Alfred Vargas
SUPER thankful ang aktor at public servant na si Alfred Vargas na napagtagumpayan niya ang kanyang naging journey sa pagtigil sa paninigarilyo.
Ayon sa konsehal ng Quezon City, nagsimula siyang mag-quit sa pagyoyosi noong August, 2003 at mula noon ay hindi na siya nagtangka pang bumalik sa dati niyang bisyo.
Sa kanyang X account (dating Twitter) ay nag-post si Konsi Alfred tungkol sa success ng pinagdaanan niyang “withdrawal” process. Inamin niya na hindi naging madali ang mga unang buwan ng kanyang pagtigil sa paninigarilyo.
“It’s my 20th year free from it! For me, going cold turkey and holding the line is the best way to quit.
“I remember 3 months of hell during withdrawal. But here I am today, 2 decades after, still fighting the fight everyday. Ayus naman. Kaya!” pahayag ni Alfred.
Kuwento pa ng award-winning actor at movie producer, nasa high school siya nu’ng unang makatikim ng sigarilyo, “I was in HS when I first tried. Nadala ako sa peer pressure. Coming of age time. Nagbibinata and trying to discover things. Start ng mga gimik, soiree, and barkadahan.”
Pero aniya, “I’ve always wanted to quit from the start. Di ko lang napansin na naging habit ko na before. My dad was a chainsmoker I didn’t want to be like that.
“Nu’ng nag-aartista na ‘ko and making a living na, I told myself that ayokong tumandang naninigarilyo. It’s for my health and well-being, not for anything else,” pagbabahagi pa ni Alfred.
Tungkol naman sa simula ng kanyang pagku-quit, “I experienced a 2-month extreme withdrawal. Nagkasakit ako. I got so hot-headed and easily irritated. I lost focus in everything I did I couldn’t even read properly.
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“I didn’t go out at all during this time because I wanted to avoid temptations. I sacrificed my short-term fun for my long-term goal of really being healthy. I lost some friends along the way coz hindi daw ako marunong makisama at KJ (kill joy) na daw ako,” sey pa ng konsehal.
Ano naman ang nag-motivate sa kanya para tuluyan nang kalimutan ang pagyoyosi, “Right now, I have this burning desire to try my best to live longer, healthier and happier for my family.
“I want to see my children graduate, have successful careers of their own, meet my grandchildren and spend time with them. I want to travel the world further with my wifey and family.
“My mother died of cancer kasi. And so did several of my relatives. Natatakot ako sa cancer coz of this family history. And the best way to minimize my chances is to live a healthy life and stay away from stress,” paliwanag pa niya.
Nagbigay din siya ng advice para sa lahat ng smokers na gusto na ring mag-quit, “Do it now. There’s no perfect time for quitting but NOW. You can do it.
“The way I did it was through cold turkey. I stopped instantly. I remember distinctly that on the night of August 23, 2003, twenty years ago, I smoked my last pack.
“It’s not easy. The first few days of quitting are manageable but it becomes more difficult as time passes. Hangout with people who don’t smoke. With people who have the same life goals and health goals as you,” chika pa ni Konsi Alfred.
Ang ilan sa mga advantage na nakukuha niya sa pagiging non-smoker ay, “Healthy body and a sharp mind. I was able to lift heavier weights, run longer, sleep better, good state of mind, better mood, and I had a lot more energy after quitting smoking.”
At kapag nate-tempt daw siya na magyosi, “I tell myself, ‘been there, done that, and I don’t want to be that old self of mine anymore.’
“It remains a challenge until today. But it’s a battle I intend to win every time. And so far, 20 years down the road, so far, so good,” sey pa ni Alfred Vargas.
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