I survived the cold turkey

Kicking the habit can be a bit of a drag to start with, but once the cravings subside there are only positives, promises Richard Bateman...

Cough, cough. Ah, I have your attention. Not too long ago my coughs were not aimed at grabbing attention, but were brought on by the effects of smoking. And not just smoking a few, but up to 15 to 20 a day.??I have always had a strange relationship with cigarettes. I think it stems from my time as a young man listening to hard rock and looking up to my idols who were fronting these popular bands. Let´s face it, it just looked damn cool seeing a singer in a long-haired rock ‘n’ roll band posing with a cigarette. However I managed to avoid falling into the trap of "trying to be" and settled for the sheer enjoyment and smoke-free excitement of simply letting the music do its thing.?

Unexplained urge?

Then about two years ago, I fancied a smoke. There was no reason for this sudden urge, I just felt like having a cigarette with my coffee. I sometimes look back on this and think, was I just looking for additional breaks at work, or was I simply just bored? I guess it´s like going to a restaurant and for once just saying to yourself, you know what, I fancy something different. Something I haven´t ever tried before.??Problem is, that fine meal, the fresh fish, the great wine and tasty cheesecake won´t attack your lungs. It may after a while attack your waistline if you´re not careful, but it won´t attack the two things you really do need. Not only that, it will leave your pockets feeling light. ??I became addicted. It may have been the habit of regular breaks, or the excuse to go outside and move away from the computer at work. But it became a habit.

The money in my pocket was soon replaced with these little white sticks and suddenly I was spending up to £30 a month.?

Walking ashtray?

I met my fiancée in the summer last year and it was perfect. However, my time was being stolen by these nicotine fiends. And it wasn´t just time that was a problem, but the odour that lingered on me from day to day. It´s only now, as a non-smoker, that I can understand the phrase "a walking ashtray". The smell on clothes is not a good one, especially if you´re trying to impress "the one".??So I stopped. Just like that. Sounds easy right? Of course it´s not. It´s actually very hard but if you really think about the benefits of quitting then it´s a choice in which you stand by and stick with. Sometimes it will be fine. Other times it’s a real drag, if you´ll excuse the pun.?

Free in four weeks?

I opted out of using nicotine pads. The thought of being taped up didn´t appeal. Each person is different and I guess it depends on how long each person has been smoking for. I had only a year or two of smoking to get out of my system. I’d been told that after four weeks cold turkey the cravings would subside and, almost to the day, they did.??Whether or not you choose a pad, patch, stick or going cold turkey, it´s the outcome that stays the same; the goal and the achievement. Sure, I felt glad, and so much better for it. But the real winner here is my health and those around me who I care for. There are too many positives not to give up.??Now the only cough I have is the one I use to signify to a distracted other half that it´s her roll of the dice when playing a board game. Giving up smoking? It´s your Get Out of Jail Free card.

Richard Bateman is 29 and a former smoker from Milton Keynes.

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