Woman who 'finally' quit smoking after 9 years explains incredible changes in her body: Skin has never looked better

After years of failed attempts, a woman finally quit smoking and began noticing changes in her body and mind, proving it’s never too late to break the habit.

Quitting smoking is rarely easy, especially when it has been a part of daily life for years. From stress triggers to social situations, the habit often feels deeply ingrained. But for content creator Srishti Tehri, a moment of honest self-reflection sparked a life-changing decision, one that has led to surprising physical and mental transformations.

How woman quit smoking after years of trying

“After many attempts to quit over the years, it is finally so nice to be a non-smoker,” Srishti wrote in her December 12 Instagram post. “Sometimes I can’t believe I am the same person who couldn’t go a day without a cig or would get tempted to have a puff every time I tried to quit.”

Sharing her turning point, Srishti recalled how on the night of June 6, she decided to stop for good. “I asked myself, ‘Are you waiting for something to go wrong for you to finally stop smoking?’ That’s when I knew it was time for a break-up,” she said, adding that she initially committed to quitting for just one year.

Srishti admitted that stress, social drinking, late nights, and even her partner’s smoking habits made quitting difficult. “It had to come from within… whether my boyfriend quits or not, whether my friends quit or not,” she wrote, explaining how she consciously detached emotions from the habit and began feeling “disgusted by the thought of it.”

What changes she notice after quitting

Six months later, the changes have been deeply rewarding. “My lungs, skin, and hair are better. Periods are more consistent. Presence of mind is better,” she shared, noting that she now sits with her anxiety instead of masking it with a cigarette. “It feels nice to not be desperate to smoke before I sleep or when I wake up.”

Calling smoking “the burden I know I was carrying,” Srishti concluded that quitting has given her a sense of freedom she never expected. “It’s been so rewarding. I feel free in a way, from a habit I didn’t think I had much control over,” she wrote.

How quitting smoking helps your body heal over time

In a June 2024 interview with Hindustan Times, Dr Kuldeep Kumar Grover, Head of Critical Care and Pulmonology at CK Birla Hospital, Gurgaon, explained that the body begins healing within hours of quitting smoking, with carbon monoxide levels normalising in 12 hours and heart attack risk dropping significantly within a year.

He added that stroke risk can reduce to that of a non-smoker within two to five years, while the risk of dying from lung cancer is halved after 10 years, and advised gradual reduction in cigarette intake, avoiding triggers, considering nicotine replacement therapy, managing stress through healthy outlets, and practising chest rehabilitation exercises like yoga and deep breathing to support lung recovery and overall wellness.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

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