BY ESTHER NURIA
SMOKING is a practice in which a substance is burned and the resulting smoke breathed in to be tasted and absorbed into the blood stream.
Smoking related diseases have shown to kill approximately half a long term smokers when compared to average mortality rates faced by non-smokers. And a report shows that each year, about 4.9 million people worldwide die as a result of smoking.
Solomon Women Newspaper this week was so fortunate to meet up with a woman, Sarah (pen name) who shared her experience as to how she came to quit smoking cigarette – a deadly habit that smokers have find it so hard to quit.
Solomon Women Newspaper (SWN): When and why did you decide to start smoking cigarettes?
Sarah (S): I quit smoking just 5 months ago, after realizing how much money I wasted on single cigarettes every day.
SWN: How many years did you smoke cigarettes?
S: Am actually kind of on and off with my smoking habit but this time it’s different like over the past years I find it really hard to quit it took me a while to do it but this time around I quit without having any regrets and I kind of hate cigarettes. I guess I just grew tired of the smoking habit. I don’t know.
SWN: How did smoking affect your health and day to day life?
S: Honestly it did make me sick, I’ve got this really crazy dizziness for about a month and I lost my apatite as well. I took some Medical test to see if I had any complications but I was okay and then the Doctor told me that it could be the side effect of me quitting, knowing that I just quit smoking few months ago.
SWN: What made you decide to quit smoking?
S: Like I said I realized how much money I wasted on buying single cigarettes every day, you know if I calculated how many cigarettes I take per day in one year, it costs me almost more than two thousand dollars! But if I save that money I could spend it on something good by the end of the year.
SWN: What were some challenges you faced when quit smoking?
S: Peer pressure, tempting me to smoke at least one cigarette while we’re telling stories, you know how it is when friends pressure you to do something.
SWN: How did you successfully quit?
S: This might sound corny especially to you if you’re not a believer but it actually happens to me. We were having a family prayer one evening after the New Year’s Eve and the celebrant was talking about how Jesus turned water into wine and he said if Jesus can turn water into wine then he can turn you from a bad person to a good person and by the end of he’s sermon he asked each of to think of anything you would like Jesus to help you change. That time I was thinking hardly about smoke. If God can help me overcome this feeling of wanting to smoke and so we prayed, after the service I went out to the veranda and light up a cigarette, can’t believe I can’t finish up the cigarette because I was feeling dizzy and almost threw up. These feelings keep repeating every time I smell nicotine which led me to finally quit smoking
SWN: How has your life improved since quitting?
S: I wouldn’t say my life has improved because after quitting I ended up eating more than I usually do which is very disappointing especially when am trying my best to lose weight, but financially yes i saved the change after going to the shops.
SWN: What advice would you give to other women who are trying to quit smoking?
S: To all the beautiful mums out there who are trying to quit, I think it’s about time you seriously think about what you really want, think about what’s best for you and your children, I know it’s not that easy giving up on something that you relate yourself to already, using it to relieve your stress every time and treating smoke as an excuse to lose weight too. (I mean common we all know that belle fat is made in the kitchen) To be successful, it’s something that comes from within you that will help motivate yourself to successfully quit. It’s a war against yourself so be a fighter and save yourself!
SWN: Any final comments you wish to share to our readers?
S: Am no health expert but all I know is lungs deserve the fresh air to help bring more oxygen to the cells and improves the cleansing action of your lungs. The increased oxygen level in the body brings with it increased energy to do the things you need to do. Give yourself a chance to enjoy what life hold in store for you by successfully quitting.
