Deborah James - Proud to be a Hackney Quitter
As a nurse, Deborah knew the kind of physical damage smoking was doing to her entire body, not just her lungs. After 10 years of wanting to quit, she was finally about to do it with the support of the Hackney Stop Smoking Service!
Deborah began smoking at the age of 18, working up to an average of 10 cigarettes a day. Realising she would not be able to change the people smoking around her, Deborah decided to take charge of her future and embark on her quit journey.
“I finally realised I couldn’t change them, only myself”
After hearing about the stop smoking service through work, Deborah decided that their support might be just what she needed to get through the initial stages that she found so challenging.
Deborah’s sessional advisor helped her develop strategies to prevent relapse by understanding her particular needs.
“It suited me individually – she found out what was important to me…”
While the process has not always been easy, Deborah credits “persistence” as what got her through eight previous quit attempts and has led her to today’s success.
It has been over 100 days since Deborah has successfully quit smoking and she is already seeing measurable benefits to her health and wellbeing.
“I breathe more easily, smell better and have more energy… I’m pleased to be taking better care of myself”
So what is her final piece of advice to hopeful quitters?
“Don’t be worried about failing first time – often it takes a few attempts and you learn a bit more each time to help you with the next try (If you need it)”
Quitting can make improvements to your lifestyle and health in ways you might not expect.
Medications and nicotine replacement can double the chances of quitting smoking.