Free support to help stressed smokers stub it out
Smokers in Calderdale who have experienced stress, anxiety and panic while trying to quit smoking can now sign up to a free course run by South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust which aims to teach them new ways to cope in order to quit for good.
‘Go smoke free! The stress less way’ is a free 10 week course for people who may have tried to quit smoking in the past, but found it difficult due to feelings of stress and tension, or have never tried to quit because they feel they will not be able to cope without cigarettes.
The course, which will take place on Thursdays from 10am – 1pm at The Kings Centre, Halifax, will cover coping mechanisms, challenging old beliefs, and learning relaxation techniques to help people manage the feelings they experience.
It will then focus on supporting smokers to quit by helping them to set plans, providing motivation to encourage them to feel in control, and advising on the range of stop smoking products available.
The course is provided jointly by the Trust’s stop smoking service, Yorkshire Smokefree, and the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies service, which aims to provide quick and easy access to help and support for people experiencing conditions such as stress, depression and anxiety.
Yorkshire Smokefree has already helped thousands of people across the region to quit smoking with its online, telephone and face to face support which smokers can ‘pick and mix’ to suit their needs.
Sue Jones, stop smoking specialist with Yorkshire Smokefree in Calderdale, said: “Many people use smoking to help them cope with their problems, so it can feel almost impossible to quit. However, with the right support, we know that anyone can quit smoking for good, and the great thing is that this course helps people to develop those vital coping skills to manage stress before they actually quit.
“We don’t expect you to have the know-how and the confidence to quit right now – but we’ll help with that and help you explore and overcome the barriers to quitting too. The course is free, so you have nothing to lose, but so much to gain by giving up smoking.”
The course is open to people aged over 18 living in the Calderdale area. Anyone looking to take part must be able to commit to the full 10 weeks. starting 12 March.
To book a place on the course, contact Yorkshire Smokefree Calderdale on 01422 255540.
To find out more about Yorkshire Smokefree, visit www.yorkshiresmokefree.nhs.uk or call 0800 6120011 (free from landlines) or 0330 6601166 (free from mobiles).