Colin works at Red Gables in Stowmarket, where we recently hosted one of our stop smoking groups which had been advertised as part of our Stoptober campaign. After several previous attempts to quit in the past, Colin felt ready to stop smoking for good this time, and seeing an old friend successfully quit, combined with encouragement from his colleagues and the convenience of the group being held at his workplace, made this feel like the perfect opportunity to give it another go!
“I had several attempts at giving up smoking over about a 10-year period. I had tried stopping with support before, but it was always through one-to-one support, where my progress had always been a bit hit and miss, always resulting in me returning to the cigarettes. Then, the Feel Good Suffolk stop smoking group was advertised at the Red Gables, and since I work here, it just seemed like, the ideal opportunity.”
Colin had explained that this time he wanted to stop to protect his health. He reflected on his time as a cross-country runner in his younger years and said that over time he had noticed how his respiratory health had declined, which he put down to his regular smoking habit.
“I would sometimes be out of puff climbing the stairs, so this was one reason for wanting to stop smoking, however as the manager of a health and wellbeing hub, where I am often working to encourage and support people to take better care of themselves, it also felt embarrassing to know that I did occasionally smoke”
Through previous attempts to stop smoking Colin had tried using nicotine patches but found this product really didn’t work for him, he also explained that one to one appointments, although supportive were not convenient and he often struggled to get an appointment or one that suited his working hours.
” I first started smoking at 15 years old and I am now 42. I hadn’t always smoked and I had gone for periods without smoking at all but then it would creep back in. Before you know it, you’re back to square one with the habit.
This time, with the support of the Feel Good Suffolk stop smoking group Colin has successfully quit and has now been smoke-free for more than two months.
“I think this time it has worked for a number of reasons, firstly because I was ready to stop and really wanted to achieve my goal, plus I found a new treatment method that worked for me and I found that being a part of a group of people who all had a shared goal and experience has helped so much. Many smoked much more than me but seeing everyone work towards and achieve their goals has been good.”
Colin decided to use an nicotine inhalator to aid his stop smoking attempt which was a new approach for him. He said:
“Having an inhalator has worked. It has been really useful having one here, at work and one at home as I generally don’t smoke anywhere else. I didn’t smoke much, in fact some days I would go without, so I didn’t even think about smoking all day, but sometimes in a social environment I would want to smoke, or I would smoke out of habit whilst maintaining the garden at work. So, I think that’s where an inhalator worked quite well for me as I had something I could still have in my mouth in those times where I really wanted a cigarette.”
Colin believes the advice from both his specialist advisor, and the others who attended the group was the key to his overall success. He tells us since he has stopped smoking, he has found that he is sleeping better, and he has found a new love for cooking and food since his sense of taste has improved.
“I am definitely benefitting from quitting, but I know as more time passes I will experience even more health improvements, right now I do feel a real sense of pride – it is a great feeling being able to refer to yourself as a non- smoker, it gives me a boost of confidence having achieved this goal!”
Dacă ești gata să devii nefumător în 2026, echipa noastră de consilieri prietenoși și lipsiți de prejudecăți este gata să te sprijine imediat ce vei fi.
Pur și simplu completați un formular de auto-recomandă la https://feelgoodsuffolk.co.uk/make-a-referral/
Sau sunați echipa la 0345 603 4060
Romanian 
English 
Polish 
Lithuanian 
Portuguese 
Bengali