WhyQuit.Com
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WhyQuit.Com | Contact Us | What's New? |
Patient Nicotine Dependency Recovery
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Health care professionals know that quitting is one of the best things
their patients can do to improve their overall health and quality of life. But when
alerting patients to existing tobacco related health problems, or the long-term consequences of smoking, far too often the provider's warnings go unheeded. When coupled with extremely high relapse rates among patients who do attempt, the endless cycle of frustration can condition health care
professionals to simply stop trying to motivate cessation. The fact is, adequately armed, as a medical professional you are perfectly positioned to make a major difference.
Studies have shown that patients do hear their provider's health risk messages and that your intervention can make a tremendous difference in them attempting cessation and recovery.1 While health care professionals know the benefits of smoking cessation, they are not always informed or trained on successful intervention measures. Many providers have been sold on believing that alternate nicotine delivery vehicles such as the over-the-counter nicotine gum, patch, lozenge are state-of-the-art treatment strategies. While they are considered to be “state of the art,” in real world settings they are actually quite ineffective treatment strategies. A March 2003 meta-analysis shows that 93% of patients using these approaches relapse within six-months. 2, 3, 4 No matter how much or how long a patient has smoked nicotine, they need to understand that the possibility of quitting exists for them. The self-help resources and materials below can aid you in helping patients quit smoking or end dependence upon other forms of nicotine delivery. Whether used to develop a deeper personal understanding to share with patients, as printed and shared patient handouts, or their existence and availability is simply brought to the patient's attention, given an opportunity, these free motivation, education and support resources have the potential to make a significant difference over what you've previously experienced. |
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Motivation Nicotine dependent patients who try quitting and fail generally attribute relapse to a lack of strength or willpower. In reality the inability for people to quit is much more likely to be from a lack of understanding of how to quit that from a lack of strength or willpower. WhyQuit.com can give your patients the information and understanding they need to successfully quit smoking once and for all. Founded in July 1999 by John R. Polito, a once hopelessly addicted sixty cigarette-a-day smoker, the original WhyQuit was originally a motivational site whose goal was to provide a potent sampling of the hazards of smoking. WhyQuit.com evolved over time to a site that now that can provide additional motivation, education and support for any patient who you may have began to move toward making the decision to quit. Your guidance can prime your patients to want to quit; our additional information can support them through the quitting process. |
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Education The American Cancer Society's Cancer Facts & Figures 2003 report indicates that 91.4% of all successful long-term quitters quit entirely on their own without NRT products such as nicotine gum, the patch, lozenge, spray, inhaler, bupropion (Zyban/Wellbutrin) and without hypnosis or acupuncture. These people basically quit by going cold turkey. We’ve designed our site to help smokers understand that they too can quit if they implement this successful approach. Joel’s Library is WhyQuit's education cornerstone. Joel Spitzer has been developing and conducting smoking prevention and cessation programs for the past 32 years. His programs are designed to help his clients understand why people smoke, why they should stop, how to quit, and most importantly how to stay quit. His library’s roughly one hundred short articles present smoking and nicotine as a true chemical dependency. Indexed under seven topics - dependency, health risks, quitting, relapse prevention, weight control, youth prevention, and history - each article in the collection is united by the underlying theme that to get off and stay off of cigarettes the smoker must learn to "Never Take Another Puff." A quick sampling of the library shows how Joel addresses the cessation blood-sugar swing issue, the emotional loss associated with quitting, sleep adjustments, fixating, anger, quitting crutches, "cheating," and the important issue of cessation weight gain. Joel's "My Cigarette My Friend" has become a staple in cessation programs around the globe and is an excellent ice-breaking article to keep available in your patient waiting area. We have compiled an online Ebook that you may wish to download and print for patients who do not have Internet access. Entitled "Never Take Another Puff" Joel’s Library is available in .PDF book format (1.75 MB - 141 pages) and can be printed and presented as gifts to patients. Our only request is that our materials be made as freely available to patients as we have made them to you, without any cost or charge. This link is to Joel's upcoming clinics and seminars in and around the Chicago area. Health care providers and staff are invited to attend, take notes, and incorporate Joel's cessation teachings, content and concepts into your practice or wellness program. |
 
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Serious Group Support Founded on September 8, 1999 by John R. Polito and Joanne Diehl, Freedom from Tobacco is a free 3,000+ member MSN hosted message board support forum . With the help of scores of dedicated volunteers, and the guidance of Joel Spitzer, Freedom evolved into a world-class education oriented abrupt cessation forum where every member remains highly focused on a single topic - no nicotine today, Never Take Another Puff! A 100% nicotine-free environment in every respect, Freedom's rules may sound harsh but they not only provide important rehabilitation sanctuary from those still under the influence of nicotine, they hammer home the essential understanding of relapse prevention that will be necessary if your patient is going to sustain a permanent quit. New arrivals are given a road-map of reading assignments designed to help navigate the first 72 hours of detoxing nicotine. They are also encouraged to explore Freedom's more than 170,000 indexed and archived messages. New quitters are granted group posting privileges once they provide written certification of having remained completely nicotine free for 72 hours. Today hundreds of Freedom graduates form a knowledgeable, skilled and supportive army of dedicated volunteers who are waiting to reach out to a new generation of arrivals that can include your smoking patients. Freedom's last two efficacy reviews both generated 39% midyear continuous nicotine cessation for new members demonstrating participation in the group by posting at least once. Please rest assured that Freedom has strictly enforced policies against any member rendering medical advice regarding any symptom described on the message board. Freedom's Courtesies and Rules expressly forbid members from rendering advice or making any recommendations regarding specific health concerns, answering member medication or herb concerns, or from making dieting recommendations. Instead members are strongly encouraged to see the assistance of qualified professionals. We're here to help and there's only one rule ....
No nicotine today, Never Take Another Puff!
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