Case Studies
ASDA supporting No Smoking Day Charity
To get an idea of the problems smokers face, we talked to two serial quitters and asked psychologist Donna Dawson to work out where they were going wrong and how they could quit for good.
The long-time smoker: Martin
Martin first started to smoke at the age of 15. "I tried it out of curiosity and, although it was horrible, I stuck with it as an act of rebellion." A year later he was worried about his health – "I'm a bit of a hypochondriac," he says. But when it came to stopping he found he was hooked.
Since then he has tried to quit six times, once staying off for nine months before giving in again. He even attended two 'quitting clinics' with a friend, "but I don't think we were that interested in giving up, because we didn't go back.
"It's always when there's alcohol around," he admits. "Living in the country, my social life tends to revolve around the pub, and a cigarette goes so well with a pint of beer."
As he works from home, Martin can also smoke at any time, which is why he can easily get through 20 a day, although he tries to limit smoking to 'fag breaks' rather than puffing away while working.
Donna suspects that although Martin has made many attempts at giving up, he may not be really serious. And, she adds, "unfortunately for him he associates smoking with a relaxing break from work, with good times and with friends."
curiosity and, although
it was horrible, I stuck
with it as an act of
rebellion.
Donna recommends:
- Read up on the health risks of smoking, to take the "fun" out of it – this will put you in the right frame of mind for quitting
- Break old patterns of behaviour
- Chew gum while working, and go for a short walk on breaks
- Avoid the pub – meet at friends' houses where people are less likely to smoke
- Use nicotine patches, to help curb any nicotine cravings
friends smoked and
they always offered
cigarettes around, so
I just started
accepting them.
Office worker Sue began smoking in her late twenties. "Almost all my friends smoked and they always offered cigarettes around, so I just started accepting them," she says. But she hardly ever bought her own cigarettes and only smoked when out with friends, "so I never thought of myself as a proper smoker".
When a friend pointed out that she was a 'cigarette poncer' she began buying her own, and soon realised that she had become addicted.
Sue gave up easily while working abroad for six months, but when she came home and met up with the old gang, she started smoking again. "Recently I realised I didn't want to be out with them and not smoke! That's not good, is it?"
Donna thinks Sue needs some self-respect, "She must value her ability to make independent decisions."
Donna recommends:
- Don't tell your gang you're giving up – they may tempt you with cigarettes to test you
- Save 50p for every cigarette refused, and buy a treat with the money. Rewarding yourself like this is a great motivator
- If asked, just say you no longer enjoy the taste – that way you're not making your friends feel that you're better than them and that they should give up, too
- Use nicotine gum when in the pub to help stem the craving
No smoking day Wednesday 14th March 2007
- To find out even more information about the benefits of stopping smoking and how you can get help and advice visit the No Smoking Day website.
- find out more
- Speak to others trying to quit on the No Smoking Day forum
- go there now
You can help your chances of stopping smoking with a little bit of planning and support...
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- Case Studies
- Two serial quitters seek help and advce to help them give up smoking.
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