By Shilpi Bhatt:
I have been a passive smoker for the past 6 years. I am married to a man who used to smoke a good number of cigarettes every day but he used to always remind me that it was not his addiction. Also, he firmly said that he could quit whenever he wanted and of course I never believed him until one day he actually quit. It’s been 10 months and he hasn’t smoked a single cigarette, not even the electric one I gave him on his birthday. Hoping but not constraining him to do so.
We have been married for six years now and I used to see him smoke 10-12 cigarettes per day. I never stopped him because he is an adult and he knows what he is doing. However, what makes me insane is when he lets me know that he has smoked a larger number of cigarettes compared to the previous day. Well, I knew that he wanted to quit but it wasn’t as important to him like other priorities in his life. He used to smoke off and on, sometimes just to see if he can survive without a cigarette. One day he decided to reduce the number to 5-6 and he did well. Last year, he claimed to reduce the numbers by smoking only during the weekends. Mathematically, he smoked the same number by smoking more cigarettes on Sunday because from Monday till Friday he didn’t smoke. Actually, it was his mood was overpowering his will not to smoke, so numbers were subject to increase and decrease according to his mood. He proved that he can stay without cigarettes during weekdays but used to see it as a motivation to smoke on weekends. Well it is will power that can beat nicotine, the primary psychoactive chemical in cigarettes, which is very addictive.
When we were bestowed with a baby girl in 2015, he was determined to quit but that never happened until this year. It was a hassle to clean your teeth, nose, and ear and change clothes every time you smoke because you have an infant at home. He was ready to face any inconvenience caused by cigarettes. I had known and seen adverts, in addition to hearing from many people that cigarettes are not easy to quit; it would need nicotine gum, patches, inhalers, sprays, and lozenges. I believed them because I felt that they were right and I believed that my husband was never going to quit.
However, he surprised me when he never used any supplement to help him quit, I know that it was his will power and courage that got him to do so. He was able to gradually reduce the numbers month by month. Now I can proudly say that he has quit smoking without any help. A little advise for all: try not to set out to look for motivation to stop; you won’t or you will lament in the event that you can’t. What helps you to be determined and persistence, is your will power.
I would like to accolade my beloved husband. Our daughter will be so proud of him.