“I started smoking very early when I was 18 years old at college, when I fell in with the wrong people. I was trying to do what they were doing, to look cool, and you’re at that age when you’re trying new things.
I’m 28 years old now, so I’ve been smoking for 10 years. Not solidly all the time, and my habits have changed over the years, but for the first 3 years I was smoking a lot, at least 10 cigarettes a day. It then calmed down a bit to 5 a day, which was a natural reduction.
I knew the risks of smoking as I initially started a medical degree, so as a student I did some research as an assignment about smokers and non-smokers, so this made me start to question things about my own smoking habit and addiction.
I started to notice that when I went to the gym, I was struggling with my stamina, which really annoyed me, as I couldn’t go up the stairs without wheezing. Because of this I started to slowly cut down the cigarettes before I finally quit, my body was not enjoying it anymore, and I was coughing all the time.
I felt like I was already preparing myself mentally and physically to finally give up smoking, and I was ready to talk to someone about it. I then had a dentist appointment, and my dentist really scared me, talking about how if I carried on smoking, I would get gum disease, and my teeth could fall out.
I already knew some of the other risks to my health, but when he laid it out for me, it gave me the nudge I needed to think about quitting even more. So, he referred me to SmokeFree Hull, and I worked with Stop Smoking Advisor David. It was nice talking with David, it felt like I needed to finish a task, I had an objective and goal to reach, which became my motivation to quit.
I used the patches to help with my cravings, and after 2 weeks, I then set a quit date. I felt like I only needed the patches for another week, and my cravings had stopped. I think I was in the right frame of mind to quit, as I was already preparing myself, and I really wanted to stop and get healthy. I didn’t want to reach 30 years old, and still not be able to climb up the stairs. I have more energy now for the gym, and I’m eating healthily, and it’s even improved my sex life.
I don’t even like the smell of cigarettes anymore, I can really smell the difference. I’m not even tempted for one, and I keep telling all of my friends to quit too.
I have more money to spend on other things, and experiences to make, rather than burning a hole in my pocket buying cigarettes. I was spending £16 a week on cigarettes before, which is £64 a month. I’m a student at Hull University, so I need all the extra money I can get.
David was great to talk to, he explained all the stop smoking products I could use, and he was friendly and didn’t pressure me either. I’m a social person, so I needed this type of support, and it was just nice to chat.
I do believe that everyone’s journey to giving up smoking is different, and people can be triggered by different things like loss, and stress. But you shouldn’t see smoking as a saviour, its poison, and slowing killing you. There’s plenty of research out there, which helps you understand, but you have to want to do it too.
You will see the benefits as soon as you quit, you’ll be healthier and have more stamina to do things. I would definitely recommend the service to help you as well, it helped me get into the right mindset, and now I have been smokefree for 2 1/2 months thanks to SmokeFree Hull.”