Congratulations to Eleanor for successfully kicking the habit during the lockdown, boosting their health and mental health with the support and guidance of Yorkshire Smokefree. We chatted to her about her experiences with us.
What was your main reason for accessing the service?
My main reason for quitting was for health reasons.
Did you believe you could achieve 4 weeks smokefree?
Not completely no, as I have tried stopping before and went back to smoking, so I wasn't that confident that I could do it. Sarah really helped me a lot at the first appointment to ease my worries and it really helped me to stick with the choice, she was such a great help!
Have you used medication to help you quit?
Yes, I used an inhalator and patches whilst on my quit journey. I found them really helpful, using the inhalator and having something in my hand that was similar to smoking but not quite.
Aside from medication, what else motivated you to stay smokefree?
The calls I received every week from Sarah (my advisor) were fantastic. Having that regular contact with support from a "stranger" that knew what she was talking about and can help guide me really helped. The consistency with speaking to the same advisor also helped too. I also took up a new hobby to keep my hands busy, crocheting. Sarah would be interested in what I was working on and would ask about it too, that was a really nice touch.
Did you visit the Yorkshire Smokefree webpage?
Yes and also the Facebook page, I liked the Facebook page as you could see other peoples' stories about stopping smoking and that really helped as you can relate to them and it's not just me, other people are going through this too.
Has your health improved since you quit and if so, in what ways?
Yes, it has improved, I feel like I can walk for longer without losing breath and my fitness has improved. Nicotine stains on my fingers have also gone and this is great as I would scrub at them before feeling self-conscious, now I have pretty fingers and nails.
Other than health, have you achieved anything since quitting that you couldn't do whilst smoking?
I have taken up crocheting and feel more confident now I have achieved something. It does boost your confidence and diminish your self-doubt.
What have you found helpful accessing the service via the telephone?
Face to face is difficult for me, I have anxiety. I felt ashamed of coming to the service with me stopping smoking before and returning to smoking. Over the phone is much more laid back and easier to access and feel comfortable. If I did have to come out to a face to face appointment, I would have likely talked myself out of it with embarrassment and my anxiety. I would also have to take a bus as I don't have a car, and this would take extra effort and time out of my day putting more obstacles in my way.
If you feel inspired to by Tracey and Colin’s story and would like support in quitting, click the link to register for a Callback Request from our team today.
