Luke’s quit story

“I’d felt for a long time that smoking was unhealthy for me. It was having a negative impact on my life and I felt stuck in a cycle.”

From an early age, Luke was surrounded by smokers. Feeling the pressure to fit in, he took up the habit at just 12 years old. Over the next 16 years, smoking became a daily routine, costing him up to £10 a day on cigarettes.

When Luke’s partner became pregnant with their first child, he realised it was time to make this important change. Determined to prioritise his child’s health and wellbeing, he made a serious commitment to quitting smoking.

“I sought out professional help from the Sheffield Stop Smoking service.”

The service took time to understand Lukes bipolar diagnosis and were able to recommend a safe and tailored approach to help him to quit smoking with the support of his GP.

“I used to use smoking as a way to reduce the symptoms of my mental health.”

In order to manage stress and anxiety during his quit journey, Luke turned to activities like playing with his children, going to the gym, practising yoga, and meditating.

By quitting smoking Luke is now able to regulate his mental health in a more positive way, he doesn’t feel trapped anymore and enjoys the financial freedom not smoking has given him.

“If you’re thinking of quitting smoking, go for it. It’s all worthwhile in the end.”