-called psychological craving, it’s entirely your choice. If you smoke, you have to start over; if you don’t smoke, it’s not hard at all.

To add to the changes after two years of quitting: 1. My gaze is more determined 2. My execution and judgment have continuously improved 3. My stress resistance has increased 4. My hair has thickened, and wrinkles have diminished. 5. My complexion is rosy 6. My blood pressure has returned to normal at 120/80 (previously high blood pressure) 7. My exercise volume has increased by 100% 8. My X interest and combat effectiveness have improved 9. Smoke-free socializing has enhanced team dynamics. 10. I’ve put my family at ease. The benefits are so numerous that I want to smile every day.

In the comments section, some people occasionally ask me if I relapsed. From the moment I put down the cigarette, I no longer picked it up. This is a decision that benefits a lifetime! I am grateful to Zhihu for guiding me to quit smoking, and I hope more people can successfully quit smoking. I also wish the readers of this article a lifetime of health!