Matthew celebrates one year smoke-free
At Choice Care, we believe in recognising every achievement of the people we support, and today we’re proud to share Matthew’s inspiring journey to becoming smoke-free for one full year.
When Matthew started out, he was smoking 14 roll-ups a day, one every hour from the moment he woke up until bedtime. Cigarettes had become a major source of anxiety for him. He constantly worried about how many pouches of tobacco he had left and whether it would be enough to get through the day. This added significant pressure to his mental health and daily life.
With the right support, encouragement and a clear goal, Matthew made the decision to stop smoking. It wasn’t always easy, but despite the huge challenge, through a consistent and compassionate approach, Matthew began to cut down. A big part of the journey was having something to look forward to, and Matthew chose a Play Station 5 as his incentive. This goal gave him motivation and focus throughout the process.
His support team, alongside the Specialist Support team (SST), developed a gradual reduction plan, helping him reduce his intake month by month. His keyworker, Lucia, and the entire team provided encouragement every step of the way.
We asked Matthew to reflect on his experience now that it’s been a whole year since he quit smoking:
How do you feel now that it’s been one whole year without smoking?
“I feel really good.”
What was the hardest part about quitting, and how did you get through it?
“The hardest part was the cravings, but I started chewing normal gum to help me, as I got addicted to nicotine gum.”
What are some things you enjoy now that you’ve stopped smoking?
“Saving lots of money, so I treated myself to a new PS5.”
Who helped or supported you the most during your smoke-free journey?
“All my team really supported me, and SST put a plan in place to help me cut down gradually every month. When I felt low, my keyworker, Lucia, always gave me lots of encouragement and support, as well as everyone else telling me I can do this.”
What would you say to someone who wants to quit smoking but finds it hard?
“I had a good team around me, so I would say that’s really important. It’s also important to be honest about struggling and accept support. You will feel better in the end.”
We talked to Matthew’s SST support, Elsa about his progress and what was put in place to support him.
Elsa says: “We put together a plan with Matthew to gradually reduce the number of cigarettes he was having each month until this was reduced to 0. When creating the plan, it was important for Matthew to have control in deciding what was realistic for him to ensure this ran smoothly. After sitting together with Matthew and his team, we all worked out a plan to reduce the number of cigarettes he smoked on a monthly basis.
Matthew had a calendar in his room and in the medication room to tick off each completed day, working as a visual reminder alongside the plan above to indicate the planned reduction in cigarettes each month. His support team were brilliant and supported Matthew consistently throughout the months, celebrating his achievements and encouraging him every day. Matthew can achieve so much when he puts his mind to it, he should be extremely proud of himself!”
Matthew’s progress is a fantastic example of how the right guidance, a personalised plan, and encouragement can lead to lasting, positive change. Congratulations, Matthew, on reaching this incredible milestone.
