How to Get My Wife to Stop Smoking

Most people who smoke know that smoking is harmful to their health, yet quitting is not easy. There are many ways to quit smoking, from going "cold-turkey" to using step-by-step programs. For most people, the easiest way to quit is to use a combination of medication with behavior change therapy. The smoker who is trying to quit may suffer from withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, irritability and weight gain. Whatever their choice, the smoker will need a great deal of moral support and understanding from their loved ones.

Things You'll Need

• Prescription and over-the-counter smoking cessation medications

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Instructions

Ways to Help the Smoker in Your Family Quit

• 1

  Seek out the support of other family members, friends and other smokers who are trying to quit. Former smokers often remark that the support of their family and friends helped them in their attempt to quit. Support groups are also a good way to seek out the emotional support the smoker needs to stay on task. Groups like Nicotine Anonymous (www.nicotine-anonymous.org) offer support, or call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 to find a support group in your area.

• 2

  Take advantage of telephone-based counseling programs in your area to find the support your loved one needs to quit smoking. All states throughout the United States, as well as the District of Columbia, offer some sort of free telephone-based support program staffed by trained smoking cessation counselors. Those who use telephone counseling have twice the success in quitting than those who go it alone. Ask your doctor for information on a telephone counseling group in your state.

• 3

  Enroll your loved one in a local smoking-cessation program. These programs are designed to help smokers cope with the problems they face when they try to quit. The best programs include some one-on-one counseling and should last for at least two weeks, or longer. The more intense the program, the more likely your loved one will succeed in quitting. Nicotine Anonymous holds regular meetings, using a 12-step format, much like Alcoholics Anonymous. Or you can contact your local American Lung Association, your health department or the American Cancer Society for more information on programs in your area.

• 4

  Take advantage of nicotine replacement therapy. It is available in the form of gum, patches, sprays, inhalers and lozenges. Ask your doctor which form he suggests for your loved one. Nicotine replacement can provide relief for the physical withdrawal symptoms that occur during smoking cessation. Nicotine replacement therapy is not permanent and dosages should be tapered down to wean the smoker off of nicotine.

• 5

  Speak to your doctor about other forms of medication therapy your loved one might try to help take the edge off nicotine withdrawal symptoms. These may include prescription medicines such as bupropion (Zyban®) and varenicline (Chantix™). For people who cannot use these medicines, there are other drugs that have shown promise in research studies but have not been approved for smoking cessation. They are being used off-label under a doctor's supervision. They include nortriptyline, an anti-depressant drug; and clonidine an older drug that is approved for the treatment of high blood pressure.