A healthier, smokefree future- Michael and Margaret’s story

For Michael and Margaret, stopping smoking was something they had both tried before. Health concerns were always a big motivation, and while Michael managed to stop for almost a year and Margaret remained smokefree for six years, a difficult period of family related stress eventually led them both back to smoking.

“We’d tried so hard before, so going back to smoking was really disappointing for us. Once the nicotine takes hold again, it’s incredibly difficult to stop. Smoking never actually helped with stress the way people say it does — instead, we could feel it affecting our lungs, and our clothes constantly smelt of stale tobacco. That’s when we knew we had to make stopping smoking our main priority.”

Our Health Coaches use the latest, evidenced-based behavioural change support and medication to help people quit smoking for good. Our sessions can be delivered as one-to-one, or as part of a group of other people working towards the same goal.

“We decided to contact because we knew we needed the right support to quit for good. We chose one-to-one appointments, as we felt that working closely with a coach would give us the best chance of success and help keep us motivated along the way.

“Meeting with our Stop Smoking Coach, Lucy, made a huge difference from the very beginning. She helped us talk through our triggers, explained the different nicotine replacement options available, and supported us in choosing patches and sprays. These helped control our cravings and kept us focused on staying smokefree.

“The first few days were the hardest, and our willpower was tested. To help manage the cravings and withdrawal symptoms, we started walking several miles each week around our local park. Being active really helped take our minds off smoking and gave us a healthier way to cope. Being able to talk honestly about these challenges with Lucy also helped us feel supported rather than judged.

Stopping smoking is one of the best things that you can do for your health. We are trained and equipped with the latest techniques and knowledge to help you succeed.

“As time went on, our confidence grew. Seeing our carbon monoxide test results improve was a massive incentive and reassured us that everything we were doing was working. Another unexpected bonus was the money we saved from not smoking — we treated ourselves to a new filter coffee maker and enjoyed a meal out, which felt like a real reward for our effort.”

“Now that we’re smokefree, we feel healthier, more active and we are proud of what we’ve achieved together. Our plan is to gradually cut down on our nicotine replacement while staying active and spending more time outdoors. Stopping smoking has given us a more positive outlook, and we feel confident about continuing our smokefree journey.”