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  • With Mayo Clinic behavioral counselor

    Jennifer A. Kern, M.S., C.T.T.S.

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  • June 7, 2008

    Welcome to our new tobacco blog

    By Jennifer A. Kern, M.S., C.T.T.S.

184 comments posted

Welcome to our new tobacco blog!

As a tobacco cessation counselor, I frequently hear people say "I just don't have enough will power — if I were stronger I could quit." The feeling associated with this thought is very real, but the truth is that most people cannot just put down the cigarette or step away from the tin of chewing tobacco. This is because we are talking about a real physiological and psychological addiction to nicotine. The word addiction in the English language originates from the Latin root "addictus" which means "to devote" or "to yield." In Dutch, the word for addiction is "verslaving" which directly translates to "enslavement." I think this conveys what most tobacco users experience in their relationship with smoking or smokeless tobacco.

People generally try smoking or using other forms of tobacco during adolescence. What they don't realize at the time is just how addictive tobacco products are and how tough it will be to stop later in life. They think, "I can quit anytime I want," or "I'll only smoke while I'm in my 20s." Of those who experiment with tobacco, approximately 90 percent will become addicted. Once their personally-appointed grace period passes they realize quitting is not as easy as they had anticipated. What they find instead is that they are literally enslaved.

My hat is off to anyone who has overcome or is striving to overcome an addiction, but especially to tobacco. A nicotine addiction is comparable in strength to a cocaine or heroine addiction, and confronting it is one of the greatest challenges many people will face in their lives. So, it is not just a "bad habit" we are talking about. This is a common misconception however, since tobacco products are both legal and easily accessible. In reality, breaking free from tobacco takes incredible courage and frequently requires a tremendous mental, emotional and financial investment. The result of these efforts, however, can mean taking back your life!

What about you? Are you or a loved one struggling with a tobacco addiction? Have you tried to quit over and over again and feel like all you're getting good at is failing? Don't be discouraged. Dealing with addiction is a very complex task, and getting proper treatment is the first step to regaining control and overcoming this powerful force.

In this blog I will discuss a myriad of issues that come into play when addressing nicotine addiction and working toward a tobacco-free life. I'm excited about the opportunity to connect with you through this forum, and I look forward to reading your responses and "hearing" your personal stories.

184 comments posted

blog index

  • July 15, 2008 4:26 a.m.

    Hi, everybody, Hey, I heard that they plan to take Chantix off the market because of bad side effects. Is it true? I have to say I am having no side effects at all.

    - gammawbecky

  • July 7, 2008 7:33 p.m.

    Keri, Your story sounds a lot lie mine. Because of health reasons, you had reasons to quit. It's not easy but is the right thing to do. I'm going on 12 days now. My cough is going away and I'm feeling better. The physical withdrawals are gone but I still have the psychological "need" for a cigarette at work. Because the physical withdrawals are over, I'm done smoking for good! Please keep us updated so we all know it can be done!

    - Chuck

  • July 7, 2008 6:31 a.m.

    Two months ago on Mother's Day I was having severe trouble breathing along with sharp pains under my breast bone while taking a deep breath. I layed in bed all day while my husband took my two children (2 & 5) out for the day, because I was too sick to care for them myself. On that day I decided that I would no longer continue to kill myself and not be able to care for my children who need me. ( No one does like mom :-)I was so scared that I would never be able to quit. The next day I quit. After years of worry, it was really not that bad. I used nicotine gum for two weeks only. Two months, 5 doctors, and $5,000 later (no insurance)a Pulmonologist and ENT said that I have minimal obstructive airway (no cure) and refulx due to smoking for so long. I will have to take meds the rest of my life, but I quit soon enough to have a life. Also, watch the new movie Bucket List - it will give (very graphic)inspiration to quit. Just pray and hang on for the first two weeks. After that it is a breeze! I will hopefully live to see my son and daughter get married and have children.

    - Keri

  • July 4, 2008 3:29 p.m.

