According to Healthy Suffolk, there are 6.1 million smokers in England alone with 60% of these wanting to quit the habit. Just like any addiction, quitting smoking is no mean feat. It’s also not a linear process. There are very few people who simply decide to give up one day and don’t have any more cigarettes. In fact, going ‘cold turkey’ has the lowest success rate of all ways of quitting tobacco. Rather than going it alone, having a support network is a great idea. Continue reading to find out how you can get help to quit smoking in Suffolk.
The benefits of quitting smoking
In can be really helpful to have a list of benefits to look at to help you quit smoking, especially when you are tempted to go back to it. Here are some reasons why quitting smoking will be the best health decision you ever make:
- You will have younger-looking skin. Don’t believe me? Just search Google for identical twins where one twin has smoked and the other hasn’t. The differences are astonishing.
- Your teeth will be whiter. The nicotine and tar in cigarettes and tobacco cause yellow staining on the surface of your teeth.
- You will notice that you can breathe better. You might think that your breathing is fine just now but wait until you’ve quit smoking, you will realise you feel physically fitter and don’t get out of breath as easily.
- You will live longer. It’s a shocking statistic but the average smoker will die ten years earlier than the average non-smoker. Of course, this will depend on other lifestyle choices and how much someone smokes but it is still a scary thought!
- Your senses will improve. You will be able to smell and taste better without cigarettes and tobacco!
- You will save money! It might be helpful to you to work out how much money you’re spending a week/month/year on cigarettes and then plan to save that money to treat yourself to a special purchase or a luxury holiday. That’s great motivation!
Resources available in Suffolk
There is some excellent help available for those living in Suffolk who want to quit smoking.
This is an organisation that helps local people lead healthier lifestyles. As a part of this, helping people to quit smoking is a focus.
OneLife Suffolk runs a supportive programme designed to help you change your behaviour around smoking. This means you’re more likely to quit for good. They claim that you are four times more likely to stop for good with their help and support.
The programme is available to anyone aged 12 or more who has smoked within the last two days.
They have a 12-week programme that includes access to treatments like Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), Carbon Monoxide monitoring, Champix and Zyban. What’s more, they offer behavioural support in the form of one to one meetings as well as group support.
Healthy Suffolk is an organisation that provides advice, information and support with regards to health to people in Suffolk. Their website has a wealth of information about quitting smoking and lists lots of ways to get help.
Help through the NHS
Let’s not forget that the NHS wants people to quit smoking and so will help you do it. Smoking costs the NHS millions of pounds every year treating smoking-related illnesses. With fewer smokers, the NHS will have more money to treat other illnesses and conditions.
You can get help to quit through your local pharmacy or your local GP. Pharmacists and GPs can provide medication to help you quit. This includes Nicotine Replacement Therapy. GPs can also provide prescription medication to help you quit too. By using medication or Nicotine Replacement Therapy, you are much more likely to quit smoking for good.
Summary
You have a tough journey ahead but, by reading this, you’ve made the first step in your journey. Now is the time to plan how you are going to quit. Planning is a great thing. Plan when you are going to buy your last packet of cigarettes, plan when and where you’re going to smoke your last cigarette and plan how you are going to help yourself quit.
It’s a really good idea to announce your plans to your family and friends. It’s even better if you can persuade someone else to quit with you – moral support is always really useful. By announcing your plans, you will have people watching you, helping you and you will feel less likely to reach for that cigarette if you know you’ve told someone that you’re going to be a non-smoker.
Good luck in your quitting journey and remember, you have not failed if you keep trying!