Published at 26 March, 2026 12:48.
Let us spring into April with the thoughts of milder weather, longer days and a sense of renewal and transformation.
I watched the playful rabbits in my local fields. It was good to stop for a while on my walk. It gave me time to breathe deeper and slower and exhale all the stresses that I had been holding onto. I caught myself smiling as I watched them and felt a sense of hope. I felt energised and ready to hop, skip and jump along the rest of my walk with renewed enthusiasm.
This time of year, can be a great time to quit smoking. Change, hope and new beginnings are often associated with Springtime and if your January new year resolutions did not come to fruition, now could be a great time to try again with regained positivity.
Rabbits are like humans, very social and interactive. They support each other in their community. When you are starting your quit attempt, it is important to seek out support from family and friends and think about how you can support yourself. What would be good for you whilst you are on your quit journey? This might be your hobby or interest , a yoga or cooking class or simply a daily app that can help you track your progress and keep you motivated and reach goals.
Your local stop smoking service is here to support you too.
April acknowledges “Stress Awareness Month” and this year the campaign focuses on change and #bethechange. From the bigger incidents to the small, minor upsets, it is all about how we react and respond to stress that matters. Reaching for a cigarette will not help!
It is a common thought that smoking relieves stress and anxiety and calms us down, but smoking increases these feelings. It may feel like we are relieved of the stress when we light up a cigarette, but this feeling is temporary, and the effects of smoking are more likely to cause feelings of stress and anxiety in the first place. When smokers have not had a cigarette in a while, the cravings can make them feel anxious and irritated.
Smokers are more likely to develop depression over time than non-smokers. Studies show that stopping smoking helps your mood, you will be less anxious and be able to deal with stress in a better way. As your anxiety is reduced, be more positive about developing different and better coping mechanisms to deal with stresses and upsets in our lives as they come along, without the thought of reaching for a cigarette
Some people are anxious in the first place about stopping smoking. This is a natural reaction, especially if you have smoked for a long time. Take the steps to change and your quit attempt one hop, skip and jump at a time, support yourself and each other and Be More Bunny!
Written by Carrie Whitworth at Yorkshire Smokefree
