Stoptober And Sober October

Stoptober gives people the opportunity to try and give up smoking for the month, which in turn, makes it more likely they will give it up for good. 2.3 million people have made an attempt to quit since the campaign launched in 2012, according to Public Health England’s monitoring evaluation data. 

Smoking

The health risks from smoking are known by most people, due to increased education and awareness but many people start smoking from a younger age and then find it extremely difficult to quit. Although the health risks are a motivation, often the financial cost is also a massive factor. Below are some statistics from the government’s 2021 Stoptober press release.

• Over 6 million adults in England still smoke, and it remains the leading cause of premature death, with almost 75,000 preventable deaths a year

• The average smoker can save £1,875.60 a year by quitting smoking

• Stoptober is based on research that if a smoker can make it to 28 days smoke-free, they are 5-times more likely to quit for good. The campaign first launched in 2012 when 1 in 5 adults smoked (19.3%) – this has since fallen to 1 in 7 in England (13.9%).

You can use this NHS website to calculate how much you spend on cigarettes, for the week, month, yearly, and cost to date, by answering 4 simple questions. It also calculates how many grams of tar that is.

Health Risks

The NHS is a great resource for the risks of smoking, below are some of the biggest health effects from smoking.

• Smoking increases your risk of developing more than 50 serious health conditions.

• Smoking causes around 7 out of every 10 cases of lung cancer (70%).

• It also causes cancer in many other parts of the body, including the; Mouth, throat, voice box (larynx), oesophagus (the tube between your mouth and stomach), bladder, bowel, cervix, kidney, liver, stomach and pancreas

• Smoking damages your heart and your blood circulation, increasing your risk of developing conditions such as; coronary heart disease, heart attack, stroke, peripheral vascular disease (damaged blood vessels) and cerebrovascular disease (damaged arteries that supply blood to your brain)

• Smoking also damages your lungs, leading to conditions such as; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which incorporates bronchitis, emphysema and pneumonia

• Smoking can also worsen or prolong the symptoms of respiratory conditions such as asthma, or respiratory tract infections such as the common cold.

Stoptober Free Quitting Tools

• NHS Quit Smoking app

• Facebook messenger bot

• Stoptober Facebook online communities

• Daily emails and SMS

• Online Personal Quit Plan, which helps people find a combination of support that’s right for them, including expert support from local Stop Smoking Services and stop smoking aids

Tips To Give Up Smoking

• Tell all your friends and family that you have given up and to not give or offer you a cigarette

• Exercise and become more active

• Pick a date you want to give up and stick to it (From the New Year is often a good date)

• Create new routines, as its often the routine of smoking that causes problems

• Quit with a friend (Maybe even put a wager on)

• Reward yourself every 2 weeks or every month with a treat

• Keep busy

• Think positively

Sober October

Sober October is also going on at the same time as Stoptober, to inspire people to give up alcohol for the month, to help raise money for cancer through Macmillan. It also encourages people to be personally healthier themselves, by staying sober for the month. 

How It Works

1. Sign up to the Challenge

2. Go Alcohol free in October

3. Ask friends and family to donate to you

4. Help people living with cancer

Benefits Of Going Sober

• More time on your hands

• Financially better off 

• Better sleep

• More energy

• Clearer head

• Weight Loss

• No Hangovers!

• Better Skin

• Lower blood pressure

• Lower risk of stroke, hypertension, cancer and liver disease

• Lower cholesterol levels

Tips To Get Through Sober October

• Make lots of plans that do not need to include alcohol

• Exercise regularly

• Become more active

• Find a good TV series to watch

• Get ahead on house jobs and DIY

• Spend more time with your kids and family

• Get a hobby or learn something new

Often people turn to alcohol or smoking to deal with stress, so here is a blog on Tips for Identifying and Managing Stress.