Stoptober - Diary of a Quitter: Day 11

Matthew Backhouse smokes his last cigarette before starting Stoptober. Photo / Nick Reed

Journalist Matthew Backhouse chronicles his efforts to quit smoking for Stoptober in a daily diary.

Somehow I went 12 hours without putting on a patch. And I didn't even notice.

I'd like to say it's because I'm getting better at dismissing the cravings, and more comfortable without the routine and habit of smoking. But really, it's because I'm still recovering from illness.

I spent most of the day in bed - the third consecutive day. It was only when I got up to shave and shower - a necessity, as supplies were dwindling and I needed to do a supermarket run without looking, and smelling, like a character in post-apocalyptic sci-fi film - that I realised I was patchless.

Read yesterday's entry here.

But as unintentional as my patchless day was, it was still a good feeling. It gave me confidence that, come the end of November - when my eight weeks of nicotine replacement therapy is complete - a life without nicotine will be doable.

It's important for me to imagine my medium- and long-term future without smoking. In the past, the idea of a smoke-free future held me back - how would I ever cope with having a drink, or trying to kill an empty five minutes, or unwinding at the end of a sh***y day, without a smoke? Imagining it made me not even want to try.

But now, I imagine it with pride. A drink without smoking? Yeah, doable. I thought I'd have to give up drinking while I quit, but I've been able to have the odd glass of wine - and the cravings haven't even been that strong. Killing an empty five minutes? We have smartphones these days. And unwinding after a stressful day? What could be better than a good book.

So that's why I'm looking ahead to the end of November, when I can finally rip off my last patch and say goodbye to nicotine for good.

It doesn't seem daunting anymore. It seems exciting.

To take part in Stoptober, visit www.stoptober.nz

For help quitting, visit Quitline at www.quit.org.nz or phone 0800 778 778