Cigarettes as a crutch; kicking the habit for good

As told by a Saskatchewan Health Authority employee

As I approach a full decade without cigarettes, I’m compelled to reflect on my own struggle with kicking the habit.

I grew up in a small town in the 1980s. It was a time when it was common to see people smoking just about anywhere. The dangers of second-hand smoke were barely a thought. Most adults I knew smoked, including my mother, although she made sure to lecture my sister and me often about how bad it was for us. As we watched her light up, I don’t think that message really sank in at that time.

In my late teens and 20s, I never accepted myself as a full-blown smoker, billing myself instead as an “occasional smoker”. But eventually, cigarettes became my crutch. Despite the disapproving eyes of those I cared about, I depended on cigarettes in times of stress, and didn’t think about the fact they were doing more damage to my heart and lungs than the stress of life ever could.

But there came a point for me when I realized that every time I lit one up, I was lying to myself and hurting the people I genuinely cared about.

The resources, like our locally based smoking cessation programs, were always there to help me. But it wasn’t until I was serious about quitting that I made it a priority to seek them out. When I did, I met with a counsellor who helped me to understand my addiction was mental, not physical. He helped me to see if that if I could just get control of my mind in those moments of weakness, I could kick the habit for good. And I did.

In the year that followed my decision to quit, I experienced some emerging health issues related to breathing and blood pressure. But I caught them early, and now as I approach my forties, I’m continuing to work hard to get my health back in check.

I still crave cigarettes occasionally. But each and every day, I make that choice to quit. I choose my health, not my crutch.

More information on smoking cessation in Saskatchewan can be found here.