How old were you when you started smoking?
I was 18 when I started smoking, and I was smoking around 10 cigarettes a day for 4 years.
Do you remember why you started smoking?
I started smoking on nights out as a 'social smoker', but it then just turned into a habit.
What were your reasons for quitting?
Health and fitness, I didn't want to feel out of breath anymore.
How did you access stop smoking support?
I had telephone sessions and the support I received was excellent, 10 out of 10!
Did you use stop smoking medication to help you quit?
Yes, I used champix. It was really helpful, it made quitting easy.
Apart from medication, what else helped you to quit and stay smoke free?
I was quitting as part of a charity challenge, so I couldn't let myself give up.
Has your health improved since you quit and if so, in what ways?
My health has improved drastically, I have lost over two stone and I am even cycling to work!
Have you achieved anything since quitting that you couldn't do whilst smoking?
I mountain bike regularly now and commute to work on the bike. I run a mountain bike group to help other people, mentally and physically. You can find us at MTB for Mental Health.
What do you like about not smoking?
The ability to breath, my teeth feeling normal, not smelling like smoke and having extra money!
Do you know how much money you have saved by not smoking?
About £20-25 a week, not sure how much in total!
Do you have plans to treat yourself with the money saved?
I've treated myself to a new bike!
What would you say to anyone who has recently started smoking, or, if you could go back in time, what would you tell your younger self before you smoked that first cigarette?
I would tell myself to think about what I was doing and how it would effect my health. I didn't want to be out of breath walking up the stairs at 23!
