What They Don’t Tell You About Quitting Smoking

I started smoking when I was 25.

I started smoking when I was 15.

I've smoked for probably 16 years.

I was around it my entire childhood, from my grandmother to my uncles, grandfather.

I think it started off as a social thing, especially being that young.

For me, it just wasn't worth it, the side effects.

You start thinking, I'm becoming the architect of my own demise. I'm bankrolling my own death.

I had terrible, terrible migraines.

It was really a lot up here. It was like [COUGHS].

It actually got worse after I quit, because all that crap was coming up.

I didn't really expect to be so irritated all the time, extremely antsy. My anxiety was driving me crazy.

That's been really the most difficult part, is just constructively dealing with stress.

I just watched movies. I drew. I painted. And I tried to keep myself just occupied, my hands.

Writing, I think, helps a lot, too. Just putting the energy you have for the need of needing a cigarette-- putting that energy into something a little more constructive.

I continued to show myself pictures of the black lung, and the smokers' faces, like the before and after.

It's one of my biggest fears is having that robot throat.

I think my sense of smell was developing, and I could actually smell things better.

I could smell the actual cigarette smoke in my couch, in my bed.

Quality time with those that I love was not interrupted by a cigarette break.

I mean, I was a pack-and-a-half a day. So if you think about it, it was 20, 30 cigarettes. It was about an hour-and-a-half to two hours of added time to be more productive in anything you want to do.

I think I spend more time taking care of myself in general.

I ended up saving about $150 to $200 a month.

I had some friends be very disappointed that I quit. You try to be an inspiration for people.

I feel proud that I can be that positive example for the young people in my family.