Richard

Today we’re celebrating Richard, who with the help of Yorkshire Smokefree, had the determination to take control of his lifestyle, his health and his wellbeing. Here is his advice for others wanting to quit the habit just like him, in his own words.

I’ve been affected by severe mental health issues all my life, that means sometimes it has been difficult to focus on my wellbeing and take the time to care for myself. I know more than most its all too easy to neglect the important things when you’re suffering, but no one is without choices, and one of mine was to quit smoking. I told myself if I could take this one step of self-love, I could send my subconscious a message: I care for you. I was determined to make small, positive steps in the right direction, that’s why I contacted Yorkshire Smokefree on the phone. 

I came in to speak to an advisor and found I wasn’t anxious, they were friendly, didn’t judge me and I spoke freely. It was massively helpful because I began to notice my cravings were decreasing as the weeks went on, pretty soon I’d achieved four weeks completely smoke-free! Something I never expected, something to be celebrated. I signed up to receive motivational texts and throughout the lockdown, I’ve been able to speak to advisors on the phone whenever I had a low or shaky moment. 

I’m no longer lethargic, I’ve started keeping fit and I’m saving a tonne of money - which I’m going to use to invest in my future. 

For anyone like (or even, unlike) me, I’d encourage you to always do the incredible things you never thought you could, one of those things for many is smoking. Though you’ll struggle, you might fall off the wagon, you might have to climb up onto it again, in those moments of darkness you’ll find the brightest points of light. 

My ultimate advice is to quit smoking, but don’t ever quit following that light to a more healthy life. 

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If you feel inspired by Richard’s words and would like support in quitting register for a Callback Request today.