A strong support system is key to a successful completion. Under normal circumstances, support from a personal tobacco cessation group or counseling session can be obtained, but as many of these traditional services will be suspended during the pandemic, alternative means of communication and support are a necessity.
There are an abundance of online smoking cessation support groups hosted through social networks, public health programs, or community organizations. Online notice groups aren’t the same as face-to-face advice, but they offer a number of unique benefits. For example, the American Lung Association offers an online quitting program that allows users to create their own personal quitting plan, watch informative quitting videos, and talk to counselors and other members of the group who are facing many of the same challenges. Chatting with other pushers is a great way to remind yourself that you cannot tackle this obstacle on your own.
By the time you sign up and start interacting, you’ll have a wealth of experiences, tips, recommendations, help and support available to you. You will find people who are in every phase of quitting: in the beginning, in the middle, they have long since stopped or have fallen behind. One of the best parts? All access, all the time. Whenever you experience triggers and cravings, someone is always available who knows what it is like.
Here are some helpful links to get you started:
Resources from Smokefree.gov – https://smokefree.gov/tools-tips
North American Quitline Consortium – http://map.naquitline.org
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – https://www.publichealth.va.gov/smoking/
Nicotine anonymous – https://nicotine-anonymous.org
Become a Mayo Clinic EX Community – https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/
