Smoking Cessation:
“If I can do it, anyone can.”
In every office, family or social group, there is that one person who you just know will never quit smoking. Jeff Brodie, senior human resource professional at MSU Human Resources, was that guy.
“Out of all the smokers in Human Resources over the past 20 years, I was voted least likely to successfully quit,” Brodie said. He also said that he was voted most likely to pass away clutching a pack of cigarettes, but that is just part of his humorous personality.
Brodie began smoking at the age of 17. He was introduced to the habit during a very boring job working for a business that sold pants. The company had a mysterious fire, so they had him sit on top of a ladder and make sure people didn’t steal anything during their “fire sale.” One day a co-worker threw Brodie a pack of cigarettes and within a week he became a pack-per-day smoker.
Soon after, Brodie was up to two packs per day. He thought he could quit at any time. Five years later, he didn’t want to.
In January 2008, some 25,000 packs later, a co-worker convinced Brodie to join her in signing up for the MSU Smoking Cessation Pilot Program beginning that September. He wasn’t entirely sure about the program, but he decided to support his co-worker.
The program is the result of a partnership between Human Resources, Olin Health Center and the University Physician-Health4U Program. The program combines use of the medication CHANTIX with medical evaluation and monitoring as well as structured behavioral support.
During the program, participants pick a quit date. Brodie planned to go to an annual conference and quit the day after his return. This was two weeks into taking the medication, and since he did nothing to prepare for the quit date, it didn’t work out.
He continued picking quit dates without success. Finally he talked to past participant and co-worker Alicia Bailey.
“Alicia said, dummy, you quit when you’re ready, not when you think you should,” Brodie said. “After that I prepared a real plan for quitting.”
Brodie’s new plan involved cutting down on cigarettes every day until he was down to a low enough number to quit. After four days, a Friday, he was down to six cigarettes.
That day, Brodie thought if he could make it the first few hours in the morning without a cigarette, he would have more for later. He made it until 10 a.m., and while he wanted one, it wasn’t driving him too crazy so he decided to wait. After lunchtime, he still hadn’t had one and realized the cravings were survivable.
Brodie made it through work and the drive home and went to bed early that night. By accident, that became his quit date.
The next morning Brodie knew he didn’t want to go through that battle ever again and made it through the weekend without a cigarette. He has been a non-smoker since September 25, 2008.
While initially skeptical about the program, Brodie found it was effective. He said the CHANTIX drug didn’t make it easy, but it really helped, especially teamed up with the support of program leaders, co-workers and friends. He added that having co-workers who had already gone through the program offer their support to him was invaluable. There are also helpful monthly follow-up sessions for those who have gone through the program.
Brodie said virtually all past participants agreed that the first benefit they noticed was overcoming feelings of physical addiction. He explained that there are two feelings tied to addiction.
“The psychological addiction makes your brain tell you that you want a cigarette,” he said. “The physical/chemical addiction tells that you are willing to drive through a blinding snowstorm to get a cigarette.”
While Brodie sometimes wonders if these feelings will return, the program leaders told him the worst is over since he has made it this far.
“It is nice to enjoy a meal without having to excuse yourself midway through for a cigarette,” Brodie said. “It is wonderful to be able to attend a three-hour meeting without having to leave in the middle to use the restroom, but choose a cigarette instead.”
Brodie had made past attempts to quit with patches. He would be successful for about a week but soon would sneak off for cigarettes again.
“I guess program leader Jon Novello was right,” Brodie said. “He told me each time you try to quit and fail becomes a learning experience.”
Many would have never expected Brodie to be successful with the program, but this program has had great success rates thus far. The next orientation session for the program will be held on Wednesday, September 16, 2009. You can look at the Health4U Web site for more information at: www.Health4U.msu.edu.
“Doctors say the best thing to do is to quit smoking and deal with the rest later,” Brodie said. “They’re right. I’m not running marathons yet, but I don’t have that cough I had every 2-3 minutes and I’m using the stairs at work. I’m happy I went through the experience.”
“If I can do it, anyone can.”
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