Smoking continues to remain the leading cause of COPD. The more a person smokes, the more likely that person will develop COPD. There is no cure for COPD. However, there are many things you can do to relieve symptoms and keep the disease from getting worse such as to stop smoking.
Having a loved one with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) who can't or won't quit smoking can be very frustrating and frightening. Smoking is not only the main cause of COPD — quitting smoking is the most important part of treatment. COPD symptoms will continue to get worse and COPD exacerbations are unavoidable unless your loved one can quit smoking. What can you do to help?
Nagging, scolding, and preaching are the worst approaches. Start by recognizing how difficult and frustrating it is to quit smoking. Accept that the decision to quit smoking has to be their decision, not yours. The best way to help is to let your loved one know that you are there for support no matter what.
Consider the five “R's" — talking points and advice for encouragement and motivation:
Relevance - talk about how important it is to quit, relating information to your loved one’s life.
- Risks -talk about the risks of smoking with COPD.
- Rewards - talk about the benefits of quitting.
- Roadblocks - identify things that can get in the way of quitting.
- Repetition - deciding to quit is a process and can require repeated attempts, so be patient.
- Repeat your motivation each time your loved one tries to quit.
Help them identify smoking triggers and encourage your loved to plan for them to help avoid a smoking relapse. The following are a few ideas to help your "special person" to quit smoking:
Tips to keep your loved one's mind of of smoking:
- Keep your home smoke-free and remove lighters and ashtrays that may serve as triggers.
- Celebrate success, recognizing that every day without smoking is a victory.
- Expect and accept some grumpiness during the nicotine withdrawal phase.
- Recognize that an occasional slip is common and doesn't mean failure.
Part of a smoking treatment plan is behavior modification. That means avoiding situations that lead to smoking and learning other behaviors to deal with stress or boredom. If you go out together to a place where people are smoking, plan ahead and have a signal for when the temptation is getting too high.
Smoking treatment may also include medications and support groups. Encourage your loved one to ask for help and to take advantage of employee wellness benefits that often include smoking cessation prorams.
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