This isn’t about whether you have enough willpower. It’s not about being a bad person. It’s about dependence on nicotine, and that dependence can cause some very unpleasant mental and physical withdrawal symptoms.

Nicotine replacement therapies and prescription medications like Chantix can help make physical withdrawal easier to tolerate. But many tobacco users aren’t prepared for the mental withdrawal symptoms they may face like anxiety, depression, grief, irritability or trouble concentrating.

Thankfully, tobacco cessation programs often include ways to help deal with these symptoms. In fact, one-on-one or group counseling has been shown to improve success rates for quitting tobacco. This is especially true when the counseling is frequent, long-lasting and led by someone who is trained to help people quit. It doesn’t matter if you go in person or use phone- or  web-based programs.

If you’re planning to take the next step to improve your health, make  sure you have both your mental and physical support systems in place. Their power-packing combination may be the knock-out punch you’ve  been looking for.

Source: cancer.org

Need help quitting?

Look no further than the Life. Inspired. program.

Visit publix.org for

• free resources, including state quit lines offering telephone-based programs linking callers to trained counselors (no health insurance required) and
• Tobacco Cessation Program information for Publix BCBS PPO Plan enrollees.

Life. Inspired. content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or a substitute for the professional opinion of a doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional involved in your treatment. We encourage you to consult with your doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional before volunteering to participate in a wellness activity and for diagnosis and treatment decisions. Restrictions may apply to the benefits offered under the Life. Inspired. program.