The First Week of Quitting Smoking [I Quit Smoking Blog Series]

The first week I stopped smoking was the most difficult time for me. This was the time when the withdrawal symptoms were so overwhelming. Most of the time, I found myself staring into space. People around me had a hard time talking to me. I felt cranky and drained.

In this blog post, I will share the seven techniques I used to fight the nicotine cravings during the first seven days.

1. I avoided smokers. I admit that I could easily give in to my urges if I hang out with my friends who smoke, so I avoided them for the meantime. I also asked my siblings to not smoke inside the house when I’m home.


2. I went to bed early. I avoided drinking coffee after 6 P.M. so that I can rest early. I still had several series of panic attacks that woke me up in the middle of the night. However, since stores are closed during the wee hours of the morning and I no longer kept cigarettes in the house, I had no choice but to just overcome my cravings.


3. I got rid of lighters and the ash tray I kept in my room. I also changed my bed sheets and pillow cases so that my bed will have a fresh scent and free of any smoke odor.


4. I drank plenty of water. This actually helped me a lot. Increasing my fluid intake didn’t just detoxify my body, but it also made my hands and mouth busy.


5. I constantly reminded myself of the reasons why I’m quitting. I can’t always channel my cravings toward eating or drinking water because these can be harmful too when overdone. That’s why I also convinced myself to don’t give in to my urges by constantly reminding myself why I’m doing this.


6. I didn’t look for alternatives that may only worsen my situation. I bought e-cigarettes before to help me quit smoking, but it turned out to be an ineffective alternative. I even tried gradual reduction, but this method also failed and I even got sick as a result. Also, I didn’t want to try nicotine patches, gums, and lozenges because I want to quit without having to spend so much money. That’s why I decided to just stop immediately or go cold turkey.


7. I read articles online why I experienced cravings and withdrawal symptoms after I quit. It’s not enough reason for me to simply say that I got addicted with smoking, and that’s why my body constantly longs for cigarettes. I wanted a complete answer—something that’s backed by a scientific explanation. As a result of my research, I learned that the reason why I craved for cigarettes is because of its nicotine content—which is an addictive substance. And because I was a smoker for 12 years, it’s just normal to feel intense cravings after I stopped. What I learned about cigarettes helped me find other ways on how I can quickly flush the nicotine out of my system. And that’s what I will share on my next post.

I’m glad because some of my friends told that they also stopped smoking after I created this segment on my blog and shared it on Facebook. Because of this, I am even more motivated to continue on this endeavor. Thank you very much to my friends who also quit smoking. Also, I’d like to express my gratitude to my family and friends for their support.

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