Allison's Story

After 36 years of smoking Allison has successfully quit for good with the help of Stop for Life Oxon.

Allison started smoking when she was 15, and was smoking 20 cigarettes a day, setting her back nearly £100 per week! The money she was spending on cigarettes was a big motivation for her to quit but she was also concerned about the implications it was starting to have on her health.

‘I’ve tried to quit smoking before on my own using nicotine patches but I found it really hard and always ended up smoking again’.

Allison knew that if she was going to be successful in her quit attempt she needed some extra support, so enlisted the help of Stop For Life Oxon.

She worked with her dedicated coach Helen to create a personalised plan. ‘Setting a quit date 2 weeks in advance worked really well for me. It meant I had time to mentally prepare myself for the change I was about to make and was ready and motivated by the time the day came around’.

Throughout her smoke free journey, Allison checked in with her coach Helen over the phone on a weekly basis. ‘I found the weekly calls really useful, I felt supported and motivated to keep going’.

‘Alongside the support I received from Helen I used nicotine patches and a vape to help with cravings. Using the vape gave me something to do with my hands and was a great distraction when I felt the urge to smoke.’

Since quitting smoking Allison’s health has significantly improved. ‘My blood pressure has come right down and my doctor has said that I am no longer in the risk category for cardiovascular disease, which is just amazing!’

‘It took me a little while to notice but I am now definitely feeling the physical benefits too. I can breathe a lot more easily now and I don’t have a horrible taste in my mouth constantly like I did before I quit.’

Reflecting on her journey with Stop for Life Oxon, Allison said ‘Receiving free nicotine patches was a massive plus for me and definitely helped me to succeed. Stop for Life is a really efficient and effective service and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to quit smoking.’

If like Allison, you have tried and failed to quit smoking before – we are here to help!

With our support you are 4x more likely to quit for good. Get in touch today:

Call 0800 122 3790

Or text STOPOXFORD to 60777