Mike’s story
You might feel stuck in a smoking cycle, but it is possible to give up. If I can do it – anyone can.
Hits Radio presenter, Mike Toolan, quit smoking after realising he was wishing his life away for a cigarette.
Even though that first cigarette tasted horrendous and made me gag, I wanted to fit in with everyone. The nicotine addiction became a routine – habitual.
Hits Radio presenter, Mike Toolan first started smoking when he was 15 and quickly became addicted.
It was only after having two kids, Mike realised smoking was having a detrimental effect on his life.
“I remember there was this one night when I was desperate for the kids to go to bed so I could go outside and do this ridiculous thing to myself. I thought this isn’t right – I’m wishing my life away for a cigarette,” Mike explains.
The withdrawal is the difficult bit but once you remove the mental side of it and realise, you’re not actually getting a high, you’re just going back to the level a non-smoker would be, it becomes easier.
“The best thing for me was food suddenly tasted a thousand times better. Once when out for a meal with a friend I was saying how tangy, gorgeous, delicious and a mouth explosion the food was – I was eating a boiled potato!
“I now want to spread the message to others about quitting. You might feel stuck in a smoking cycle but it is possible to give up. If I can do it – anyone can.”
