Smokeout an opportunity for re-education

By Cynthia L. Hawthorne, Madigan Army Medical Center

Are you ready to commit to 24 hours without a cigarette? If so, then the day to make that commitment is fast approaching.

Thursday is the annual Great American Smoke Out, organized each year by the American Cancer Society. Every year the society promotes one day of quitting smoking with the hope that one day of not smoking will lead to a lifetime of not smoking.

But it’s not just about quitting smoking — it’s also about re-educating yourself as a non-smoker.

From the job, to the kids, to the finances, people face stressors throughout the day. Many people have taught themselves unhealthy coping behaviors to deal with their stressors — for example, using tobacco products. But there was a time in their lives when feeling stressed or frustrated didn’t make them smoke; they just turned their attention to something else.

Re-educating yourself about how to handle stress, frustration or boredom without smoking is key to quitting. It may not happen over night. Quitting tobacco and re-educating yourself to do something else is a process that can take several attempts.

Here are three short-term stress relievers that can be a helpful replacement to using tobacco:

• Deep Breathing: Deep breathing provides extra oxygen to the blood and causes the body to release endorphins, which are naturally occurring hormones that increase energy and promote relaxation. First, expand your abdomen. Expanding the abdomen lowers the diaphragm muscle and allows the lungs to elongate and draw in air. Then, inhale slowly through the nose, hold for six seconds then slowly exhale through pursed lips.

Do this exercise for three to five minutes whenever you feel tense.

• Reframing: View the situation as a challenge rather than a threat. Teach yourself to remain calm and focus on finding a solution, rather than becoming stressed and unfocused.

• Take a break: Remove yourself from the situation. Taking a short walk changes your scenery, gets your blood pumping and can help you blow off steam.

If you’d like more information about tobacco cessation call TRICARE at 1-800-404-4506 to set up an appointment or call Madigan Army Medical Center Department of Preventive Medicine at 968-4387 to arrange an annual unit training class.