SMOKING CESSATION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Courtesy of the NYS Department of Health
Quitting smoking is the single best thing that you can do to improve your health. In fact, people with disabilities who quit smoking reap extra health benefits. That’s because people with disabilities usually have health concerns which can be further complicated by smoking. So, quitting smoking is important to improve your function, and your health and wellness.
Are you ready to trade in your cigarettes, snuff, or pipe for better health and a sense of freedom? If yes, you’ve taken the first step to successfully quitting. If you’re not sure, that’s OK. Keep reading and you might discover you’re more ready to quit than you think.
Having a disability won’t necessarily make quitting smoking more or less difficult. People of all abilities find quitting smoking to be difficult, as well as rewarding. This brochure explains the benefits of quitting and how to increase your chances of quitting for good.
How does smoking affect my disability?
The prevalence of smoking is slightly higher among people with disabilities in New York State than among people without disabilities. People with disabilities are also subject to te same—and even more harmful health effects of:
- Emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Cancers of the lungs, bladder, kidneys, pancreas, mouth, throat
- Increased allergic reactions, development of new allergies
- Bronchitis, respiratory infections, coughing, difficulty breathing
- Heart disease, high blood pressure, other circulatory diseases
- Headaches, ulcers or osteoporosis
Smoking affects a person’s quality of life in other ways:
- Smoking slows the healing process following surgery
- Wounds do not heal as easily. Additional treatment may be necessary
- The effect of medications that a person takes for other medical problems, such as upper respiratory problems, can be seriously altered by smoking
- People with muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries, and other diseases who also smoke may have less lung capacity
- People who smoke and are physically inactive have little energy and endurance
- Secondhand smoke can seriously affect breathing
Stop smoking, and your quality of life improves. Your body begins to heal immediately. Your circulation is better. Your blood pressure and pulse, which are abnormally high during smoking, will return to normal. You will cut the risk of developing secondary health problems, while increasing your chances of living longer with fewer health problems. You’ll have more energy—and more money in your pocket, too-to take up new hobbies and interests.
I’m overwhelmed by the quitting process. Where do I start? I really want to succeed.
Everyone gets nervous when beginning a new challenge. To stay on track, follow the tips in this brochure. Prepare yourself by accessing the internet’s enormous amount of smoking cessation materials.
Set a quit day and stick to it. Think of ways to get more exercise and eat healthier. This strategy will help you fight the urge to smoke and to maintain your weight. Some ex-smokers do gain a few pound. But, it can come off with physical activity and a healthy eating plan. Write down your reasons for quitting. Read that list often. Ask family, friends, and co-workers for support. If they smoke, ask them to quit with you, or not to smoke around you. Throw out your cigarettes, lighters, matches, and ash trays. Instead, surround yourself with low-fat, crunchy vegetables and fruits, sugarless hard candy and cinnamon sticks. Drink lots of water. It flushes the nicotine, a powerful addictive drug, from your body. Plan to walk, wheel, or take up a sport or hobby to keep yourself busy.
Use nicotine replacement therapy.
New York state’s Medicaid program covers nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and Zyban, a pill that contains no nicotine but has other ingredients to fight the urge to smoke. NRT and Zyban can double your chances of quitting. Nicotine replacement products work by delivering small, steady doses of nicotine to the body, helping relieve such withdrawal symptoms as nervousness and irritability. NRT includes the nicotine patch, gum, inhaler, and nasal spray.
Talk to your health care provider to decide what is best for you and to discuss any side effects. Zyban is not for everyone. You should not take Zyban if you have a seizure disorder; are already taking Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, or other medications containing bupropin HCI; have had an eating disorder; or are currently taking or have taken a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor.
Keep trying.
Most smokers quit numerous times before they quit for good. Don’t give up. You’ll get through it. The first two weeks are the most difficult as your body rids itself of the chemical dependency. After that, it’s a psychological withdrawal as you learn to deal with life’s ups and downs without smoking. Although relapse rates are most common in the beginning, people who stop smoking for three months are often able to remain cigarette-free for the rest of their lives.
Reward yourself.
Put aside the money you would have spent on cigarettes and other tobacco products and save it. Reward yourself for kicking the deadly habit of smoking. Take a trip. Go out to a smoke-free restaurant for dinner. Celebrate quitting smoking!
Check out these sources for quitting:
New York Smokers’ Quitline
800-280-1213
888-609-6292 (TTY)
Free and confidential assistance available every day, around the clock.
Check your telephone book’s Yellow pages for the county health department, local tobacco coalition, local American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, hospitals, or Independent Living Center, which can provide smoking cessation assistance and/or referral and support groups.
Also search “smoking cessation” on the Internet for useful materials and smoking cessation Web sites.