My name is Rohullah "I am an asylum seeker from Afghanistan and speak a little bit of English, but I have also been using an interpreter.
I used to smoke a lot, more than 20 cigarettes every day since I was 10 years old. Even though it was illegal to smoke in my culture and religion, I still managed to get hold of cigarettes.
I started smoking more when I began my journey to Germany. I came to the UK with my brother through Serbia, then ended up in Germany. But now, I have stopped smoking and have started running instead.
I have a condition called PTSD, which makes things difficult for me. I don't have any friends or family here, and I have been separated from my brother.
I stopped smoking because it was terrible for my health. I didn't know before that cigarettes are harmful; we are given cigarettes to smoke as a coping tool for stress.
Going to the stop-smoking sessions has taught me about the dangers of smoking and how it affects my health and mental well-being. The sessions are an excellent place to talk to someone and learn about ways to quit smoking, like using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).
My stop-smoking advisor, Farai, has been patient and supportive. Farai allowed me to be open about my past, and he related well to me. He shared his journey to the UK and is now helping people live a healthy lifestyle. This has inspired me to stop smoking and hopefully achieve my dream of being a nurse and helping others. I want the chance to tell my story one day, and I hope it can inspire others in the same situation.
I am trying my best to improve my life. Quitting smoking and taking up running has made a big difference. It's not easy being alone and dealing with my past, but I am determined to keep going. I want to be an example for others going through the same things as me and show them that they can make positive changes in their lives, too.
