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Links to Free Quit Smoking
Programs and Support Groups |
"Nicotine Cessation vs. Smoking Cessation"Education, counseling and support elements aside, abrupt nicotine cessation and gradual stepped-down nicotine weaning not only vary in the manner in which nicotine dependency recovery is approached but in how each quitter defines abstinence (nicotine cessation vs. smoking/tobacco cessation), and when physical nicotine withdrawal is complete. This can result in vastly different recovery experiences requiring different needs, tools, counseling, support, and skills at different times. Regardless of your chosen method of nicotine cessation, try not to base your nicotine withdrawal and recovery expectations upon what someone using a different method may be experiencing. The most important thing is that we each eventually break nicotine's amazing grip upon our brain reward pathways and again become comfortable fully engaging life as "us!" A quick word of caution to abrupt nicotine cessation quitters. Almost all support groups have articles, advertisements or other links that strongly encourage the use of a growing array of alternative nicotine delivery vehicles. If you have remained nicotine free for 72 hours then your blood serum is 100% nicotine clean, 90% of nicotine's metabolites have passed through your urine, critical brain pathways once controlled by nicotine are now bathing and basking in nicotine-free oxygen-rich blood serum and are rapidly re-sensitizing, and the symptoms of chemical withdrawal have now peaked in intensity and are gradually beginning to subside. Although it can take 10 to 14 days for some symptoms to resolve, for you the most intense portion of recovery is complete. Introducing any nicotine back into your bloodstream, from any source, will force you to again need to endure another period of nicotine detox, a feat which almost none survive. "Selecting the Forum That's Right for You"When selecting a cessation site be mindful that although they may appear similar on the surface they are as different as night and day. Some have a unified cessation philosophy and structured education programs while others do not. Some have professional counselors or permanent staff reviewing and correcting erroneous or detrimental advice and others do not. Some are deadly serious and highly focused clinic type programs where general socialization is not permitted, while others are wonderful fun-filled anything-goes giant quitter pep-rallies where the "you can do it" spirit offered by fellow quitters fuels the entire group. If you choose the later, be sure and do some quality reading on the side, as the newness and excitement of the online experience will gradually evaporate. When it does, having knowledge, understanding and solid relapse prevention skills to fall back upon could very well save your recovery and your life. None of us are stronger than nicotine but then nicotine is simply a chemical with an I.Q. of zero. Once we take that final step and end all nicotine use, there is only one rule we each need follow in order to remain free for life - no nicotine today, Never Take Another Puff! Breathe deep, hug hard, live long! John John R. Polito |
All of the below online programs are 100% free of charge
- Type Forum: An online quit smoking forum offering a seven module sequenced education and message board support. The Association's message boards are only available for viewing by members. The American Lung Association is a strong advocate of using replacement nicotine (also see its "Quit Smoking" page), which forms the core of its cessation philosophy.
- Midyear Cessation Rate: Unknown
- Membership Requirements: Applicants must provide: (1) an e-mail address, (2) their name, mailing address, sex and age, and (3) complete a smoker profile questionnaire.
- Type Forum: A quit smoking education program designed around the Habitrol nicotine patch but available to those using other nicotine replacement products as well. It offers a sequenced learning program, computerized e-mail and toll free U.S. and Canada telephone counseling.
- Midyear Cessation Rate: Unknown
- Membership Requirements: Registration is required which involves providing an email address and completing a smoking history form.
- Type Forum: An unmoderated message board forum devoted exclusively to supporting the quitting efforts of those using a growing array of Nicorette nicotine delivery vehicles which include Nicorette gum, patch, inhaler, microtab, and nasal spray.
- Midyear Cessation Rate: Unknown
- Membership Requirements: None
- Type Forum: A wonderful anything goes message board, diary and chat forum whose make-up and chemistry is as diverse and wide-open as the scores of different quit smoking products being marketed to visitors. Although primarily a storefront for the sale of quitting aids, the site's owners show great diversity by also hosting a complete copy of Joel's Library of abrupt cessation clinic articles.
- Midyear Cessation Rate: Impossible to establish as no membership is required and all member message posts are apparently discarded after moving to the bottom of a single thread index page
- Membership Requirements: No registration required. No email address required
- Type Forum: Affectionately named Blairsville after its wonderful founder, Blair Price, this unstructured anything-goes forum is one of the Internet's oldest sites, having been engaged in rendering online support for nine years. The forum relies upon a single scrolling cessation message board, an abundance of peer encouragement, and chat in helping members navigate recovery. It also offers a weight loss message board. The forum does market replacement nicotine.
- Midyear Cessation Rate: Unknown
- Membership Requirements: E-mail address required for registration
- Type Forum: A forum dedicated exclusively to helping those addicted to smokeless tobacco break its grip upon their mind and life. The forum strongly advocates abrupt nicotine cessation and is not engaged in marketing NRT products. The forum's founder, Matt, is a former five-year chewer. Although there is no cost for participation, the forum actively solicits donations.
- Midyear Cessation Rate: None declared
- Membership Requirements: Registration, which requires a working e-mail address
- Type Forum: A six milestone stages of change approach to educated cessation that accommodators both NRT and abrupt cessation quitters, this research oriented forum uses nine subject matter message boards, e-mail and glove compartments in helping members break free.
- Midyear Cessation Rate: Unknown
- Membership Requirements: E-mail address required for registration
- Type Forum: A highly focused forum devoted exclusively to abrupt nicotine cessation (educated and supported cold turkey quitting - with or without bupropion). The forum's education director is Joel Spitzer, a thirty-year cessation programs developer and facilitator, and the author of a large collection of clinic reinforcement articles known around the globe as Joel's Library. This clinic oriented nicotine-free forum treats nicotine use as a true chemical addiction. It is important to note that Freedom requires that all member posts focus exclusively on issues associated with cessation and recovery and its rules are strictly enforced. General socialization is not permitted. This MSN hosted forum maintains an archive of more than 235,000 member posts that are indexed on 22 subject matter message boards, which date back to the forum's creation in 1999.
- Six Month Nicotine Cessation Rate: 35 to 39% self-reported continuous nicotine cessation for new members posting to the group at least once. Six-month rates are determined by periodic review of all new members admitted to the group during the preceding March, June, September or December. At six months their cessation status is verified via either continued group participation and claiming "Silver" club status (a forum award at six months) or via e-mail. All members failing to respond via email are counted as having relapsed.
- Membership Requirements: (1) must be 100% nicotine free for 72 hours but less than one month, (2) provide a valid working e-mail address, (3) acknowledge having read the forum's courtesies (4) acknowledge having read the forum's no nonsense relapse policy which states that any nicotine use - even one puff - is considered relapse and permanently revokes group posting privileges.
If you have updated information on cessation rates or services for any of the above forums, or would like to recommend inclusion of any "free" online cessation forum that is both "active" and has an established record of producing successful long term cessation, please send a quick e-mail to ...
john@whyquit.com
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Our families love us but if they have never been addicted to a drug and gone
through withdrawal, we can't expect them to understand, feel, or appreciate the
challenge we face. Fellow smokers and former smokers at on-line support
groups do understand the challenge and are waiting, now, to help you defeat
your addiction to nicotine.
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