Quit for Life

How is this Program Different?

As you know from past attempts to stop smoking, lighting a cigarette is not the only behavior that needs to change. In addition to breaking the physical addiction to nicotine, you must change many factors including social factors, coping skills, self-confidence, and social support, while substituting alternative behaviors to successfully break the smoking habit.  This program addresses the physical and emotional addiction processes, as well as social factors while teaching you to use new coping strategies, relaxation, and relapse prevention.

Most smoking cessation programs focus on either breaking the physical addiction or breaking the emotional dependency on cigarettes. If a program is comprehensive enough to address both of these vital issues, they often fail in providing the support needed during this difficult time, as well as teaching substitute methods of coping with stress. The Quit for Life program is designed to address all of these issues, as well as to educate you about yourself and your choices of behavior. It will enable you to gain control over your behavior, and your health. It will allow you to identify your strengths and use them to make permanent changes. Hopefully you will use these skills to help you succeed in other aspects of your life.

How This Program Works

This program is designed to take you through the quitting process step by step. While we set the pace, week by week, you are free to set your own schedule within the weeks. For example, if it’s easiest for you to set aside Monday evenings, then that’s when you should focus on the program. You should set aside a specific time each week to read and complete the assignments.  This shouldn’t require more than 20-30 minutes each week.  You owe it to yourself to dedicate your full attention for a brief period of time to each chapter, and not read it intermittently like a novel. 

In addition to the topics briefly discussed so far, other topics include:

                        • Reasons for quitting

                        • Should I wean off cigarettes, or go “Cold Turkey?”

                        • The patch, or not the patch - that is the question!

                        • Hypnosis: does it really work?

                        • Avoiding weight gain

                        • Cravings

                        • Self-rewards for a job well done

                        • Coping with stress

                        • Self-talk

                        • Substituting other pleasurable activities

                        • How to remain a nonsmoker