A FREE stop smoking course designed by psychologists is being offered to help people in Brighton and Hove kick the habit.

Smoke Free Me has been commissioned by the city’s clinical commissioning group in bid to keep cutting the number of smokers continuing to light up.

Smokers may be addicted to nicotine but the brain is more addicted to habit chains such as always having a cigarette with a cup of coffee or smoking while driving to work.

The Smoke Free Me scheme uses texts and email to send people messages of support, tips to distract them and ideas of things to do.

The messages, which are tailored to suit the individual, are designed to smash habits, crush cravings and embrace new smoke-free behaviours.

Tips can range from standing on one leg for 90 seconds to smoking in the shed at the bottom of the garden instead of by the back door.

Professor Karen Pine, founding psychologist at Brighton-based Do Something Different, the company behind the approach, said: “When people smoke their brain gets conditioned into expecting a nicotine hit when there are certain trigger points like having a drink.

“What we do is help provide a distraction and break that connection. The most important thing is that we build up to it.

“People are asked to set a quit date and in the two weeks running up to that we start sending messages and helping them to prepare.

“After the quit date they also get regular support and update to help them along the way. The aim is shake up routines and habits and give people new experiences to think about.”

Clinical commissioning group lead for cancer, Anita Amin, said: “Giving up smoking is a personal journey.

“By tailoring each Smoke Free Me programme to an individual’s psychological smoking habits, the aim is to increase their chances of quitting successfully and staying smoke free in the long-term.”

For more information, visit SmokeFreeMe.co.uk.