How to quit smoking: five tips from a smoker who stopped after 35 years
Mark Sharp has smoked since he was a teenager. After a number of failed attempts, he’s now been able to avoid having a cigarette for over a month. He offers advice on kicking the habit for good
Almost three weeks into my new, nicotine-free life and I’m in a taxi – or maybe it’s a tram. I’m with a friend, though I’m not sure who. I pull a pack of cigarettes from my pocket and light one up. After two deep drags, I stub it out. My mysterious companion asks how it feels, to which I reply: “Tastes disgusting.”
After 19 days without a smoke I feel pretty lousy about this relapse – until I awaken with a surge of relief at the realisation that it’s just a dream; a potent fusion of psychology and neurochemistry playing games with my vulnerable mind.
At the time of writing this, I’ve made it past the one-month mark, and am determined not to turn back. So what makes me think I’ve won the battle this time?
It’s said that it’s easier to give up smoking after a number of failed attempts, and I can see why. I’ve tried nicotine gum (it also “tastes disgusting”), Allen Carr’s classic self-help manual The Easy Way to Stop Smoking, and the drug Zyban, which does not contain nicotine but staves off the symptoms of withdrawal. This time I decided to grit my teeth and go cold turkey.