    I decided to quit smoking for good a week ago after bad case of bronchitis. I'm still coughing badly but I think it's mostly from the clearing of my lungs. I had cutdown to a half a pack over the last year so the only time I smoked was at work. Break times are the "triggers" I need to overcome and will. Many of my co-workers smoke so I it difficult going outside with them on break. I work at a jail so we all need to get outside from time to time. I had a chest x-ray and thank GOD my lungs are clear. I have tempted and was lucky. There are many advantages to quit smoking. Everyone here knows this is a terrible addiction. I tried the patch, gum, etc... an it didn't work. All it did was keep me on nicotine. I quit because of my bad case of bronchitis. It helped my make up my mind to just "do it!" My wife is very excited but skeptcal. I'm not doing it for her but doing it for me. So, just makeup your mind that it's YOUR time to quit then DO IT!

    - Chuck

  • July 3, 2008 3:28 a.m.

    Thank you, Jennifer, for your advise. Nothing like hearing that your feelings are quite normal - it makes me feel better. Also, I decided that withdrawal was what I'm ultimately afraid of so I talked with my Doctor and we decided that Chantix is my best bet since it helps with that very thing. I feel better now and am looking forward to my birthday and my very special present....a smoke-free life!!

    - gammawbecky

  • July 2, 2008 5:17 p.m.

    After my dad died i made visit to my mom's house. A couple of times she asked me to go buy her cigarettes. I refused reminding her of the harsh treatment I got when I got caught smoking as a minor, mouth washed out with soap and sent to bed early. So I offered to drive her, but never went to get some. My mom said she was going to quit smoking some day and she did, May 7, 2001, I miss my mom.

    - gary k

  • July 2, 2008 3:07 p.m.

    It's hard to get out of bed. It's hard to go to work. It's hard to quit smoking. None of those statements are true. It's what you believe that makes the difference. It's the fear of the unkown that make the difference. Its your negative thoughts that make the difference. If I had known what to expect when I quit smoking it would not have felt difficult. You resist the nicotine wave that has over powered you. Keep resisting the wave and it gets smaller and smaller. Keep busy, drink lots of water, chew some sugarless gum until you get over it. The restless leg syndrom i had went away. Little pockets of my lungs started to open up. My blood started flowing and my body got the tingle feeling, like the feeling when your arm falls asleep. Then i wore leg weights and a few weeks later I joined a local gym. Exercising stimulates the positive brain cells which leads to a healthy happier life.

    - gary k

  • July 2, 2008 12:57 p.m.

    Gammawbecky, and others who are preparing for a quit date, feeling scared is a normal part of quitting. You are about to undergo a huge change in your life, and there are a number of variables to consider. The fear of quitting is something I will address in another blog posting (stay tuned next week!) Be sure to read my other posts, as there are a number of ideas and strategies that I have learned in my training and through working with many people just like you. To other visitors, what's your advice? This is a great forum to be helping each other out. Many will be looking to you “veteran quitters” to share some of the tactics that have helped you become successful in overcoming your tobacco addiction. Although I read all the comments that come in, I am not able to respond to each of them individually. Thank you to those who have been able to take the time to share your thoughts and stories. You never know who it may help!

    - Jennifer Kern, MayoClinic.com

  • July 2, 2008 11:14 a.m.

    After 40 some odd years of smoking I finally quit. The last 10 years I smoked 50 a day. It has now been 2years 8months 1day 11hours 1minute and a savings of $3,897.84. I took a 6 week course, the first 4 weeks we smoked but lowered our nicotine. The last 2 weeks we had to not smoke for periods of time. Such as only after we have been up for 1/2 hour.Or before coffee but not with. Then by the end of 6th week we where done. Then only 1 out of 10 didn't pass.During the course I would challenge myself to go longer then the specified time even if it was only 5 mins. Turn it into a game of challenge and every week take that money that you would have sent up in smoke and put it in a cookie jar. I did and I went on a weeks vacation with a girlfriend to Virgina (husband working) I also bought him a beautiful gold chain, and have given money to my kids. Alcoholics have to get through a day, we have to get through the next 15 minutes. And ONE PUFF WILL HURT !!!!

    - Nancy

  • July 2, 2008 5:47 a.m.

    I have been planning to quit smoking on my birthday, July 18th. Well, here it is the 2nd of July and I'm starting to get scared. I want to quit SOOOOO bad and healthwise I NEED to quit but, after many tries, I'm trying to be more positive about it and instead I'm scared. Any advise??

