Continuing education online course: Smoke-freed in 3 Weeks

You may explore this web-site free to help you stop smoking. Or you may take it for continuing education credits with a test for a fee.

Professor Rudolf Klimes, PhD, welcomes you to this online course. Keep going.

START the course here. TAKE the exam at the end. PAY after the exam.

Outline

1. Fly Free
2. Plan Free
3. Free Day
4. Stay Freed

Introduction

Smokers become addicts. They keep smoking because they find pleasure in it and because it relieves stress. There are better ways to enjoy life and deal with stress. All information is based on scientific research about what will give you the best chances of quitting.   Adapted from www.smokefree.gov

Week 1: Fly Free

Get ready to change your life and fly free from tobacco

1.1 Nicotine use is a powerful addiction

If you have tried to quit smoking, you know how hard it can be. It is hard because nicotine is a very addictive drug. For some people, it can be as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Quitting takes hard work and a lot of effort, but you can quit smoking. You can soar.

1.2 Take a Tobacco Addiction Test

http://smokefree.gov/nicotine-addiction-quiz

My score was _____ which shows  ______________dependence.

1.3 Good Reasons for Quitting

• You will live longer and live better.
• Quitting will lower your chance of having a heart attack, stroke, or cancer.
• If you are pregnant, quitting smoking will improve your chances of having a healthy baby.
• The people you live with, especially your children, will be healthier.
• You will have extra money to spend on things other than cigarettes.

1.4  Situational Reasons to Quit

Your situation or condition can give you a special reason to quit:

• Pregnant women/new mothers: By quitting, you protect your baby’s health and your own.
• Hospitalized patients: By quitting, you reduce health problems and help healing.
• Heart attack patients: By quitting, you reduce your risk of a second heart attack.
• Lung, head, and neck cancer patients: By quitting, you reduce your chance of a second cancer.
• Parents of children and adolescents: By quitting, you protect your children and adolescents from illnesses caused by second-hand smoke.

1.5 Decide Why You’re Quitting

Quit for reasons that are important to you.

What is your main reason for wanting to quit smoking?________________________________________

1.6 Do You Enjoy Smoking?

You most likely get pleasure from smoking.

• What pleasures, if any, do you get from smoking? _______________________________
• What ways can you still get pleasure if you quit?____________________________________________________

1.7 Craving Journal

Consider writing a craving journal for this week.

See https://web.archive.org/web/20070709053201/http://smokefree.gov/guide/keep_track_craving.html

 

Week 2: Plan to be Free

2.1 Set a quit date for next week

Your FreeDay is:_______________________________________

2.2 Change your environment

Get rid of ALL cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work. Don’t let people smoke in your home.

• Review your past attempts to quit. Think about what worked and what did not.
• Once you quit, don’t smoke—NOT EVEN A PUFF!

2.3 Get Support and Encouragement

Studies have shown that you have a better chance of being successful if you have help. You can get support in many ways:

• Tell your family, friends, and coworkers that you are going to quit and want their support. Ask them not to smoke around you or leave cigarettes out.
• Talk to your health care provider (for example, doctor, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, psychologist, or smoking counselor).
• Get individual, group, or telephone counseling. The more counseling you have, the better your chances are of quitting. Programs are given at local hospitals and health centers. Call your local health department for information about programs in your area.

The persons that will be my main support are ___________________, ______________________, ______________________.

2.4 Learn and Practice New Skills and Behaviors

• Try to distract yourself from urges to smoke. Talk to someone, go for a walk, or get busy with a task.
• When you first try to quit, change your routine. Use a different route to work. Eat breakfast in a different place.
• Do something to reduce your stress. Take a hot bath, exercise, or read a book.
• Plan something enjoyable to do every day.
• Drink a lot of water and other fluids.

2.5 Educate yourself about the withdrawal symptoms.

2.6 Consider Quitting with Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Consider using medication for nicotine replacement therapy with group, telephone or internet counseling.

Medications can help you stop smoking and lessen the urge to smoke.

