Deborah

My 5 year old grandson picked up one of your leaflets from the GP surgery, about 6 months before I stopped smoking. I put it in a drawer, but occasionally kept having a look at it. My children and grandchildren had been nagging me to stop for years, but nursing both my parents until they passed away and then the subsequent grief, I wasn't ready to stop.

As my 60th birthday approached, I made the decision to contact Yorkshire Smokefree and to stop smoking. I didn't do it for anyone but myself and didn't actually tell any of my family until I'd been stopped for 10 days. I had been smoking for 45 years and really didn't think I'd be able to stop. I originally started smoking on my 15th birthday follow peer pressure to 'fit in with the crowd' and appear more sophisticated and attractive to the opposite sex. Laughable really! Stopping will actually achieve the same goals!

Meeting the advisor, setting my quit date and deciding on NRT options was the scariest thing, but she showed so much faith in me even from day one. I attended the group session the next week having been a non smoker for 5 days! I'm now on day 69 and haven't cheated once! I originally set myself a goal of 3 months, but that is rapidly approaching, so I'm changing my goal to 1 year. I'm still not ready to say that's me done forever with cigs, but I would be delighted if it was.

Quite honestly, I'm the worse in the world for willpower, I have low self esteem so I've shocked myself that I've come this far. I can definitely say that if I can stop smoking, anyone can. Yes, it's hard, but it gets easier every day and it's so worth it! If you've recently stopped, be proud and keep going just one day at a time xx

The support I have received from the advisors at Yorkshire Smokefree and my fellow quitters, has made all the difference. I've stopped before, but started again at 8 weeks, so I am delighted to have passed that mark. I enjoy the weekly group sessions and have made friends who also support me. I feel like a success story and would be happy to support and inspire others. I think the trick is to take it just one day at a time. but to change some aspects of your routine so that you're not tempted to cheat. I took up knitting (my grandchildren love what I knit) and this has really helped as something to do with my hands. Using 2 different NRT products is a new approach for me and I chose the patches and inhalator. Believe me, they work, but it also takes effort from me. When I get those demons on my shoulder, I shout them away!