Other Suggestions to Help You Quit

Now that you know the basics of how to quit, the next step is to decide on a plan for how you want to quit. From cold turkey, to formal quit smoking programs, a wealth of information is available to help you decide.

Group Program
Individual Counseling
Telephone Counseling
Self-help Materials
Other Methods

Group Program

In general, programs that provide problem solving and social support have better success rates. Organizations to contact are: American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, Nicotine Anonymous and the American Heart Association. You may also find other support programs listed in your local telephone book. When choosing a program, consider:

• Is the time and location convenient for me?
• Are the staff well trained and professional?
• Does this group supply the help I need and want to succeed in the long run?
• What is the cost?
• How successful has this program been in helping other people quit?

Individual Counseling

A number of healthcare professionals are trained to provide counseling to help you quit. Check with your physician, nurse, psychologist, counselor or social worker. One-on-one counseling can help you learn new ways to deal with stress, express your feelings about quitting and develop a plan to lessen your chance of setbacks.

Telephone Counseling

Some programs, available through your health plan or physician provide telephone calls on a regular basis. A healthcare professional will call you to talk about how you are doing with your quit smoking efforts. Also, he/she will reinforce why you chose to quit and review your plan to keep you on track. Some programs also offer a phone service for you to call and speak to a quit smoking specialist when you feel an urge to smoke.

If you’d like to see what we have to offer, call our Quitline at 1- 800- 639 - QUIT (7848).

Self-help Materials

There are many different books, videotapes and audiotapes on how to quit smoking. Also, there are programs on the Internet that provide information and guidelines on how to quit

Other Methods

Treatments such as hypnosis and acupuncture may help you with motivation. However, you still must change your behaviors and coping skills. Quitting "cold turkey" works for some. This is picking a Quit Date and just stopping on that date. Some people cut down slowly on the number of cigarettes they smoke each day.

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This information has been approved by Epi Mazzei, R.N. (June 2006).