In 2013, a 42-year-old Turkish man named İbrahim Yücel came up with one of the most extreme ways ever to quit smoking — he locked his own head inside a metal cage.

After smoking two packs a day for 26 years and losing his father to lung cancer, he decided he had to stop. The cage, made of wire like a helmet, prevented him from putting a cigarette in his mouth. He gave the key to his wife and daughter, so he couldn’t remove it even if he wanted to.

He could only drink water through a straw and was unlocked at mealtimes. His idea, inspired by a motorcycle helmet, went viral as a shocking symbol of how far addiction can push someone.

No one knows how long he kept it on — but his story shows the power of determination and the lengths people will go to break free from addiction.