Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center
Finding New Ways to Quit Smoking
“It’s definitely hard to quit. If it was easy, most smokers would have already done it.”
Getting the Support You Need to Quit Smoking
UT Southwestern’s nicotine cessation program provides new techniques and treatments to help kick the habit.
If you’ve tried to quit smoking in the past and relapsed, you might feel as if there’s no point in trying again. But it’s important to know: You don’t have to go it alone.
UT Southwestern’s nicotine cessation program can provide the support, medical therapies, and proven techniques necessary to help you say farewell to smoking for good. We can also advise spouses and partners on how best to support you along the way.
Quitting won’t be easy. Nicotine is highly addictive, and the physical symptoms of withdrawal take up to a week to subside. It can take much longer for the cravings to pass. Because of this, many smokers attempt to quit an average of six times before succeeding.
Almost 70% of adult smokers say they would like to quit, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, primarily to reduce major health risks but also to save money; a pack-a-day habit can cost smokers more than $200 a month.
Connecting with Support
The Simmons Cancer Center nicotine cessation program can help you stop any form of nicotine/tobacco use, including smoking, chewing, and vaping. The program is led by doctors and specialists who are certified in nicotine cessation, and it focuses on two main factors: habit and addiction.
Specialists encourage the use of a journal. This tracking exercise helps people identify patterns and situations where they are likely to use nicotine so they can anticipate the triggers and substitute an alternative. (For instance, if you always have a cigarette with your morning coffee, you can try eating a banana instead.)
The cessation program also includes one-on-one counseling. Each patient meets regularly with Dr. Balis and one of two certified counselors, Karla Jerkins or Michele Yates.
“We have tips and tools to help with the habits, and medication to help with the addiction.”
How Medication Can Help
Dr. Balis encourages people to try medication to help them quit.
“It can make a big difference,” he says, describing the three options:
- Nicotine replacement therapies include patches, gum, and lozenges that are available over the counter and can help reduce cravings. They do contain small amounts of nicotine.
- Wellbutrin (bupropion) is a prescription antidepressant that has proven to be effective at reducing tobacco cravings and easing nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
- Chantix (varenicline tartrate) is a prescription pill that stops nicotine from attaching to nicotine receptors in the brain. The targeted therapy also eases nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
Dr. Balis recommends medication based on each person’s needs, reviewing what has worked in the past and what hasn’t.
“People might respond to one medication but not another, or have side effects from one but not another. Getting the medications right can eliminate cravings and make it easier to quit.”