Monday, February 23, 2015
Group support is key to quitting smoking
The tobacco companies may not like us, but we are on a mission to reach out to every smoker in our community and offer the opportunity to join our smoking cessation classes.
We have
conducted these seven-week, eight-session American Lung Association “Freedom
from Smoking” classes since January 2012 with very good success. We want to spread the word: of the 20 rounds of classes we have
offered since that time, 43-57% of the participants report they quit smoking
entirely by the end of the program.
That’s a very good quit rate.
The secret to our success is two-fold. To ensure there is “skin in the
game,” we charge $50 to join the program, payable at the first class, but we
refund that money in its entirety if the participant attends all eight
sessions. So the class is essentially free with full participation in the
classes: it’s a monetary incentive that works. People complain that $50 is a lot to put up front, but we remind
them a pack of cigarettes averages $8.50 each, so a one-pack-per-day smoker
will spend $59.50 in one week.
That usually ends the protest.
Second, the group support derived from gathering people
together who are all in the same boat is undeniably helpful. The program facilitators are all former
smokers, so they fully understand the challenges you face when you try to quit
smoking.
At the first
class, everyone has a chance to speak up and tell their story — when they
started smoking, how many times they have tried to quit, and what is the
motivating factor that made them join the class. It seems the average number of times people have previously
tried to quit smoking is four.
Everyone
supports the others in the group as all are well aware of how very difficult it
is to quit smoking. And it’s
hard not to laugh when a man jokes he was coerced into joining the class
because his wife threatened to shoot him if he didn’t quit smoking.
So if you or someone you love really wants to quit smoking,
find a “Freedom From Smoking” class offered near you and sign up today. Your wallet, your lungs, and your loved
ones will thank you.
Alice Facente is a community health nurse for the Backus Health System. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal health care provider. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Ms. Facente or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
# posted by ----------------- @ 10:09 PM 
