Bring in the New Year with a breath of fresh air

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Eric Donner
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  Is this the year you finally make the decision to live a long and healthy life?
Is this the year you finally kick a bad habit killing you a little at a time?
Why not make 2016 your year?

It can be the year you can stop using tobacco. Sometimes all that's needed is a little help from friends and family members. As an added bonus the 31st Medical Group has multiple resources to help with the journey.

"In the Air Force, the majority of tobacco users want to quit," said Kevin Egger, 31st Aerospace Medicine Squadron Health Promotion coordinator. "Unfortunately, only 30 percent of those seek out help to quit."

According to Egger, the key to quitting tobacco is simple.

"If you picked January 1, 2016 as your 'quit date' you need to get prepared now," said Egger. "Your primary care manager can get you the needed medications. Also, contact the behavioral health consultant to set an appointment to discuss life-style changes. You want to get everything ready for your 'quit date.'"

The physical addiction to nicotine is just one aspect of a tobacco addiction. The other aspect is psychological.

"Overcoming the physiological addiction to nicotine is just one of the challenges; we have to address the psychological aspect," said Amy Abroms, 31st Medical Operations Squadron Internal Behavioral Health consultant. "The psychological dependency can be just as powerful as the physiological one and that is why we must develop a personalized relapse prevention plan. If drugs alone worked, there wouldn't be anyone using tobacco who wanted to quit."

Abroms develops a personalized relapse prevention plan that examines the triggers that may lead a person back to tobacco use.  One aspect people may forget about during their journey to a tobacco-free life is the support needed from friends and family.

"Make sure you're speaking with your friends and family during the process," said Abroms. "Let them know what you need from them and that you may be a little short or cranky during this process."

Individuals who try to quit on their own are only 3 to 6 percent likely to succeed. A combination of medication, life-style changes and social support greatly increase the chances of quitting.

According to www.cdc.gov approximately 443,000 people die in the U.S. each year from tobacco use - the most preventable cause of death. For more information on available resources about quitting tobacco, or to start your journey to a tobacco free new year, call Amy Abroms at 632-5442 or Kevin Egger at 632-4583.