    - gammawbecky

  • July 1, 2008 5:29 p.m.

    I AM SO SICK OF PEOPLE SAYING JUST QUITE. I HAVE TRIED AND TRIED AND THEY WILL COME BACK AND SAY, YOU DIDN'T TRY HARD ENOUGH. WHY DON'T THE INSURANCE PAY FOR A PLACE, LIKE THEY DO WITH DRUG ADDICTS AND DRUNKS?? WHY DON'T WE HAVE A PLACE IN THE INSURANCE COMPANIES??? MY REAL PROBLEM IS MY BRAIN TALKING TO ME.

    - MARCIA

  • June 29, 2008 9:58 a.m.

    Many years ago I was a three-pack-a-day cigarette smoker and quit, 'cold turkey', whatever that means. One of the problems I see with advice to smokers is constantly telling them how difficult quitting is, how overwhelmingly addictive the death clutch of tobacco is. Many would interpret this to mean that their situation is nearly hopeless and that they are enslaved by their addiction. The folks who sell products and programs to help smokers quit are particularly adept at this because they want to convince users that only with their expensive help can they hope to stop the habit. This causes many to throw up their hands in despair, believing that they are 'hooked', period. (i.e. "I know I should quiut but I'm hooked and I can't," is a constant refrain I've heard from several over the years.) Well, I and many of my good friends enjoyed smokes as much as anyone else and we quit on our own. It wasn't easy, at least to start, but it was far from from being impossible. Within an amazingly short time, we were repulsed by the mere smell of tobacco products. Indeed, it can be done, alone. The only strategy I ever used to additonally encourage me was to set aside the money I had been spending on smokes, save up for week or two and then buy something else as a treat, to reward myself, an additional immediate incentive. Others have used similar plans and still others, nothing. "Yes, you can quit and it isn't nearly as difficult as you've been led to believe," is my

    - Larry Wood

  • June 28, 2008 8:15 a.m.

    A visually stimulating and intellectually thought provoking blog. I love the hearty feeling of the blog. It's astounding how any day there's something exceptional to see in the blog. Great to see that almost all posts are combined with associated photos. I like the happy approach in which the articles are written. It's good that every post is certified with solid proof. I too love that there is a distinct separation midst the certain posts. I love the method the author persuades you step by step. I love the real life citations and images blog frequently appeals to. I enjoy the black humor the author has to show. Helpful articles regarding this topic, you can find things you didn't know earlier. Real constructive approach and priceless posts on this site, love it. The beautiful thing is that the site is considered for public appliance and not just for the technical geek. The titles are so intelligently written, it demands you to read. Good info that each and every needs to know concerning this topic.

    - Anowar

  • June 27, 2008 6:35 p.m.

    Today is my 6th day smoke free. I quit last Saturday (6/21) and OMG what a week. This is most likely the toughest thing i have ever done. I have smoked for 22 years and once I turned 40 I knew it was time. My issue isn't the cigarettes, it is the habit. I find myself walking in circles and not knowing what to do with myself. Any suggestions and prayers would be so helpful. I have a great support system which is great but I sometimes just want to be left alone. Good luck everyone!!!

    - Tina

  • June 27, 2008 5:17 p.m.

    This message is for Sheri, you wrote on June 20, Were you abel to quit? I just read your note, and started to pray, for you, and for me. I´ve been trying to quit for 10 years now!!! I pretend to quit next monday... You too pray for me please. Just joined this group. Thank you

    - diana

  • June 25, 2008 3:19 p.m.

    There have been a lot of comments and questions about Chantix (whose generic name is Varenicline) and its use. There are a couple of articles here on MayoClinic.com that you might find helpful. You can search the website or go to: Chantix: Stop-smoking medication to help you quit http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stop-smoking/HA00020 Varenicline (Oral Route) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR601853

    - Jennifer Kern, MayoClinic.com

  • June 25, 2008 1:42 p.m.

    I quit on Friday, 06/06/08 after 33 years and I havent had a cigarette since its been hard but not as hard as I thought it would be. For so many years I didnt quit out of fear!

    - RHONDA J

  • June 24, 2008 11:23 p.m.

