I am not
ready to quit I am
thinking about quitting
I plan to quit now
I have quit recently
Which Quitting Methods Work Best?
Pressing
Concerns That Come Before Quitting
Nicotine dependence can develop with all forms of tobacco use (i.e.,
cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, pipes, and cigars). Nicotine is a drug
found naturally in tobacco. It is highly addictive…as addictive as heroin
or cocaine.
Over time, the body becomes both physically and psychologically dependent.
Studies have shown that tobacco users must overcome both the physical and
psychological aspects of tobacco dependence to be successful at quitting and
staying quit.
Nicotine produces pleasant feelings that create a desire for more tobacco.
As the nervous system adapts to nicotine, tobacco users tend to increase the
amount they use. After a while, the person develops a tolerance to the drug,
which leads to greater use. Over time, a certain nicotine level is reached and
then the person smokes or chews to maintain this level of nicotine.
When tobacco users cut back or quit, the absence
of nicotine leads to withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal is both physical and
mental. Physically, the body reacts to the absence of nicotine.
Psychologically, a person who smokes or chews is faced with the task of finding
ways of coping without tobacco.
If a person has used tobacco regularly for a few weeks or longer and
abruptly stops or cuts back, withdrawal symptoms will occur. Symptoms usually
start within a few hours of the last cigarette and peak about 2 to 3 days
later. Withdrawal symptoms can last for a few days to several weeks and
cravings often last longer.
Withdrawal symptoms can include any of the following:
While not everyone will experience these symptoms, they are a common part
of quitting tobacco. For more information about depression and mental health,
please click
here.
Source: American Cancer Society
If you want
to Manage Cravings while at work
If you are interested in managing
your cravings the nicotine replacement patches, lozenges or gum are probably your best bet.
If you are preparing
to Quit
You may decide to quit cold
turkey. Some people can quit this way. But research shows that your chances of
quitting successfully are much higher if you use one of the medications listed
below and get support at the same time.
There are many factors to
consider when you decide which medication to take. Depending on how much
tobacco you use, a combination of medications may be more effective. We are more than happy to answer your questions and help you get
the medications that are right for you. Call
1-800-941-5590 to make an appointment with a Tobacco Specialist.
|
Medication |
Available |
Where you can get it |
How it works |
Other considerations |
|
Prescription
only |
From your
provider |
Reduces
both the urge to smoke and the satisfaction you get if you do smoke |
Study
participants who used this medication were three times more likely to quit
than participants who took a placebo. Nausea is a common side-effect but can
be reduced if taken with food and drink |
|
|
Lozenge |
Over-the-counter |
At your
drug store |
Contains
the amount of nicotine in one cigarette and can satisfy cravings |
A
combination of medications may be more effective for heavy tobacco users. |
|
Patch |
Over-the-counter |
At your
drugstore |
Helps to
reduce the urge by providing a steady dose of nicotine |
|
|
Gum |
Over-the-counter |
At your
drugstore |
Keeps your
mouth busy and helps reduce the urge by providing nicotine |
Is very
sticky and needs to be stored away from heat. Not recommended for tobacco
chewers who want to quit |
|
Inhaler |
Prescription
only |
From your
provider |
Helps
reduce the urge by providing nicotine |
|
|
Nasal
Spray |
Prescription
only |
From your
provider |
Helps
reduce the urge by providing nicotine |
|
|
Zyban/Wellbutrin |
Prescription
only |
From your
provider |
Helps
reduce the urge to smoke |
Not safe
for some people (depends on your personal health history) |
The research is clear that most
people greatly increase their chance of successfully quitting if they use a
combination of quit meds and support, which can be from coaching, counseling or
group support. But, it’s important to pick a method that you think will
work best for you.
Health Coaches are healthcare professionals
who specialize in supporting people to reach their goals. Our role is to
understand where you are and where you would like to go. We will help clarify your health concerns and goals, but we will never tell you what to do or give
you a lecture.
All Swanson Wellness services are
confidential. We are not part of the
Swanson record system. We maintain a separate database that only wellness staff
can access.
Sound like something you might be
interested in trying?
Call 1-800-941-5590
to make an appointment.
Good Reasons
to Meet with a Health Coach
What Happens
at Health Coaching Visits?
Each person is unique, so every
coaching visit is different. When you meet with a health coach, you are able to
customize your appointment to meet your own needs. Health coaching is not
counseling. It’s more like spending time with a supportive person who is
a good listener and knows a lot about your health goal -- whether your goal is
managing stress, lowering your cholesterol, quitting tobacco or something else.
Why is
Health Coaching Effective?
OHSU Smoking Cessation Center: http://www.ohsu.edu/smokingcessation/
Information
for clinicians, resources for tobacco users, tobacco-related research and
publications.
Quit Net: http://www.quitnet.com/
Free online support, including a
variety of chat rooms, information about quit meds and email support.
Registration required. Member only services available as well.
Clearing the Air: http://www.smokefree.gov/pubs/clearing
the air.pdf
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’
downloadable workbook for smoking cessation.
You may have thought about
quitting, but there are other health issues or stress in your life that need to
come first. Here are some options to explore these other concerns.
Health coaching: We will not try to talk you into quitting!
Healthfinder: An award winning site that can provide
information on health issues. Go to www.healthfinder.org
Medline Plus: Another good site.
Go to www.medlineplus.org
The following activities are
worksheets (in PDF format) that you can download and work on at your own pace.
From the descriptions below, pick and choose the ones that match where you are
and what you think would be helpful.
Coping with stress: This activity will guide you through a menu of options for dealing with
the stress in your life.
Weighing the
pros and cons: This activity will help you identify the
advantages and disadvantages of making a change right now in your life.
Values Exercise: This exercise helps you identify your top three priorities in
life right now.
Invite imagination: This activity provides you with an imaginary
magic wand to help you imagine what life would be like without tobacco.
Learning from your past: This activity is designed to help you
understand and learn from your past quitting experiences.
It may be helpful to weigh the
pros (advantages) and cons (disadvantages) of quitting tobacco. You may decide
to wait until it is the right time in your life for you to focus on this big
change. You may also want to spend time thinking about which quit option is the
best choice for you.
If you would like to chat with
someone about whether or not you should try to quit and what your options are, call
1-800-941-5590 to schedule a phone or
in-person appointment with a wellness staff member who specializes in tobacco
issues.
You may also choose to print off
the following activity and work on it at your pace.
Weighing the pros and cons worksheet
As Mark Twain
once said, “Quitting smoking is easy…I’ve done it a thousand
times.”
Those of you who
have quit and gone back to using tobacco know that it can like a failure. You
may be tempted to quit quitting because nothing seems to work.
But not many
people stay quit after just one try. Every time you quit you find out more
about what works and what doesn’t, and it brings you closer to finding a
way to make it work. What we have learned from people, is that if they are
truly determined to quit, they will find a way to do it.
The worksheet below is designed to help you
understand and learn from your past quitting experiences. This exercise may
help you create a better strategy if you decide to quit again.
Learning from your past worksheet
Many people find it useful to get
together with others who are in the same boat. Support groups are facilitated
by experienced professionals who understand how difficult it can be to go
without tobacco. They can be in-person or online.