Alina’s health has improved as a direct result of being able to quit smoking.
How did you hear about One You East Sussex?
Alina heard about our service by accessing our website and seeing information on how we support people to quit smoking.
How do you feel now you’ve quit smoking?
“My life literally changed: the way I breath, the asthma attacks are gone, my resistance to effort increased exponentially (I started running 3 weeks after I stopped smoking, I am able to run 5km now without losing my breath), my skin looks so different, the food tastes a lot better. This major change gave me a boost of self-confidence, it made me think ‘If I was finally able to quit smoking, I am able to do and achieve anything I want.’ I started running 4-5 times/week, I eat a lot healthier now, so instead of gaining weight – as many people are afraid will happen once they quit – I have managed to lose one stone since I gave up smoking.”
What made you access One You East Sussex?
“I was trying to quit smoking since 2011, when I was diagnosed with allergic asthma and COPD. I was spending more than £3oo per month! I tried several attempts to quit in the last 10 years, but I never lasted more than 1-2 months without cigarettes. Smoking should have been absolutely forbidden for me, and yet I kept smoking at least 20 cigarettes per day in the last 25 years. The asthma attacks were becoming more frequent and serious, so I knew I had to do something: quit smoking.”
What advice would you give to someone wanting to quit smoking?
“To seek professional help and even different pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation that might help a lot. I had Champix through One You East Sussex and weekly calls from an extremely supportive collaborator of this service – Rosana – who was there all the time for me, supporting, encouraging and helping me on my journey. It was a game changer, compared to all the times I tried on my own and I failed. I can’t thank her and this free service enough. Another advice would be to keep trying, even if they fail. My motto was always ‘Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.’ (Samuel Beckett) so I never lost hope than one day I will be stronger than this deadly addiction. And so I was.”
With specialist support, you can feel comfortable that your journey to being smokefree is in safe hands. We help East Sussex residents give up cigarettes for free, would you like to quit? You can start by filling out an online referral form here.
