I am a court employee. This was my first job out of college about 4 years ago. It’s pretty stressful sometimes, so I relax by taking a smoke break when I can. I started smoking socially in college and I guess I never dropped the habit. Now it’s become part of who I am and how I learn to cope with pressure on the job and in my life.
My partner and I have been talking about starting a family. One thing I don’t want to do is smoke with kids around. My partner smokes too, so we may try to quit together. I’m nervous that I won’t be able to quit so sometimes I don’t even want to commit to trying. It’s so frustrating to try and then start up again.
My individual action plan choice
This fits into my schedule. We’d already decided to try to quit, so it’s nice that this counts as my individual action plan. Focusing on one behavior with someone who can help me along seems reasonable. I am still scared I may not quit for good, but I know I have good support and I can call my coach when I’m having a hard time with the plan.
Why this works for me
My day is so full of activity that I have to work whatever it is into what I am already doing. Instead of finding time to do one more thing, I can integrate how I think about things into what I am already doing.
Other people this might work for
Any tobacco user
Tips for success
Remember it’s the participation that counts. Quitting tobacco is hard and multiple attempts may be required. You won’t be penalized if you’re still using tobacco when the program is over.
It’s your responsibility to make sure you have 5 calls with a quit coach before July 1, 2011 to earn the gold out –of-pocket expense level. You can schedule your calls in advance, or you can call your quit coach when you’re ready to make the next step.
The program is confidential and customized for your needs. If you’ve tried the patch and it didn’t work, you don’t need to do it again. The county knows how many people are participating, but not individual data.
