Stoptober!

There has been a recent campaign circulating from the NHS called 'Stoptober'. It is encouraging people to stop smoking for 28 days starting 1st October, as if you can stop for 4 weeks, you're 5 times more likely to quit according to their research.

As an unhappy smoker myself, I've decided to sign up and start. There are a few reasons I want to stop, such as money and I know my parents don't like it, but the main reason for me is my health. I've been smoking on and off since about 17, but it's the past year that I have been at my worst, peaking at as many as 30 a day. Up until recently I was on just under 20 a day.

I think it's a very unusual topic, because I know non smokers who are so disapproving and say "If you want to stop then just stop!", but I honestly don't believe it's that easy. Of course it's fair to say it affects everyone differently, but for me being at university I feel it has made the challenge even greater, because smoking is a very social thing. I wouldn't say that a lot of my friends I see on a day to day basis are smokers, in fact very few are, but I find smoking a really good way of taking a step back and just having a breather in parts of the day (excuse the irony).

I received the pack free from the NHS, which includes a few leaflets and a stress ball. Overall I don't think the pack is the greatest motivator, but what I do like is that I've signed up to receive daily 'motivational' texts. Although these are of course pretty corny, it's nice to be reminded each day that you're achieving something and in a weird way I think it'll help in keeping me going.

Anyway, long story short, I have 1 cigarette left in my packet, and don't plan on buying any more. I'm hoping I'm not going to turn into a massive arsehole in the process, but more importantly I hope this time I can make it stick, and stop smoking for good.