Smoking Cessation
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. However, despite the fact that a majority of smokers desire to quit, relapse rates are high. Nicotine (the primary substance found in tobacco) is highly addictive and oftentimes smoking becomes a routine and enjoyable part of our lives — both factors that can make it very difficult to quit. In fact, the average smoker can make up to a dozen quit attempts before they are finally successful in quitting for good.

The use of group therapy in conjunction with a prescription or over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can greatly increase your chance of success. While the NRT can help to reduce or eliminate the physical withdrawal symptoms associated with smoking cessation, group therapy can teach valuable skills and provide support to deal with the psychological stress of quitting.

In particular, our smoking cessation group includes the following elements:

• Education regarding the dangers of cigarette smoking and the benefits of quitting
• Behavioral techniques to prepare for the quitting process
• Learning to identify high-risk situations where relapse may occur and employing alternative coping techniques
• Social support both inside the group and in everyday life
• Relapse prevention skills to help avoid relapse and recover if a slip-up does occur
• Stress management techniques

For those persons who are not able to attend group, individual counseling is available. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.