Adding Love and Support to Nicotine Replacement Therapy

“When I called the quitline a couple of months ago to break my two-pack-a-day habit, I felt really frustrated. I'd tried all the nicotine replacement therapies and different quit smoking medications with no success. To put it bluntly, nothing worked. One thing I hadn't really tried was getting together a strong support network and making a plan. During my first coaching session, I worked with my coach to map out specific strategies, like delaying the first cigarette I smoked in the morning. My quit plan also included being more open with the people around me about my decision to quit. I even began developing coping strategies like journaling and walking to handle anger and stress, my two biggest triggers for smoking. A month later, I’m off cigarettes and I don't miss them. I'd been a slave to those cancer sticks way too long. What a waste of time. I love breathing without hacking and coughing. I'm feeling better overall, and eating healthier by snacking on carrots and celery, along with lots of fruit and water. I'll do what I need to do to stay quit. My next goal is to support my daughters in quitting smoking!”