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved five medications to help you quit smoking:
  1. Bupropion SR—Available by prescription.
  2. Nicotine gum—Available over-the-counter.
  3. Nicotine inhaler—Available by prescription.
  4. Nicotine nasal spray—Available by prescription.
  5. Nicotine patch—Available by prescription and over-the-counter.
• Ask your health care provider for advice and carefully read the information on the package. All of these medications will more or less double your chances of quitting and quitting for good.
• If you plan to use medication, plan to us it as prescribed for the time recommended. Some patches come in three strengths and the first type is to be used for 6 weeks, and the 2nd and 3rd types of patch for 2 weeks each. That makes a smokefree period of 10 weeks.
• Everyone who is trying to quit may benefit from using a medication. If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, nursing, under age 18, smoking fewer than 10 cigarettes per day, or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor or other health care provider before taking medications.
• Educate yourself about nicotine replacement therapy. Explore Options, Nicorette, Nicoderm, DrugStore List and Info.

2.7 Consider Quitting Cold Turkey

Consider Cold Turkey with group, telephone or internet counseling. In Cold Turkey, you just stop smoking on FreeDay and that is it. But you need to follow this program for at least 12 weeks to reduce the chances of resuming smoking.

If for some reason you do not us any of the above medications, consider going Cold Turkey, that is stopping with all the preparation and follow-up given here in SmokeFreed but without the above item 2.6.

2.7 Join a Support Program

Join a program if possible. But if none is available, go for it anyway.

Week 3: Enjoy your FreeDay

3.1 Dry Run your Plans

On the day before FreeDay (which is__________________), do a dry run on all the above plans.

3.2 Breathe

On your FreeDay, wake up and breathe the fresh air. That is what you will breathe all day. You have stopped smoking and started living.

3.3 Start Your Selected Method

Go with the nicotine replacement therapy aids or go with Cold Turkey.  Review item 2.6 above.

3.4 Use your new skills and behaviors:

• Talk to someone.
• Get busy with a task._____________________________________
• Change your routine. Use a different route to work. Drink tea instead of coffee. Eat breakfast in a different place.
• Do something to reduce your stress. Take a hot bath, exercise, or read a book.
• Do something enjoyable today.
• Drink a lot of water and other fluids.

3.5 Use your support

Use the programs available to you or seek aid from supportive individuals around you.

3.6 Manage your cravings

See: https://web.archive.org/web/20070706193356/http://www.smokefree.gov/guide/managing_cravings.html

• Eat carrots, apples, celery, raising etc
• Wash your hands
• Breath deeply
• Light a candle
• Go for a walk or run

3.7 Celebrate

Celebrate you smoke-free day by_____________________________________.

3.8 Stay SmokeFreed for 12 Weeks

Now make it 12 SmokeFree Weeks. Keep reviewing all above items. You are making the SmokeFreed life your new lifestyle.

All the Weeks of the Rest of your Life: Stay Freed

You are not freed from smoking until you have not smoked for at least 12 weeks.

4.1 Be Prepared for Relapse or Difficult Situations

Most relapses occur within the first 3 months after quitting. Don’t be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people try several times before they finally quit. Here are some difficult situations to watch for:

• Alcohol. Avoid drinking alcohol. Drinking lowers your chances of success.
• Other smokers. Being around smoking can make you want to smoke.
• Weight gain. Many smokers will gain weight when they quit, usually less than 10 pounds. Eat a healthy diet and stay active. Don’t let weight gain distract you from your main goal—quitting smoking. Some quit-smoking medications may help delay weight gain.
• Bad mood or depression. There are a lot of ways to improve your mood other than smoking.

If you are having problems with any of these situations, talk to your doctor or other health care provider. Quitting takes hard work and a lot of effort, but you can quit smoking.

4.2 Fight cravings

Review the all above information.

4.3 Use available resources

eg support groups, phone hotlines, online support forums, craving journals, etc. to keep you free.

https://web.archive.org/web/20070709052940/http://smokefree.gov/guide/resources.html

4.4 Reward yourself

If you spend $5 a day on tobacco, you saved already $150 after a month. That is real money.

• After the first SmokeFreed Week, celebrate by______________________________________.
• After the first SmokeFeed Month, celebrate big by________________________________________.
• After your first SmokeFreed Year, celebrate very big by______________________________________.

Other Resources: 

Health care professionals who take this course for continuing education credits are encouraged to apply this course and help a smoker stop smoking in four or more sessions.

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