Rowena started smoking in her late teens and before she became smoke free, she would smoke between 20 – 30 cigarettes per day.
Rowena’s partner had successfully quit smoking, no one in her family smokes and neither do her friends. Being the “odd one out” highlighted the negative aspects of smoking, such as having to step outside, smelling like smoke, and feeling isolated from a group’s social flow. Rowena said: “I hated having to go outside then come back stinking of stale smoke. I notice it a lot more now I’ve quit smoking. It’s a repulsive smell and I can’t believe I used to smell like that!”
The health benefits associated with quitting smoking were another powerful motivator. Already suffering from chronic health issues, she did not want to do any further damage or exacerbate her symptoms by continuing to smoke.
One of our expert health improvement practitioners, Steph, assisted Rowena with her quit attempt. Steph provided Rowena with specialised, one-to-one ongoing support, offering encouragement and understanding of the nicotine addiction process. Together they developed a personalised quit plan that included a quit date, strategies to cope with cravings, withdrawal symptoms, and behavioural change support.
To further assist Rowena with her quit attempt, Steph talked through all the nicotine replacement products available. Of all the options she decided to quit smoking with the aid of vaping. “I found the habit of smoking harder to break than the nicotine addiction. The vape helped as it had similar actions to smoking. I started on the highest [nicotine] dose and gradually reduced the strength. I’m now using the 0mg [vaping liquid].”
As a welcomed, additional benefit to quitting, Rowena was left delighted and surprised by how quickly substantial savings accumulated, with savings of around £140 a week, totalling around £560 month. Redirecting her funds from a ‘wasted’ daily habit to a visible savings account meant she was free to indulge in new, enjoyable purchases. Rowena said: “I’ve just bought lots of new furniture for my house that would have gone on cigarettes. Being able to replace things and decorating my house with the money that would have been wasted felt good. I don’t think you realise the cost of smoking until you channel that money into something else.”
In a final statement, Rowena expressed the value of having stop smoking support services by her side, saying: “Having a stop smoking advisor was brilliant. I realised I needed help and if Steph wasn’t there, I don’t think I would have done it. The temptation to have one more cigarette would have been too much for me as I have no willpower whatsoever. Just knowing I had that support out there felt good. She asked if we should pick a date to quit smoking but I didn’t at the first meeting and she didn’t judge me at all. On our second meeting, she asked again. I said YES. I picked a quit date and I felt like I had to commit to it.”
It’s clear that becoming smoke free has had a hugely positive impact on Rowena’s life. No more stepping out into the cold or leaving conversations to smoke. No more smelling like stale smoke or having to fork out a small fortunate to sustain a habit that was bringing her no genuine pleasure. She is now embracing her freedom as she takes back control of her life now that she has removed the need to manage her day around cigarettes.