Time to quit? Here are some top tips to give up smoking for good

Brought to you by LloydsPharmacy

Ready to quit? Here's some first-hand advice from someone who's quitting.

Giving up smoking for good is not an easy journey. While we're all familiar with the risks of smoking and the advantages that come with quitting, anyone who's tried to give up before knows ditching the habit is a lot easier said that done. That's why we've teamed up with LloydsPharmacy, to follow along with one quitter's journey and pick up some expert tips for quitting along the way. We recently caught up with 38-year-old Laura O'Connor from Dublin, who has recently taken on the challenge of giving up smoking for good. Laura has been smoking since she was 16, when she began working in pubs. The normalisation of smoking in the nineties combined with her line of work were both factors that she believes lead to her taking on the habit. She's tried to quit smoking "many times" over the last the 22 years, but hasn't had any success. "I have a lot of shame associated with it as I know it will affect my health. I have had a few scares and given up many times but wasn't ready." Recently, Laura made the decision to try give up again, "for my health, [to save] money and to feel better about myself." "I find I am ashamed of my habit. My mother died quite young from a complication related to smoking and I want to be around for my children." But this time, she's taking a different approach. In the past Laura, tried to quit alone, without seeking help from experts. Now, she's teamed up with LloydsPharmacy, to get expert advice on quitting. Laura visited her local LloydsPharmacy in Omni Park to discuss her smoking habits and triggers, and get expert advice from a pharmacist. Supervising Pharmacist Vivienne Brannigan met with Laura and recommended some Nicotine Replacement Therapy Products based off of Laura's personal smoking habits: "Laura smokes first thing in the morning so we decided to go with the Niquitin 24 HR patch to help deal with the early morning cravings. We then went with the Nicotinell lozenge to help with any daytime cravings that Laura might encounter," Vivienne explained. And if you're looking to quit, the good news is this service is available for you too! Every LloydsPharmacy store has a confidential care room where a trained Pharmacist can speak with customers about the options available to them, and they offer specialised advice for that individual. They can also guide you through the different Nicotine Replacement Therapy products available, including lozenges, gum, inhalers, sprays and patches. We'll be checking in with Laura again in a few weeks, so keep your eyes peeled for the next update. For expert advice on giving up smoking, find your nearest LloydsPharmacy HERE. Brought to you by LloydsPharmacy