Stop Smoking Tips from Ex-Smokers!
Stop Smoking services, such as ours, provide a great opportunity for smokers who have decided to quit for good to access advice on treatment options and receive support from a trained advisor. Sarah, our Smoking Cessation Officer, is here to share her favourite top tips from her clients who have successfully quit!
As an advisor, it’s a privilege to play a part in my client’s journey to become smoke free. The stories that clients share during our sessions offer incredible insight into the techniques and changes that can help someone quit for good and ultimately, continue to feel all the health benefits that come.
Accessing help and using stop smoking medication (such as Nicotine Replacement Treatment, Champix or Zyban) is proven to be an effective and safe option to help smokers quit cigarettes. There’s also huge value in introducing small, easy-to-implement changes into your daily routine.
Over the years, clients have shared with me what’s helped them. Here are their top tips for staying smoke free:
- Swap your morning cigarette with a short walk – not only is exercise a great distraction but you’ll feel energised afterwards. These positive changes will soon become your new norm!
- Quit smoking with a friend or partner so you can support and motivate each other.
- Use a Stop Smoking app. Many clients reported this as being an essential part of their treatment as it provided daily updates on their progress, money saved and insight into the many health benefits.
- Redecorate your home. Clients found that turning their home into a smoke free zone meant they were less inclined to smoke in it again!
- Keeping a diary is another popular option which helps clients keep track of their triggers to stay smoke free.
- Tell friends and family that you’re quitting. Often clients want to keep their progress a secret, but some find that sharing what they’re doing means receiving additional encouragement and support.
- Use the money saved on cigarettes for treats and rewards – you deserve it! Clients excitedly reveal that they booked days out, holidays, purchased new clothes and treated loved ones to a gift, all of which they wouldn’t be able to do if they were buying cigarettes.
- Choose a quit date that has relevance to you, such as birthdays and anniversaries. Clients have also said that quitting smoking when they’re away from their usual routine (for example when they’re on holiday) has helped them get off to a good start as they’re not reminded of their usual triggers.
While you can never underestimate the challenges that come with stopping smoking, the process can be made easier by gaining a good understanding of all the tools and strategies that are available to help. Small changes can make a big difference!
If you’re thinking of quitting smoking, Cheshire Change Hub are here to help you every step of the way. We run a fantastic Stop Smoking service, where we provide clients with up to 12 weeks of free nicotine replacement therapies and are on hand to check-in and see how you’re doing. Find out if you’re eligible by visiting our website or give us a call on 0300 777 0033. We’re open Monday – Friday, 9am-6pm.
Useful links:
Click here for 10 self-help tips from the NHS to help you stop smoking.
Click here to access support materials from the NHS to help you on your stop smoking journey.