Join the Great American Smokeout on November 19. 2015 and become a Quitter!
Have you tried to quit smoking in the past and were not successful? Take heart in knowing you are not alone. Many smokers who successfully quit make multiple attempts before they are successful. With each attempt to quit smoking a smoker learns new tricks, tips and ideas that work well for them. There is not a “one size fits all” for quitting. Every smoker is different. Some smokers quit “cold turkey” on the first try. However many are successful at quitting after multiple tries. The tips and techniques that work for one person may not work for another. The trick is to find what works best for you. There are many quit smoking techniques. Some resources include medications, methods, and supports. Pick the techniques that fit your lifestyle and go for it! The Great American Smokeout on November 19, 2015 is a great place to start.
Medications for smoking cessation come in 2 main types. There are medicines to place nicotine and medications that lessen cravings. Nicotine replacement medications are administered orally or transdermal, through the skin. Oral medications come in the form of nicotine gum. Transdermal methods include nicotine patches that adhere to the skin and slowly administer nicotine through the skin. Anti-craving medications work internally in the brain to interrupt signals for cravings. These medications have to be prescribed by a physician. Check with your doctor before taking any of these medications.
Smoking cessation programs and methods are administered in several forms. Some methods are facilitated through a coach or counselor face to face or over the phone. Some provide written materials with a plan to follow. There are also smoking cessation apps for mobile devices. The programs provide instructions for their recommended method to quit. Some recommend quitting “cold turkey” and others provide a schedule for tapering your smoking until you quit. Mobile apps provide services including alarms for tapering schedules. They provide badges or rewards for milestones in the smoking cessation process. Blogs for smoking cessation provide tips and techniques as well as support.
Social supports provide moral support while quitting. Moral support can be obtained through quitting with a family member or friend. There is also support available through smoking cessation support groups who meet in the community. Mobile apps and blogs also offer 24 hour readily available support. And don’t forget to check with your Employee Assistance Program to see if they offer anything on smoking cessation.
If you want to quit smoking, a great place to start is to join other quitters on November 19th, 2015 in the Great American Smokeout. The Great American Smokeout sponsored by the American Cancer Society occurs every year on the third Thursday of November. Smokers are encouraged to quit or at least quit for one day. You can organize a Smokeout at work or in your community. The American Cancer Society provides printable materials for volunteers who want to promote the Great American Smokeout. Their website also provides methods, plans, tips and techniques to become a Quitter.
See below for additional resources for quitting.
http://www.cancer.org/healthy/stayawayfromtobacco/index
The CDC “Quitline” 1-800-QUIT-NOW