Chelsea came to the Yorkshire Smokefree service in Sheffield seeking help to quit smoking. It was really important to Chelsea quit smoking for good and her motivation was twofold; to do it for her own health and for the wellbeing of her autistic son. Chelsea's son was upset to see her smoking, so she decided now was the right time to quit and she contacted our team in Sheffield for support.
Chelsea had successfully quit in the past, during pregnancy with her son. However, once she stopped breastfeeding she returned to the cigarettes and several years later thought that quitting for good would be really hard.
At her initial consultation Chelsea spoke with her advisor about the various quit medications, NRT and vapes that are available with Yorkshire Smokefree Sheffield. She opted to try nicotine patches to help her cope with any possible cravings. 12 weeks later Chelsea is now smoke-free, and officially an ex-smoker and she told us that the nicotine patches worked really well for her. In fact, just a few weeks in she forgot to use one and didn't even notice - the cravings had already stopped!
Willpower also played its part in her quit journey. Chelsea remained mentally focused throughout, reminding herself that this was for her health and her son and she was determined to stay strong. She now feels that her general health has improved and she's noticed she's far less stressed now than she ever was when she was dependent on nicotine. Chelsea is also enjoying having more money in her pocket - she would previously spend £20 a day on cigarettes so the savings are adding up quickly!
We asked Chelsea what she found helpful about our service. She told us:
"Having someone to talk to every week ensured I stayed on the right path. At one point I didn't think I could do it, even with the patches, but after taking with my advisor I was encouraged to change my mindset and believe in myself. I changed my mind focus and just a few weeks later I found it easier".
Congratulations on your quit, Chelsea. Your Sheffield advisors are proud of you and we celebrate all the hard work you put in!
