Secrets to successful quitting

This STOPtober, I’ve been sharing the secrets to successful quitting in The Sunday Times, The Belfast Telegraph, and Welldoing all with one purpose: to help people break free from nicotine and rediscover what life feels like without it.

Here’s the truth: quitting smoking or vaping doesn’t have to be miserable. It can be liberating. When you understand that nicotine gives you nothing and takes everything, you stop fighting it and start enjoying life again.

Freedom feels better than any puff ever did.Less stress. More peace. Total control.

If you’d like some help or personal guidance to finally quit drop me a line. I’d love to help you find your way from craving to freedom. 💛

From Craving to Freedom

💡 Why Quitting Feels Hard — and Why It Doesn’t Have to Be

Most people approach quitting as a battle of willpower. You want to smoke or vape, but tell yourself you can’t  because of your health, your finances, or your loved ones. This “white-knuckle” approach turns quitting into deprivation. Every day feels like a fight against something you still desire.

But most of the pain of quitting comes from the mind, not the body. Once you change how you see nicotine, everything changes.

When you understand that nicotine doesn’t actually give you anything - no relaxation, no pleasure, no real focus,  you start to see it for what it really is: a clever illusion. It creates stress and cravings, then briefly relieves them, making you believe it was helping.

🧠 Meet “Nitch” — The Nicotine Itch

In my Welldoing article, I introduce the idea of “Nitch”:  the voice of your nicotine addiction. When Nitch gets nicotine, he’s quiet. When he doesn’t, he nags and distracts you until you give in.

Every puff or vape feeds him. Quitting means starving him. He’ll complain for a few days — but before long, he disappears completely. And the peace that follows is real, lasting, and deeply satisfying.

When you stop feeding Nitch, you don’t lose comfort; you regain it. You realise that your morning coffee, your social life, your calm moments  were enjoyable before nicotine ever entered the picture.

🌈 Freedom Feels Better Than You Imagine

Once you stop, you gain far more than you give up. Quitting means:

• No more cravings controlling your day.

• Less stress and anxiety.

• More energy, confidence, and money.

• Brighter mornings and better moods.

Research published in the British Medical Journal found that quitting smoking leads to less anxiety and depression, and greater happiness, with benefits as strong as those from antidepressants.

💬 This STOPtober Take Back Your Freedom

Quitting isn’t about giving something up, it’s about taking something back: your peace, your health, and your power.

This month, I’ve loved helping readers across the UK discover that quitting can be joyful and empowering.

If you’d like personal support, motivation, or practical tools to help you stop smoking or vaping  get in touch. Let’s make this the moment you say goodbye to nicotine and hello to freedom.