Mark, 40, started smoking when he was 12 and before he became smoke free, he was smoking around 20 cigarettes per day.
Mark suffers from Crohn’s disease and knowing that smoking is strongly associated with increased severity, complications, and flare-ups in this condition, he knew he had to quit. Mark said: “Crohn’s disease knocks 10 years off your life, and I don’t want to add to this by smoking. I am taking medication for my condition and getting medical help but there I was still smoking. It didn’t seem right. I am also 40 and I don’t want to spend the next half of my life being a smoker. I’ve quit smoking before but started again. This time I’m psychologically committed because I really want to quit rather than feeling like I have to.”
A Crohn’s disease specialist nurse gave Mark our phone number and he made the life changing decision to give us a call. He was promptly put in contact with one of our top health improvement practitioners, Duncan.
Duncan provided Mark 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, how to manage triggers, and much, much more…
To further assist Mark with his quit attempt, Duncan talked through all the nicotine replacement products available. Of all the options he decided to quit smoking with the aid of nicotine patches. Mark said: “The patches really helped. They removed the cravings making it easier for me to quit. I also used an empty vape pen to give me something to do with my hands.”
Mark expressed how much he valued Duncan’s guidance and encouragement: “I don’t know how well I would have done without him. He didn’t push me harder than I wanted to go. I don’t like people telling me what to do and if he did, I think it would have put me off. He was clever about how he worded things and knew how to motivate me. He was also very knowledgeable and shared useful tips from others who had quit smoking which opened up new possibilities I never thought possible.”
Now that Mark has become smoke free, he expressed that a significant benefit of quitting smoking is the elimination of that lingering smell of stale tobacco from his breath, hair, clothes, and home: “I didn’t realise it at the time, but the smell was horrible. It was horrible for my wife and for people who would visit. I also hated the nicotine stains on my fingers.”
Mark also admitted that it was “ridiculous” how much of his income was going up in smoke: “Now I’m not smoking the savings are phenomenal. I would easily spend £200 a month on cigarettes. My wife has family in Australia, and I’d like to save up the extra money to go there.”
Clearly, becoming smoke free is one of the best decisions Mark has ever made. He is now reaping all the benefits, from increased longevity to more money in his pocket to not smelling like cigarette smoke. You’re three times more likely to stop smoking with specialist support. Our health improvement practitioners work with you to understand your triggers, manage any cravings and support you all the way. If you’re also looking for a specialist advisor that can help you change your life, get in touch today.