Hannah’s story – Make Smoking History

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Hannah’s story

I decided to buy house plants which I could water every day just to keep my hands and mind occupied.
Photo of former smoker Hannah Bowden alongside text which reads: I feel a lot happier in myself and my kids do too.

After smoking for more than 15 years, 29-year-old Hannah Bowden from Manchester realised the impact that it was having on both her mental and physical health. She decided to quit when COVID-19 hit in March 2020, for the sake of her health and her three children.

She said: “I started smoking when I was 11 years old in high school. Everyone in my life smoked, so to me it was a normal thing.

“At the worst point, I was smoking 40-a-day and spending around £90 a week on cigarettes. Looking back, that is so much money and with the cost of living going up, I don’t think I’d be able to afford it now.

“I found I would smoke a lot more whenever the kids were at school and I was off work, sometimes I couldn’t have a coffee without lighting up a cigarette.

“I really started to notice how much smoking was impacting my health. I could barely breathe and I felt tired all of the time. I struggled doing things with the kids like going on long walks or fun outdoor activities because I just didn’t have the energy. I also couldn’t exercise very well and I noticed I was putting on weight. I started to feel really down and my depression was a lot worse. My physical appearance changed too. Despite my age, I noticed I was breaking out and full of acne.”

I could barely breathe and I felt tired all of the time.

In March 2020 when COVID-19 hit, Hannah realised smoking was putting her at higher risk. She didn’t want to put that worry onto her three kids, so she decided to quit for good. Although it was tough to begin with, she found ways to help her deal with cravings.

“It wasn’t until COVID hit I thought to myself ‘what am I doing, this isn’t worth it.’ I was putting myself at an even higher risk and I didn’t want that for my kids. I would never want them to grow up and start smoking, so why am I doing it? One time my daughter caught me smoking in the garden and she got quite upset, I think her reaction will always stick with me.

“In the beginning it was really tough. I would have mood swings when my cravings were high. I decided to buy house plants which I could water every day just to keep my hands and mind occupied. This really helped me whenever I would get cigarette cravings. I also found self-help books really helped me get those intrusive thoughts of needing a cigarette out of my head.”

Hannah has now been smokefree for nearly two and a half years. She feels so much happier and healthier in herself and is able to enjoy life with her three kids. 

“Now I’m smokefree, I’ve noticed a huge difference in my health. I feel like I can breathe again, which is definitely something I didn’t feel I could do very well before. Running is something I enjoy but I could never do it very well when I smoked, so quitting has made me become a lot more active and fit.

“I feel a lot happier in myself and my kids do too. I know that it was upsetting for them seeing me smoke, so I’m glad I don’t have to put them through that anymore. I get to spend a lot more quality time with them now that I have more energy and don’t get out of breath as easy. I can run round the garden and play with them, we all just seem a lot happier in general.

“My advice to anyone who is trying to quit is don’t be hard on yourself. It really is a mindset thing and you have to be so strong and keep telling yourself you don’t need a cigarette. And also remind yourself that these feelings won’t last forever, you just have to breathe through it and things will get better. Do whatever you need to do to get you through that first week without a cigarette. And it’s so important that you get all the help and support you need.

“Quitting smoking is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my life, but I could never imagine going back to it now.”