Quitting Tobacco...You Are Not Alone!
Eric G. Jackson, DDS, MAGD, FICOI, FICD, FADI
Quitting the use of tobacco is HARD!! If you smoke or know someone that smokes, you are probably already very much aware of all the health warnings you receive about smoking and how important it is to quit smoking from family, friends, healthcare providers, insurance companies, and even the TV. But let’s be honest, it is much easier said than done. If you have made several attempts to quit the use of tobacco, you probably have attempted several different methods ( i.e. cold turkey, gum, the patch). The same method doesn’t work for everyone because everyone is different and have different reasons and triggers for using different forms of tobacco. So how do you know which quitting method is going to work? You don’t! To make matters worse while you are attempting to quit, you start to feel overwhelmed, alone and that no one understands your struggle. It’s easier to just give into the temptation to go back to using tobacco.
Don’t be discouraged! There is hope and you are about to be enlightened. Did you know that with proper support you have the highest chance in beating your tobacco addiction?! Great news, the Illinois Department of Public Health has funded some wonderful, FREE programs to provide ALL residents of Illinois with the proper help and support to quit their tobacco use.
There are currently three programs available from the DuPage County Health Department and the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago.
Courage to Quit (In-person Support)
Courage to Quit is Respiratory Health Association’s group quit smoking program. This six-session program takes place over seven weeks, with the quit date set for the third session. Trained educators will offer you the support you need to help you reach your smoke-free goals while providing you with information on addiction and withdrawal, quit smoking medicines, managing cravings, avoiding triggers, health benefits of quitting and free quitting resources.
To Register contact Pat Carey at 630-384-8218 or Elise Schram at 630-221-7075. Next program begins on May 7th at the DuPage County Health Department, 111 North County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL. Indicate either 12:00PM or 4:00PM class.
BecomeAnEx.org (Online Support)
The EX Plan is a free quit smoking program, one that can show you a whole new way to think about quitting. It’s based on personal experiences from ex-smokers as well as the latest scientific research from the experts at Mayo Clinic.
The EX Plan helps you see quitting not as one big war, but as a number of little battles you can actually win. And the secret to winning these battles is re-learning your life without cigarettes. The EX Plan has three main steps.
Quitline (Phone Support)
The Illinois Tobacco Quitline is a FREE resource for tobacco users who want to quit for good. Their registered nurses, respiratory therapists, and certified tobacco-treatment counselors are on call 7 days a week, 7AM-11PM to answer all your tobacco-related questions and provide the support you need to break the habit.
If you would like to speak about smoking cessation, or any other dental topic, please feel free to call the office and schedule a complimentary appointment with me. Email and Twitter are also available options. I am extremely passionate about modern dentistry and love discussing it with patients, so don’t hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Eric G. Jackson, DDS, MAGD, FICOI, FICD, FADI
Twitter: @EjacksonDDS