Tips to Quit Smoking

According to the Center for Disease Control, an estimated 440,000 individuals prematurely die each year from smoking or from exposure to second hand smoke. It is estimated that another 8.6 million people live with chronic smoking related illnesses. Despite all of the effort to prevent smoking, each day approximately 1,100 children under the age of 18 begin to smoke. There are various reasons why people start smoking. For some it may be related to peer pressure to to gain social rewards. For others it may be a way to rebel against parental authority. Regardless of the reasons why one began to smoke, quitting improves the length and quality of your life. Some benefits to quitting are:

• Within two weeks to 3 months your risk of a heart attack decreases.Heart rate and blood pressure return to normal.

• Within a few hours, your blood’s ability to carry oxygen increases (Carbon monoxide reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen).

• Within a few weeks, people who quit smoking have improved circulation. Coughing and wheezing are also substantially reduced.

• Within several months of quitting, people can expect substantial improvements in lung function.

• In addition, people who quit smoking will have an improved sense of smell and food will taste better.

• Remove everything from your environment related to smoking: cigarettes, ashtrays, lighters, and matches.

• Develop a support system and tell your friends and family that you have quit smoking.  Have them encourage you and be a support and NOT give you a cigarette.

• Clinical intervention such as Behavioral therapy ( e.g. training in problem solving)

• Be aware of your triggers and develop coping strategies. Get involved in activities that don’t go with smoking (exercise, meditation). Imagine yourself enjoying favorite activities without smoking.

• Make use of numerous programs available such as 1-800- Quite – Now 

• Smokefree.gov (http://www.smokefree.gov), a Web site created by NCI’s Tobacco Control Research Branch, and use the Step-by-Step Quit Guide.

• Call the NCI Smoking Quitline at 1–877–44U–QUIT (1–877–448–7848) for individualized counseling, printed information, and referrals to other sources.

• Refer to the NCI fact sheet Where To Get Help When You Decide To Quit Smoking, which is available at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/tobacco/help-quitting on the Internet.

Quitting smoking can be difficult but living a smoke free life is possible. There are several methods that can help you increase your likelihood of success.  To help with nicotine withdrawal  consider using the nicotine patch, gum or lozenges. Other successful methods in treating nicotine dependence are prescription medications such as:  bupropion (zyban), varenicline tartrate (Chantix) or a nicotine inhalation system such as (nicotrol).  Ask your doctor about the possibility of using these products. Some also claim that alternative medicine such as acupuncture can be of benefit. However, the jury is still out on this. Currently there is no consistent evidence that acupuncture (or acupressure) is effective for helping people quit smoking. However, it may be worth considering if other methods have been ineffective. Other tips to help you kick the habit are:

School Violence: Tips for Parents to Help Children Cope

In the aftermath of the shootings at Sandy Hook School, parents may be concerned about what they should be doing to help their children cope and make sense of this tragedy. Parents can help by listening to their fears and reassuring them that they are safe.

• Find out what your children already know about the event.

• Allow children to express their feelings and fears but don't force the discussion.

• Keep explanations simple and age appropriate. Younger children may lack the language skills to fully express their feelings but can express themselves through drawings and play activity.

• Limit exposure to news coverage of the event.

• Reassure your children that they are safe. Explain that you and the adults in their life do everything they can to keep them safe. Review their school's safety procedure with them and let them know that you have confidence in their school's ability to protect them. Reassure them that these events are not a frequent occurrence.

• Help children gain a sense of control. Doing something to help others may help them feel more empowered. For example, participating in a prayer vigil for the victims or any event that assists people in need reminds them that most people are good and care for others.

• Maintain a normal routine. Having a regular schedule and consistency is reassuring to children.

Most children are resilient and will manage this without significant problems. Parents should stay alert to any signs of continued distress such as nightmares, sleeplessness, excessive worrying or refusal to go to school. In those cases parents should seek advice from a mental health professional.

School Refusal

Written by: Angela Lacalamita, MA, LCPC


School anxiety, refusal and avoidance are increasingly becoming a problem with children/adolescents. Researchers estimate that 2-5% of school age children suffer from anxiety related school refusal. School refusal encompasses a broad spectrum of behaviors to include:

• prolonged absence from school

• sporadic attendance

• skipping classes

• emotional or behavioral difficulty in an attempt to refuse school

• physical complaints of illness without medical explanation (somatic) when faced with having to attend school

There are numerous factors that may influence school refusal. Generally, youth refuse school to avoid academic situations that cause distress (i.e. homework or other school related situations), escape social or evaluative situations (i.e. peer groups or tests), to gain attention from a person in which the child has an emotional attachment toward, to obtain rewards outside of the school setting (i.e. sleeping in, or video games). Many children that display school refusal also display other emotional or behavioral difficulty to avoid school settings i.e., running away, substance use, noncompliance, temper tantrums and aggression. If left untreated, school refusal can lead to significant difficulty with a child’s social, emotional and educational development.

The long-term outcome for children who refuse school is not well established, primarily due to an inconsistent definition.  Regardless of the terminology used, school refusal may be a precursor to disturbances later in life if left untreated. If your child is experiencing difficulty in attending school, a comprehensive evaluation from a mental health professional will reveal the reasons behind the school refusal.

The following are tips that can help your child manage school related anxiety or other stressful situations.

• Relaxation Training: a combination of progressive muscle relaxation and breathing exercises can be helpful. Diaphragm breathing is achieved by inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth for a set number of times. Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique in which a muscle group is isolated and contracted for five seconds and then released. This technique can begin by starting with the feet and gradually work up to the head or vice versa.

• Gradually introduce school to your child in small degrees. Eventually this will help them realize there is nothing to fear and that nothing bad will happen (generally for younger children just beginning school).

• Have your child identify the positive aspects of going to school: being with friends or learning a favorite subject.

• Have your child identify any negative thoughts they may be having. Encourage your child to replace the anxious (negative thoughts) with supportive and calming statements, i.e., “I can handle this.”, “I have done this before.”

• Arrange a meeting with your child’s counselor for support and direction.

• Establish routines: Having a routine offers predictability, improves transitions to school and reduces anxiety. The morning routine prior to school should be the primary focus. It can be a benefit to have regular routines for all parts of the day to limit any behavioral difficulty.

• Learn about your child’s anxiety disorder and research the treatment options.