Quitting Smoking as a Wellness Project - Essay Example

Quitting smoking Introduction Smoking has numerous physical and psychological effects on the smoker and second hand consumers. I have been smoking for three years now and my life has completely changed from what I was before. One or two cigarettes during the day means that I have to do it where my friends and fellow students are, and these are very judgemental people always perceiving smokers as people with little self control over their lives. Cigarette addiction is a problem that every smoker has since it develops over time as the urge grows day by day. This desire is a psychological problem as it makes smokers feel uncomfortable when they are in a tight place, where they are not allowed to make even a single puff (Lawton, 2006). According to Haustein (2003), cigarette smoking leads to other social problems that hinder someone’s productivity. A smoker will tend to keep to himself, to avoid criticisms from other people. I have a group of friends I spend time with in college; these people are just like me, the only difference is that they haven’t noticed smoking has major health and sociological complications. When the rest of the student society sees me associate with these people, they look at me differently and this is why I need to change my behaviour. Recently, I, together with my friends saved some money and headed for the liquor store to grab some alcohol. This case was reported to my parents who scorned at me and gave me some punishment for attempting to drink at a young age. Since I cannot smoke near lecture halls or near administration buildings, I normally do it near my room far away from my lecturer. Cigarette has a lasting smell though, and so I always have to carry the smell to classes which makes me very uncomfortable. I cannot get close to my teachers who I should be meeting frequently to consult over my class work; this has affected my performance, and made me associate with fewer people who are also sailing in the same boat. I was good at sports when I just entered school but things have turned for worse because I was dismissed from the hockey team. It has not been easy quitting since the idea starts from smokers realizing that they have a serious problem. When I am in a tense moment, smoking relaxes me and this makes me go back to it over and over again despite numerous attempts to live a clean life. Lately, I have developed health complications that make me think about my life in a different angle. When I am sleeping at night, I have breathing problems and I feel like I am suffocating. This has persisted for a while now and the sole reason is the last cigarette I have at night before I go to bed. I get dizzy when I am just finished with a stick; I usually sit down and let this feeling pass just to cool my head off (DeNelsky, 2007). I consume a lot of salt and sugary foods because of my weakened taste buds, which is not good for my blood sugar levels. The doctor recently sounded an alarm that I should reduce on my junk food and chocolate intake. He has no idea that smoking is the sole contributor. My parents are also not helping since they do not want to portray a bad family image to the community; this is making them appear like I do not have a problem which will affect present and future life. They have not been open to tackle this problem head on (Northrup, 1957). The behavior has kept me under drugs of late because of increased acidity levels in my digestive system. I use antacids every morning and evenings to correct this problem. This has weakened my body, coupled with frequent coughs and sore throat complications that I experience during cold weather and dusty conditions. I believe these are enough signs that all aspects of my life is changing for the worse; I have developed a personal plan to reduce my intake for a start, and an ultimate goal of quitting smoking forever (Hyde & Setaro, 2006). My plan to end smoking When I was developing this plan, I interrogated my life deeply to know the moments I mostly feel the need to have a cigarette. I started as a social smoker, always having it with my friend at hidden locations; I have recently developed a habit of smoking in my room or at the balcony late at night when everyone else is asleep. It has also led me to indulge in drinking but the good side is I can do without alcohol for a long time; this behaviour is then easily solved at this inception stage. This determination of high craving times helped me devise a personal effort to end this vice. The first course of action is to limit the time I spend with my smoking friends. Since smokers like a stick after every meal, we are always programmed to go by the poolside to have one before going for the afternoon classes. Changing my friends means that my ways and socializations will also be changed. I carry sweets to have after meals whenever I feel like smoking to keep my mouth engaged (Carr, 2004). I also eat fruits after meals to finish this urge to get a cigarette. I am open and vocal about my condition because I want to be helped; I am going to visit the guidance and counselling department every which has sessions on Friday evenings, for the experts to monitor my psychological improvements after dropping the habit. These sessions gives me courage to soldier on with my positive steps towards a clean life. Since the university is a liberal place where students are in charge of their own lives, I am avoiding hang out joints within and outside the school compound where students engage in such harmful activities; peer pressure is a push factor to tobacco use (Sloan, 2004). The gym is going to help me keep my body in check by reducing the amount of fats and impurities in my body and make me feel healthier. I will engage in evening runs at the hockey pitch as I go back to full fledged training to reduce my idle time; this is a necessary distraction and will help me socialize with the right people. Since my performance in class has gone down considerably, it is right that I explore these other avenues to fully use my talent. Sports will give me the much needed discipline to turn over a new leaf in my life. I am looking forward to continuing this effort of looking into new ways to derive life pleasures rather than focusing on this short term relieving methods that have adverse effects on my health in later years. Since I started this wellness program, it has transformed my social life positively by making me confident and cheerful; these are traits that smoking takes away due to its privacy requirements. The gym has made me sweat occasionally, thereby removing impurities from my skin. This has made my skin smoother and learner. The program will eventually alter my social health as good and structured workout in the gym promotes all round development that adds to my productivity later years in my life when I am released to the job market. References Carr, A. (2004). The easy way to stop smoking ([Rev. and updated]. ed.). New York: Sterling Pub. Co.. Hyde, M. O., & Setaro, J. F. (2006). Smoking 101: an overview for teens. Minneapolis, Minn.: Twenty-First Century Books. Haustein, K. (2003). Tobacco or health?: physiological and social damages caused by tobacco smoking. Berlin: Springer. Northrup, E. (1957). Science looks at smoking; a new inquiry into the effects of smoking on your health.. New York: Coward-McCann. Lawton, S. A. (2006). Drug information for teens: health tips about the physical and mental effects of substance abuse (2nd ed.). Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics. Sloan, F. A. (2004). The price of smoking. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. DeNelsky, G. Y. (2007). Stop smoking now!: the rewarding journey to a smoke-free life. Cleveland, Oho: Cleveland Clinic Press. Read More