As October draws to a close, many people across the UK reflect on their Stoptober journey. Whether you cut down, stopped completely, or didn’t quite reach your goal this time — it’s okay. Change doesn’t always happen in a single attempt, and every step forward matters.
Stoptober, the annual stop-smoking campaign launched by Public Health England, continues to inspire thousands to rethink their relationship with smoking. But the end of the month can leave some feeling disappointed if they didn’t fully succeed. If that’s you, please know this: you haven’t failed — you’ve begun.
Why You Might Not Quit Smoking on Your First Attempt — And Why That’s Normal
Quitting smoking is a significant life change. It involves physical, emotional, and behavioural shifts, and it’s common for people to need more than one attempt.
Here are four common reasons people struggle to stop smoking the first time:
- Nicotine Addiction Is Powerful
Nicotine is highly addictive and creates strong physical and psychological dependence. According to the NHS (2023), most smokers make several quit attempts before stopping for good. This isn’t a reflection of willpower — it’s the nature of addiction.
- Stress and Emotional Triggers
Many people smoke as a coping mechanism for stress, anxiety, boredom, or emotional overwhelm. Without alternative tools to manage emotions, habits can quickly return.
- Lack of the Right Support
Some people attempt to quit alone, only to find the journey harder than expected. Evidence shows that having professional support increases the likelihood of success.
- Habit and Routine
Smoking becomes intertwined with daily life — morning coffee, work breaks, socialising, driving. Breaking routine-based habits takes time and practice.
It Often Takes Multiple Attempts — And That’s Absolutely OK
Quitting smoking isn’t usually a one-time event. It’s a process.
- The British Heart Foundation (2022) reported that smokers typically make 6–30 quit attempts before stopping successfully.
- The NHS (2023) reinforces that persistence is key — every attempt moves you closer to long-term success.
Every effort teaches you something: what helps, what triggers you, what support you may need next time.
Think of each attempt not as a failure, but as progress.
How Hypnotherapy Can Help You Stop Smoking
Hypnotherapy offers a gentle yet empowering approach to quitting smoking by working with your subconscious mind — the part responsible for habits, beliefs, and automatic behaviours.
Hypnotherapy can support you to:
✅ Reduce cravings and break the automatic smoking habit
By reframing unhelpful patterns and associations, hypnotherapy helps weaken the desire to smoke.
✅ Strengthen motivation and confidence
When your subconscious aligns with your conscious goal to quit, willpower feels more natural and sustainable.
✅ Manage stress and emotional triggers
Sessions often include relaxation techniques and coping strategies to support emotional wellbeing without relying on cigarettes.
✅ Create a new, healthier identity
Hypnotherapy helps you step into the mindset of a non-smoker — not someone “trying to quit”, but someone who simply doesn’t smoke.
Many people find hypnotherapy beneficial as part of their quit journey, whether used alone or alongside NHS stop-smoking services.
If You Didn’t Quit This Stoptober, You’re Still on the Right Path
Be proud of yourself for taking a step — even considering quitting is a powerful first move. The desire for change means change has already begun.
When you’re ready, support is here for you.
Ready to Explore Whether Hypnotherapy Could Support Your Next Quit Attempt?
If you’d like to find out more, I offer a gentle, no-obligation free discovery call where we can talk about your experience, your goals, and how hypnotherapy can help you move forward at your own pace.
You deserve to breathe easier — in your lungs, your mind, and your life.