I am not ready to quit-I am thinking about quitting-I plan to quit now-I have quit recently
*tag line coined by Jim Prochaska, URI
Meds (to quit or manage cravings)
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.
Which Medication is Best for You?
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 Hoffman Wellness services are confidential. We are not part of the Hoffman 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?
· The approach used in health coaching creates a partnership between you and your coach; they will give advice if you are interested but you will be the one to create your plan of action.
· The coaches support you in tracking your progress, addressing barriers that get in your way and identifying resources to assist you.
· Coaching does not involve criticism or judgment, but instead helps you figure out what’s most important to you and how to get there.
· Health coaches look at the big picture. They take the time to listen to your concerns and ask questions to understand what works for you and what doesn’t.
OHSU Smoking Cessation Center:
Information for clinicians, resources for tobacco users, tobacco-related research and publications.
Free online support, including a variety of chat rooms, information about quit meds and email support. Registration required. Member only services available as well.
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.