Tobacco Cessation

Why quit smoking?

No matter how long you've been smoking, giving it up is still the most important health decision you can make. Tobacco smoke raises blood pressure, thickens the blood, depletes oxygen, and damages arteries. Smoking is the most serious risk factor for heart disease, stroke, lung and other cancers. The sooner you quit, you will immediately begin to reduce the danger to your health.

How we can help.
Sacred Heart Hospital offers an educational tobacco cessation program to help make this difficult but important lifestyle change a little easier. Our counselors are Nationally Certified Tobacco Addiction Specialists. Our professionals will work with you and your schedule to provide counseling to help you meet your goals through face-to-face or telephone counseling. We'll address facts about nicotine addiction and behavior change techniques as well as concerns about weight gain and exercise. Our program helps you fight your addiction to tobacco on three fronts: Addiction, Withdrawal, and Relapse.

• Nicotine Addiction
  Tobacco use is a chemical addiction - and in addition to their physical dependence on nicotine, people also continue to smoke for many other reasons. Sacred Heart Professionals will emphasize the addictive aspects of smoking - and we'll show you how to overcome the need or desire to smoke. You'll learn the techniques and available medications that make quitting easier.
• Withdrawal Symptoms
  Quitting tobacco products brings about a variety of symptoms associated with the nicotine withdrawal. Some of these symptoms can include irritability, insomnia, cravings, fatigue, and others. Durations of these symptoms can be from a few hours to several weeks. Knowing this in advance and learning ways to cope can improve your long-term success. We'll help you avoid the unwanted effects of quitting.
• Relapse Prevention
  Relapse most frequently occurs early in the quitting process, but may occur months or years after the quit date. We will show you ways to identify the triggers and circumstances that can bring on a relapse and how to prevent that relapse.

Links to other Non-smoking websites:

Coalition for a Smoke-Free Valley

Smoke-Free Restaurant Guide

CDC's Office on Smoking and Health

Surgeon General's 2004 Report on Smoking

Sacred Heart Hospital Tobacco Cessation Program
The Sigal Center for Family Medicine
450 Chew St. Allentown, PA 18102
Phone: 610-776-5434

For more information or to schedule an appointment please call 610-776-5434