    To all the enslaved....after reading some of your posts, I should comment on Chantix. It sounded too good to be true (you know what that means. I typed it in and there are some occasional bad side effects. Type in the word in your search engine and hopefully, you'll learn more about this product. I smoked for over forty years and got so sick of the stale smell in the house, I wrote to the Amer.Lung.Assoc & Amer.CancerSociety, then received two magazines for helping me to quit (one tip was to smoke one & put it in a fruit jar. Smoke the next, leaving a longer butt & putting that in the jar. Each successive one was left longer until I couldn't even light up. There were other tips, too, but they gave me such terrific tips. Before this program I tried three times in vain but now I've been smoke free for 24 years. Oh, believe me, I KNOW it's difficult but you can do it! Good luck!!

    - gloria in MN

  • June 24, 2008 9:06 a.m.

    Wow! For some reason I had a real tough day yesterday! But I made it thorugh without chewing! I noticed this morning during my bike ride it was harder to get my heart rate up on my monitor? Thinking it might be from not chewing for a week. This might be a good thing. Ok need to get through this day! Everyone Smile. Jay

    - another day

  • June 23, 2008 9:59 a.m.

    I quit chewing last Sunday. I chewed for about ten years. It been hard and I am eating more but thats ok. Need support thank you Im 50 yrs from Iowa

    - jay

  • June 23, 2008 9:08 a.m.

    I’ve noticed a number of people commenting about wanting a place to check themselves in for treatment of nicotine addiction. There are at least three programs that we are aware of that allow people to stop tobacco use in a protected environment, with the support and counseling to maintain abstinence once you leave. These are the three reputable programs that we are aware of. There may be others. Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center, Rochester MN http://www.mayoclinic.org/ndc-rst/residential.html St. Helena Hospital, St. Helena California http://www.smokefreelife.com/ Hazelden, Center City MN http://www.hazelden.org/web/public/tobaccorecovery.page

    - Jennifer Kern, MayoClinic.com

  • June 23, 2008 5:34 a.m.

    Sheri...so, today is the day, huh? I just wanted you to know that I am one more person praying for you on this very important day! You are looking at three days of withdrawal that can really be a drag so watch your temper and emotions in general. You don't want people encouraging you to smoke again just so you are more pleasant to be around! LOL My quit date is my birthday, July 18th. So, I will be your cheerleader if you will be mine next month! Does that sound like it will work?? Chin up, shoulders back, smile on ....you are on a secret mission and you are going to win, too! All my best and prayers,

    - gammawbecky

  • June 20, 2008 11:22 p.m.

    Sheri, Today is the first day of the rest of your life. You didn't come into this world with a cancer stick in your mouth! I quit 6 weeks ago today, myself. Please pray for me also! http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/smokings-impact-on-life-span (check this out... I found out I had shaved over 5 yrs off my life... from freakin cigarettes! hang in there and Godspeedmy friend. Sarahp

    - No name given

  • June 20, 2008 9:07 p.m.

    Hi everyone, Well tomorrow is my quit date. Wish me luck I'm going to need a lot of support. I have so much going in my life right now that I don't really think it's that good of a time to quit, but what the heck I'm still going to give it a try. Pray for me. Thanks Sheri

    - sheri

  • June 20, 2008 5:04 p.m.

    To Kathy... Yes, I experienced the same feelings as you when I quit in January of this year.. that I had lost my best friend and got depressed over it. (I quit by using "Commit" lozenges, cherry flavor, which were recommended by my doctor.) I had gone to the doctor looking for a way to stop smoking and shortly after got the shock of my life when I wound up getting diagnosed with lung cancer.... I had no symptoms but my doctor and I agreed that I should have a CT Scan done because of my smoking history. Although part of one lung has since been removed and my prognosis is good having caught the cancer early, I still crave for a cigarette. However, after what I just went through, there is no way that I will smoke again. Over 30 years of smoking did this to me... it's a long time... some best friend, huh? ... and Yes, I still would like to light up but I'd have to be a bit crazy, wouldn't I? So gang, take it from me... You can STOP... just don't wait around to get bad news from your doctor. Good Luck to you all.

    - Gloria

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