Written By: Kriti Saraswat | Published : June 10, 2014 6:58 PM IST
Manish Asrani, a 26-year-old, was a smoker for six years before he successfully ditched the habit. He shares his inspiring story of how he made the switch and has never lit a cigarette again. Read what prompted him and kept him going to kick the butt, the trials and tribulations he faced and how he overcame his dreaded addiction which is slowly killing millions of people every year, across the globe.
At what age did you start smoking?
I had my first cigarette at the age of 15.
Why did you start smoking?
I primarily did it because I thought it looked cool. I was inspired by seeing people in movies smoke and wanted to try it.
How did it become a habit?
The first time I tried it, I was in the ninth grade but it was only when I was in the tenth grade did I really pick it up as a habit. Initially you don't have the knack of it, how to take a drag but once you learn it, you start enjoying it. Me and my friends used to smoke in the evenings after school just to get a kick out of it. Slowly, the number increased. By the time I was in college, the number increased to five cigarettes a day and later it even went up to 20! By then I also had the money to buy them. There was a time when me along with friends would spend thousands on expensive cigarettes.
Did you notice any kind of health problems because of smoking?
Yes, I used to play football in college but I noticed that I couldn't last the entire game. I could not run for too long. Because of smoking, I did not have much stamina and I also lost my appetite.
Did smoking affect your relationship with your family?
My sister and mother were completely against it and I would often lie to them about the same. But at times when I was careless, they would find cigarette packets in my college bag. So yes, it did affect my relationship with them.
After smoking for six years, what was it that made you decide you have to quit?
You don't always have reasons for smoking but you definitely have one for quitting! There comes a time when you want to think about yourself, your life. It was one incident that was the turning point in my life. I was on the highway at 3.30 am, alone, puffing away and it was at that point I realised, I am not smoking the cigarette, it is the cigarette which is smoking away my life! I realised I was out of control, it was an addiction and I just wanted to get out it anyhow.
How did you quit?
I tried quitting and succeeded for six months but after a point I would go back to the habit again. For me, the exact definition of quitting is to never go back to it again. And so, I decided I had to try harder. My will power helped me a lot. I wanted to quit to have a healthier future. If tomorrow my kids smoke in front of me and I still haven't quit, I wouldn't be able to stop or help them either.
It was a difficult phase as the nicotine craving was very strong. It remains for as long as 10 years also after you quit. So even after I quit, I would have the urge to smoke especially when one is stressed out. A cigarette is your companion which never leaves your side and helps you relax momentarily. Once it becomes a habit, you start smoking in happiness, sadness, when you are celebrating, when you are bored, etc. There is no reason not to smoke. But it was difficult to keep control in stressful times. But sheer dedication did help as I did not want to go back to my addiction phase again. And it's been six years now since I've smoked a cigarette.
I did it in my own way. Initially, whenever I would feel like smoking, I would eat an ice cream as that is something I absolutely love and it made me happy. But as the weather changed, the number of ice creams also declined as I caught a cold eating too many of them during the rains.
I also took help from my family. I had told them that I am quitting and if ever I feel low or have the urge to go back, I will need your support. They completely supported me but luckily, I never had a chance to pick up the phone and call them up. I managed it on my own somehow.
Is there any tip which can help others who want to quit?
I believe one can really quit once they make up their mind that they want to. But yes, I'd suggest that when you do so and you have the urge to go back to the habit, do something that you absolutely love. It could be eating something you like or listening to music or talking to a friend. Just keep your mind occupied and have the dedication to say no to your mind when it prompts you to smoke.
Being amongst people who smoke can be tempting but if your mind is made up, you will be able to handle that situation well. Any form of addiction is bad. But smoking is something which is an accepted norm these days. You cannot go drunk to work but you can afford to take smoke breaks during office hours. This is why it is quite common and difficult to give up. But focus on the reason you decided to quit to never go back to it. Trust me, there is life beyond smoking. I drink too but make it a point to drink only occasionally to celebrate. Living alone means I can easily come home and pour myself a drink or smoke for that matter but it is a promise I've made to myself to never smoke again and never drink in sadness or alone which gets me through. Will power is a powerful weapon, use it to your advantage to help you quit smoking. Mind over matter!
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