Sometimes it really does “take a village” to help you meet life’s challenges, and quitting smoking can be one of the toughest challenges out there.
That’s why specially designed smoking-cessation programs can make all the difference, experts say.
Many programs employ a combination approach, one that treats the physical and the psychological addictions you’re trying to break.
Dr. Amit Mahajan, a volunteer medical spokesperson for the American Lung Association (ALA), says proven ways to help people quit often include professional counseling — including psychotherapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy.
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Such therapies are typically given alongside nicotine replacement patches and gums (to help ease cravings), and/or addiction-countering drugs, such as Chantix and bupropion (Wellbutrin).
Programs that offer up these combo strategies have a higher likelihood of success, Mahajan shares.
“At the end of the day, the data is pretty clear that if there’s behavioral therapy combined with pharmacotherapy medications, that is the best option for smokers who want to quit and people who’ve already tried and were unable to quit,” he adds.
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Breaking free
The ALA offers up its own program, called Freedom From Smoking. First begun in 1975 and then updated and refined ever since, the program helps overcome the physical, mental and social aspects of addiction. It even offers up an online quiz that folks can take to confirm that they’re mentally ready to try quitting.
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People who use the program are six times more likely to be tobacco-free one year later, compared to those who
