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Submitted by PatientsEngage on 18 July 2020

Ketak Thakur, 36-year-old chain smoker, stopped smoking during lockdown for fear of getting infected with coronavirus and dying due to respiratory inflammation and collapsed lung. He shares his tips on quitting smoking. 

I started smoking in 2007. I was on a visit to the USA. One evening, I was attending a party and my friends persuaded me to try one cigarette. I didn’t want to smoke, but there was a celebratory mood all around, and I didn’t want to be a dampener.

हिंदी में पढ़े : मैंने कोविड के डर की वजह  से धूम्रपान करना छोड़ दिया

At that time I used to be working in a BPO in Delhi. The smoking culture is quite prevalent in such organizations. I would be on night shifts frequently. The long strenuous hours and sedentary jobs were exhausting, often resulting in body pain and headaches. During breaks, many people would step outside for fresh air and quick smoke. After returning from the US, I too began joining my colleagues for a cigarette.

It started the usual way with just a few puffs, then two or three cigarettes. And before I knew, I was having over 20 cigarettes a day and became a compulsive chain smoker. Now I would light a stick at the smallest excuse – after waking up in the morning, before going to the loo, while reading newspapers, with my tea, during commute and client meetings, with friends, at bedtime. Actually often I didn’t even need a reason. I would just pull out a cigarette, light it and take deep puffs.

I made several attempts – at least 10-15 times - to quit smoking. Once I had even stopped for a week. I was most miserable those seven days. I felt my life had come to a standstill. It is all over. If you are not smoking, then nothing is happening in your life. After six days I realised, why should I suffer so much. So I went back to smoking.

In 2010 I quit my BPO job and started my own wedding planner business. This brought in additional stress and responsibilities. As the business head, I was expected to socialise to a greater extent, attend parties, ceremonies, receptions and keep late nights. The milieu at such get-togethers propels you to smoke.

In 2017, it had been 10 years since I had lit my first cigarette. I was 34 now and going to get married. The prospect of getting a life partner had made me joyous, but I was also anxious. I felt my health had been gradually deteriorating and I was not in great form. I had developed breathing problems, and I used to tire easily. I used to go for walks every morning and cover over five kilometers with comfort, but now I started getting breathless half way. I felt the glow and radiance of my skin had diminished. I could not sleep properly at night and had started getting frequent acidity. I would wake up every morning with a slight itch in my throat. I thought  was not able to deliver optimally for my business..

You know cigarettes are injurious, you want to leave it, but you become its slave. You become totally dependent on it. Every time I tried to quit, but found it increasingly difficult. 

Momentous day

It was 16 March, 2020. I returned home from an event, I realised I didn’t have a cigarette pack at home. It was already late at night and all the shops had shut. I thought I would purchase it the next morning. Meanwhile, news of the Coronavirus had begun to spread. Messages about the deadly infection were popping up on our phones. When I checked my mobile, I saw these alerts from a Chinese doctor on why Covid was happening and the precautions one needs to take to stay safe. The one thing the doctor kept repeating was that it is primarily a lung disease and you could be a high-risk individual if you were a smoker. Smokers are at increased COVID-19 risk because smoking increases the risk of viral lung and throat infections and suppresses immunity and reduces the body’s capability to fight afflictions.

The Chinese doctor’s message hit me hard. I began perspiring even as I was scrolling down the notifications. I knew my health was not in the best condition. I was having respiratory problems. I was not able to breathe properly. I couldn’t exert myself without getting breathless. If I got infected, it would be difficult for me to survive.

The thought of death terrified me. I did not want to die so young. I had my whole life ahead of me. I didn’t want to lose my close ones, my parents, wife, brother and especially my one- year-old son Shivay. If something happens to me who will take care of him. I won’t get a chance to play with him anymore. Such prospects haunted me.

Quit during lockdown

I told myself – whatever happens I have to quit smoking. And I have to quit quickly. This is best chance. Cigarette shops are shut, you can’t meet friends, and there are no parties happening, no client meets. There is no reason I need to smoke. Let’s try it. There is a one month lockdown. I realised this was the best opportunity. I will not get this time again. Lockdown means spending most of the time with the family, dear ones. Those were the thoughts which gave me strength and power to kick the habit.

The first 15-20 days after I quit were bad; I wouldn’t say excruciating. I didn’t suffer from severe withdrawal symptoms. There was a lot of irritability and restlessness. And major attacks of gastric issues. I also had a mild throat infection which got me worried. I hope it is not related to corona. Maybe the fear of getting infected by coronavirus eclipsed my cravings for cigarettes.

Distractions during cessation

I shifted my entire focus on my family, food and water consumption. Those initial days, my family was a huge support, even emotionally and psychologically. Whenever, they saw me restless, they would come and chat with me and divert my mind. My son was the most pleasurable distraction and kept me busy with his antics for long hours.

My wife would make all my favourite dishes for me so that I would be happy and satiated. My sense of taste had got a bit blunted due to excessive smoking, but now I was savouring ever meal. Earlier, I used to enjoy good food, but once I started smoking, I lost interest in eating. I switched to eating lots of fruits, particularly apples, papaya and bananas. Also I used to have 6-7 cups of green and regular tea. It provided me a substitute for cigarette.

My brother and mother also supported me in a big way. My brother would commend me everyday for my wise decision and would check if I was stepping out for smoke. My mother encouraged me to start yoga and other exercise that helped me regain my stamina and breathing capacity.

I also plunged wholeheartedly in my work and didn’t let the lockdown slow me down. Being a wedding planner, I worked on different designs, came up with creative ideas with my team.

Somedays I would binge watch series on Netflix. The idea is to keep yourself engaged every single moment with something that appeals to you.

New life after quitting

After quitting, you realise you have got a new life. I feel better, I can sleep well. I can taste food better. I can get good smell around. My health has become perfect after I quit. I go for a walk everyday. I am back to walking 5-7 km, without getting breathless. There is no anxiety. Your mind works better. Now I can devote time to reading, thinking, planning. In my business, you have to be at the top of the creative game.

Fortunately, although I quit smoking overnight, my withdrawal symptoms were never intense. Maybe I built mechanisms to counter it. I also had the privilege of being at home for an extended period due to lockdown.

Tips to quit

  • Increase your intake of fruits. Whenever you get an urge to smoke, eat a fruit. I think a fruit changes the taste in your mouth, and kills the urge. If you eat an apple, you don’t feel like smoking at all.
  • Drink lots of water.
  • Engage yourself in activities, like reading books, watching movies.
  • Engage with family. They can be a huge support.
  • Lastly, think positive. It is going to impact your mind.