Quit smoking stories
Read about Southampton residents who are smokefree
If you’re wondering what it’s like to quit smoking, then hear from some Southampton residents who’ve been on the journey and are now smokefree.
Susan started smoking when she was nine years old and smoked 20 to 30 cigarettes a day throughout her adult life. Despite several unsuccessful attempts to quit, when Susan was offered support from the Practice Nurse after a chest infection she decided to try again and successfully quit in January this year.
With the help of patches, inhalator, vape and determination I have managed to stop smoking. Since I have stopped smoking, I feel my health has improved, I do not get out of breath or cough anymore and I am financially better off. Susan
Research shows that you’re more likely to succeed if you have specialist support and use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or a vape. All of this is available to Southampton residents and can make a huge difference, as Frank discovered.
I’ve tried many times before to stop but the one-to-one session I found very beneficial, and the advisor was super at helping me stop smoking. I feel motivated to not smoke again….. he was very engaging and made it very easy to help me stop smoking. Frank
Barry had a similar experience.
I would recommend the programme to anyone who smokes, and the information given to me is an eye opener and you would wish you never had started. The advisor has been a tower of strength and thank you for believing in me. Barry
These are just a few of the nearly 700 people who quit smoking in Southampton during the last year. If you’d like to join them go to Quit smoking - Better Health - NHS for tips on quitting and Stopping smoking for local support.
This person had previously tried cutting down many times, however, this time she agreed to total abstinence from tobacco.
Having chosen a vape, she said: “It was actually easier than I expected.”
But it’s the change in her body she didn’t expect to happen, partially as she had heard a lot of negative things about vapes.
After four weeks without smoking, she said: “I no longer feel like an old woman and can get about so much better.”
A side effect of quitting she was not expecting was how much stress would leave her life. The money she has saved has really alleviated a lot of worry and the stress of having to fund buying tobacco has now gone.
This person said: “My general health had reached a low, and breathing difficulties had started to increase making going up the stairs hard.”
His chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) nurse had told him quitting is essential, so he set his quit date for the first day of 2025.
He has now gone six weeks since his last puff of a cigarette. As well as his breathing improving, he said “ I have been blown away by how much more I can smell and taste and that I can now really appreciate and enjoy my weekly take-away curry!”
