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Smoking Cessation: An Ordeal Requiring Motivation and Support

By Sheri Fresonke Harper, published May 07, 2008
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Smoking cessation is the process by which a person changes their behavior and body chemistry to lose their addiction to nicotine and quit smoking tobacco products. The smoking cessation process requires motivation, a change in lifestyle and attitude, and sometimes, drugs and medical help.

Smoking affects a person's heart, lungs, brain and nervous system. Many people use smoking to reduce their appetite, to attain calm, sleep better and sometimes to make social contact. Smokers not only affect their own health, they affect the health of their families and friends.

My dad smoked for most of his life. He has had two heart bypasses. During his last bypass surgery, he had a heart attack on the operating table. Post-surgery, he came down with pneumonia and spent a week or more in the University of Washington hospital in intensive care. I visited him during this time and one night, my husband and I showed up while the nurse was clearing the fluid out of my dad's lungs so he didn't drown. He used a syringe that looked quite a bit like a large turkey baster to suction the fluid and then dump it into a pan. While I watched him do this, I noticed the fluid was milky but tainted with dark gray. I asked the nurse, "is that from smoking?" The answer was yes. I was horrified. At the moment, my dad is living day to day with congestive heart failure-a condition in which fluid builds up around his heart and makes it difficult for the heart to pump.

At the time my dad had his last bypass, my fiancé - now my husband - smoked. He, too, was horrified and disbelieving that so much smoke remained in the lungs. It helped I think, that his doctor found a spot on his lungs that looked like potential emphysema or cancer. He also had recently divorced his first wife who smoked. His son offered him $1,000 to quit smoking and later paid it to us by doing work on our property. I refused to allow smoking in the house. I also told him that I wasn't going to marry a dead man. Lucky for me, he realized I was serious. All of these things provided the motivation for him to quit smoking.

Takeaways
  • Many websites provide support for smoking cessation.
  • Family can help support smoking cessation by providing the motivation needed to succeed.
  • Smoking cessation requires lifestyle changes and withdrawal from nicotine addiction.
Comments
Comments 1 - 15 of 41
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Thanks for this...my parents smoked throughout my childhood and I hated it!

Posted on 05/27/2008 at 7:05:37 PM

 
So true! Great article.

Posted on 05/22/2008 at 6:05:52 AM

 
Very inspirational message, which I hope many smokers and their families will heed.

Posted on 05/16/2008 at 5:05:58 AM

 
I'm glad I never started smoking! Very glad your husband managed to quit. Thanks a bunch for sharing this, Sheri. I bet it'll help many others to stay off smoking. :o)

Posted on 05/15/2008 at 11:05:34 PM

 
Hopefully this will help others.

Posted on 05/13/2008 at 9:05:58 PM

 
I quit over 15 years ago after smoking for about 20 years...sometimes I still crave an after dinner cigarette, I don't give in but its a tough addiction even if only for the associations that come with smoking...thanks for the great article...

Posted on 05/13/2008 at 3:05:37 PM

 
I quit over 15 years ago after smoking for about 20 years...sometimes I still crave an after dinner cigarette, I don't give in but its a tough addiction even if only for the associations that come with smoking...thanks for the great article...

Posted on 05/13/2008 at 3:05:36 PM

 
I quit over 15 years ago after smoking for about 20 years...sometimes I still crave an after dinner cigarette, I don't give in but its a tough addiction even if only for the associations that come with smoking...thanks for the great article...

Posted on 05/13/2008 at 3:05:36 PM

 
I do not smoke but any addiction is hard to stop, mine is caffine consumption.

Posted on 05/12/2008 at 7:05:03 PM

 
I especially liked the part about having compassion towards the person going through withdrawal

Posted on 05/12/2008 at 7:05:19 PM

 
The smoking addiction is so difficult to break...Hope your Dad is doing OK .

Posted on 05/12/2008 at 1:05:09 AM

 
My neighbor lost a sister and brother to lung cancer last year and she still can't give up smoking.....My dad smoked one to two packs a day and died at 86. My neighbor's siblings were in their late forties..I feel for her..

Posted on 05/12/2008 at 1:05:39 AM

 
I never started thank goodness. Never could understand why people do it knowing what it does to you. Also how can the average worker afford to do it especially with the rising cost of gas and food.

Posted on 05/11/2008 at 10:05:35 PM

 
This is anotehr interesting and well written piece Sheri, Saikat

Posted on 05/11/2008 at 8:05:40 AM

 
It is incredibly hard to beat addictions. Great article!

Posted on 05/10/2008 at 7:05:25 AM

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