Five stories from successful quitters
Did you know that 70 per cent of smokers wish they had never started smoking and want to quit? Smokers come from all walks of life. Here are five real quit smoking stories from smokers:
- Christine wanted to quit smoking when her mother developed emphysema. But she said being in the right mindset was essential and a nudge from her doctor was the catalyst for her making the decision.
- Dee was asked by her children every day when she was going to quit smoking. She said smoking made her feel “drained, dirty, smelly, tired”. After downloading My QuitBuddy and going cold turkey, Dee hit the gym and lost 20 kilos.
- Fred started smoking as a small child. Decades later Fred decided he wanted to be as healthy as possible when he reached old age. He realised he could go without smoking for a day so figured he could go without smoking a second day and a third … Before he knew it, Fred had quit smoking.
- Tracie has bipolar disorder and found it tough to quit smoking or stay quit when accessing mental health services because she was surrounded by people who smoked. People with mental health issues are more likely to smoke. But Tracie found the resolve and is proud to call herself “a reformed smoker”.
- Joshua learned something from every quitting attempt he made, which made his final quit attempt easier. He is enjoying having cuddles with his children without them cringing from the smell of cigarettes.
Remember, it may take many attempts to be successful, so don’t give up trying.