Seeking Help: Breaking the Habit

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Benjamin Gonsier
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Editor's Note: This is the third part of a 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs series on "Airmen seeking help".

Lying in bed, eyes wide open, the insomnia has not passed. Since going cold turkey, the cravings increase every day. Boredom and Watching coworkers do it makes it even worse. Feeling irritable and anxious, you tell yourself, "just one more won't hurt." That one cigarette has now turned into one pack.

Insomnia, tobacco cravings, anxiety and depression are just some of the withdrawal symptoms individuals trying to quit smoking will go through.

The 2nd Medical Group offers a variety of programs and resources to educate Barksdale personnel who are trying to break the habit.

"Smokers who want to quit have two options available to them," said Shervailye McElveen, 2nd Aerospace Medical Squadron Health and Wellness Center. "The American Lung Association quitline and the HAWC's weekly tobacco cessation class are available to our personnel."

According to the American Lung Association, the quitline is for individuals who need help and want educational tools on a variety of topics including lung health, managing poor health and services in the area.

Hotline associates will enroll smokers in a program that will guide them in the right direction.

The tobacco cessation class, which is at 11:30 a.m. every Wednesday, teaches attendees what triggers tobacco use, how to break the habit, what to expect when quitting and how to remain tobacco free. For those who are unable to make the class, McElveen may also see individuals by appointment.

"Not planning ahead is one of the main reasons why many fail to quit," McElveen said. "The website www.uncanquit2.org has a quitting plan that will identify your smoking habits and help fight those urges during those moments."

The 2nd MDG and all outside agencies are vigilant in helping smokers quit since smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC also reports that 18.1% of Americans smoke and one in five deaths in America is related to smoking, including secondhand smoke.

"It is important to receive help because many smokers have attempted to quit by themselves and have been unsuccessful in the process," McElveen said. "During the quitting process, the individual will go through withdrawal symptoms that will trick them into thinking there is something wrong with them. By receiving help from the HAWC or American Lung Association, that individual will better understand what is going on and how to mitigate it."

While receiving help from trained medical professionals is essential, support from friends and coworkers is just as important. Friends and family will remind the individual why it is important to quit, which includes saving money, better health or doing it for loved ones.

"Having a Wingman to lean on when the urge returns or just to have someone to talk to can go a long way," McElveen said. "If you are trying to quit, your Wingman will push you in the right direction. They won't urge you to smoke, but will motivate you to remember who you are doing this for and why."

For those who want to take their first step in quitting, the American Lung Associations hotline is 1-877-695-7848 and the HAWC can be reached at 456-6851.