Kicking (cigarette’s) butt
Connie Black cuts out photos from magazines, each
serving as a visual reminder of her goals. Today, she
snips photos of cigarettes along with a warning message
about their side effects. She pastes them to what
she calls a vision board. "Quit smoking - one goal I
have yet to achieve," says Black, who has smoked for
more than 20 years. Now, at just 44 years old, smoking
has caused irreversible damage to her lungs.
Feeling the effects of tobacco
Black has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or
COPD. "COPD describes a wide range of conditions
that cause narrowing of the bronchial tubes - the tubes
that bring air in and out of the lungs - due to chronic
inflammation," says William Morowitz, MD, Virtua
pulmonologist. Symptoms include shortness of breath,
coughing, coughing up mucus and wheezing. "The
disease develops slowly over time and people may not
notice the symptoms," adds Dr. Morowitz. "Although
COPD may not be totally reversible, it can be treated."
According to Dr. Morowitz, smoking is the leading
cause of COPD. A fact Black says has increased her
drive to stop smoking. "I've tried before, but this time I'm
getting more support," says Black. She has enrolled in
Virtua's QuitCenter - a six-week program that helps people
quit by offering counseling, carbon monoxide testing
and over-the-counter nicotine replacement products at a
reduced cost.
Once a week, Black meets with a certified tobacco
treatment specialist at Virtua's QuitCenter. In fact, people
who actively engage in treatment through a program
such as the QuitCenter are 10 to 15 times more likely to
quit successfully than those who go it alone.
Since Black began her visits with the QuitCenter,
she's regained the confidence to quit. "Quitting cigarettes
will be the first thing I accomplish on my new vision
board," she says.
For an appointment with a QuitCenter specialist,
call 1-888-Virtua-3.