@riteil

How I Quit Smoking This habit has a ton of followers around the world. Until recently, I was one of them. I didn’t smoke cigarettes in the usual way—I tried starting a couple of times, but the mix of dryness, bitterness, and disgust stopped me by the second one. Then I discovered hookah, and that changed everything. The smooth, flavorful smoke… that’s when I first felt that intoxicating rush of nicotine. What was smoking to me? A ritual to unwind, kind of like alcohol. We all know about the harm to the body, but what pushes people to act irrationally toward their own health? Asking smokers this question, I’d get excuses like “I could quit anytime,” yet they keep poisoning themselves. Oh well, everyone’s got their own head on their shoulders. I’ve been pondering my own answer for a while, and I narrowed it down to a few key points: • Stress, after which nicotine soothes so nicely • Social ritual—when meeting friends, you light up automatically to join in • An alternative: celebrating an event without wanting alcohol, but chasing that endorphin hit from nicotine • Environment: at work or with family, most people smoke, and even passive exposure gets you nicotine Then I started acting locally and gradually—because 1 × 365 vs. 1.1 × 365 adds up differently. I couldn’t avoid stress, but I ditched all the smoking gear and tobacco itself. In-person hangouts with friends dropped off, and after a while, it got easier to say no. And you know what, friends? These steps were enough to tip the scales toward health. It’s been about a year now with clean lungs and a clear head. Thanks if you read this all the way through. The photo below is from 7 years ago

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