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Local hospital to offer smoking cessation course

Parkview Huntington Hospital is now offering a smoking cessation course to help smokers kick the habit.

The American Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking program is designed for individuals who are ready to quit smoking now. According to the ALA, in any group of smokers, 40 percent aren’t ready to quit, 40 percent are thinking about quitting, and only 20 percent are truly ready to quit.

The Freedom From Smoking program shows aspiring non-smokers how to quit for good, in a structured, supportive group setting.

Shelby Sheets, RN, a cardiopulmonary rehab nurse with the Parkview Huntington Hospital Rehab and Wellness Center, attended certification training through the ALA.

Sheets says she wants to create a comfortable environment in which people can express what they’re going through as they break their addiction.

The course assesses each smoker’s readiness to quit and guides them through a three-part process addressing the physical, mental and social aspects of addiction. Because most people realize that smoking can be dangerous to their health, often they may want to quit, but don’t want to face withdrawal.

Eight sessions over seven weeks provide support beginning the process, quitting and starting life as a non-smoker. Participants explore coping strategies such as meditation, gentle stretching, exercises and more.  

Sessions will take place on Mondays, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the lower-level classrooms at Parkview Huntington Hospital, 2001 Stults Road, Huntington.

The hospital provides each participant with a practical Freedom From Smoking workbook, which is included in the class fee.

Depending on interest level in the community, the hospital may offer the program several times a year. Employers are also encouraged to arrange for the program on site for their employees.

Registration is open for the first Freedom From Smoking course of 2017, which will likely begin in February. To register or obtain more information, call 355-3209.