Nancy Baldwin, health education services manager at Salem Health, knows first-hand the ups and downs of quitting smoking.

As a former smoker herself, she’s taught the American Lung Association Freedom from Smoking class for more than ten years.

The final set of classes this year will be offered free of charge, from Sept. 9 through Oct. 21.

Baldwin said she became a licensed American Lung Association facilitator, as well as a tobacco treatment specialist through the Mayo Clinic after quitting smoking during her health care career.

“[Smoking is] a relationship, and I miss that relationship, but I’m choosing a different path,” she said.

A program with results

Baldwin said the American Lung Association program is the gold standard for smoking cessation results, holding the record for the highest quit rates and long-term success.

“The program is designed to help people have a deeper understanding of nicotine dependency, whether they smoke, vape or chew tobacco and helps them identify patterns or routines that are related to their nicotine use,” she said.

Breaking patterns

The first three weeks of the class focus on dependency, and pharmacists join the group to talk about smoking cessation products and aids.

Baldwin also explains the social, psychological and physical components behind addiction.

“All addiction has a three-link chain to it,” she said. “There’s the physical or chemical dependency, and with nicotine that’s a real thing because that intersects with the dopamine pathway in our brain.”

The facilitator said the psychological aspect is how the habit is built into routines or used as a stress-reduction tool.

“The social component is we tend to surround ourselves with like-minded people,” Baldwin said.

Using that information, she works with people in the class to build a tool kit of resources and planning to move forward with their goal of quitting.

Practicing quitting

On week four, there’s a practice quit day.

“We’re not asking them to say I quit as of this time, this day,” Baldwin said. “What we ask of them is they make a contract for themselves that they can reasonably be successful at.”

For some people that’s two weeks, for others it may just be two hours. On that week, there’s another meeting two days later.

“We want to give support in that practice quit, to give them a feel and a taste of that success,” Baldwin said.

Long-term success

In the remaining weeks, Baldwin reviews normal symptoms that could come with quitting, such as weight gain or developing a cough, and how to work through those challenges.

The facilitator said everyone’s journey to quitting smoking will be different.

“There’s no expectation that anyone has to quit in this program,” she said. “What we want to do is help them with the tools so they’re ready to quit, and they try. There’s no failure.”

Baldwin said most people who engage in a nicotine addiction must quit six or seven times to finally be successful.

The class ends with a celebration. The group cooks a meal together and talks about what long-term freedom from smoking looks like.

For those still contemplating quitting, this is a time to connect to resources for planning in the future.

How to sign up

Virtual classes are available as well, but Baldwin notes the success rate goes up dramatically in a small group setting.

The class takes place at Salem Hospital in the Community Health Education Center – Building D, in the Support Group Room.

Interested in signing up? Click here to register and learn more.