Tips to help kick smoking habit: 12-2

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Tips to help kick smoking habit

Quitting smoking is both a mental and a physical undertaking. Mentally, a person should be ready and relatively stress-free. Physically, one needs to commit to exercising daily and getting plenty of sleep. A person trying to quit must overcome two obstacles: a physical addiction to nicotine and a habit. The American Academy of Otolaryngology and the American Lung Association offer the following tips to help users quit using tobacco products:

Think about why you want to quit and pick a stress-free time to quit.
Ask for support and encouragement from family, friends, and colleagues.
Start doing some exercise or activity each day to relieve stress and improve your health.
Get plenty of rest and eat a balanced diet.
Join a smoking cessation program, or other support group.

MUSC Employee Wellness is focused on helping employees who use tobacco find ways to quit, on increasing knowledge of lung health, and on raising awareness about the importance of establishing a tobacco-free workplace.

Ready to quit? MUSC has resources to help.

Online

Internet-based programs can provide individualized support and the advantage of a social community.
Quit for Life Program – Developed by the American Cancer Society and Alere Wellbeing and offered by The State Health Plan and BlueChoice to subscribers and their covered dependents: http://www.eip.sc.gov/prevention/index.aspx?p=4&s=5.
American Lung Assocation's Freedom From Smoking (FFS) — Includes a curriculum, as well as the ability to download relaxation exercises and access to the FFS Online Community. Three months of access to FFS's online version for $15: http://www.ffsonline.org.

By Phone
The Tobacco Quit Line is a free service to S.C. residents. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669) to talk to a trained tobacco treatment specialist: http://www.scdhec.gov/health/chcdp/tobacco/quitforkeeps.htm.

In Person
Many classes and clinics are available at MUSC and in the community. For more information on smoking cessation programs, email musc-empwell@musc.edu.

Smoking Cessation Clinics – Monthly three-session cessation clinics facilitated by physicians, psychologists and wellness staff free of charge for MUSC employees, students and family members. Classes begin in January. To register, email musc-empwell@musc.edu.
Tobacco Free Tuesdays – Free one-session classes created to provide employees and students the opportunity to learn about cessation options during their lunch break. Classes are scheduled at noon every other Tuesday beginning Jan. 3. Email musc-empwell@musc.edu to register.
Freedom From Smoking — Freedom From Smoking (FFS) Clinic is a program developed by the American Lung Association that provides a group setting for adults to work through the quitting process. There are eight group sessions led by trained facilitators and physicians who are also MUSC employees. This clinic is open to all MUSC employees, students and spouses. For information, e-mail musc-empwell@musc.edu.

Other Programs

MUSC Institute of Psychiatry: 792-5200. "The Non-Smoking Section" 5 - 6 p.m., every Wednesday, 4 North, Center for Drug and Alcohol Programs, Institute of Psychiatry. Four educational groups. Cost is $25 per group.
Trident Health System, Summerville Medical Center: 797–FIND (3463). American Cancer Society Fresh Start Program. Cost is free.
Roper St. Francis Health Care: 402–CARE (2273). Three one-hour classes offered by Roper Heart & Vascular Center staff based on Duke University's "QuitSmart" system. Cost is $25.
Pharmacy: MUSC pharmacies have several products that aid in smoking cessation. Stop by any of the campus pharmacies to ask questions and purchase items to help quit smoking. Pharmacy locations include Rutledge Tower, University Outpatient, Hollings Cancer Center and Ashley River Tower Outpatient..

Websites and Resources

http://www.smokefreelowcountry.com; http://www.sctobacco.org; http://www.protectlocalcontrol.org/state.php?sid=41; http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco; http://www.lungusa.org http://www.scdhec.gov/health/chcdp/tobacco/smokefree.htm; http://doingyoudamage.com; http://doingyoudamage.com/truthaboutyoursmokes.htm; http://roswell.tobaccodocuments.org; http://www.tobaccovideos.com; http://roswelldocs.com/hall_of_shame.htm; http://roswelldocs.com/ashes/ashestoashes.html; http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu.

Visit http://www.musc.edu/tobaccofree for MUSC's tobacco-free campus website that features the approved policy and educational resources.

Friday, Dec. 2, 2011

The Catalyst Online is published weekly by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. The Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to The Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.