Quitting Tobacco Use is a Process
Quitting Tobacco Use is a Process
Description:
Stages of Quitting The stages of tobacco cessation are: Contented user, Thinking about quitting, Deciding to quit, Quitting, Trying to stay quit, Relapsing, and Staying quit. This is a process that may repeat before becoming permanent.
| Stage of Tobacco Cessation | Definition |
| Contented User | A stage of pre-contemplation. No intention of taking action within the next 6 months. May be uninformed or underinformed of health consequences or may have attempted change many times and lost confidence that quitting is possible. Appears unmotivated or resistant to change. |
| Thinking About Quitting | A stage of contemplation. Intends to change in the next 6 months. Aware of pros and cons of changes. Profound ambivalence or behavioral procrastination can develop as the person balances the pros and cons. |
| Deciding to Quit | A stage of preparation. Intends to take action soon, usually within 30 days. May have a plan, such as buying a book, joining a class, or talking to a counselor. Very interested in changing and has already decided to do so. Setting a quit date or signing up for a smoking cessation class are 2 types of preparation. Taking varenicline (Chantix®) or bupropion (Zyban®) and setting a quit date is another example. |
| Quitting | A stage of action. A person has made behavior modifications within the last 6 months. With smoking, this step is equated with total abstinence. |
| Trying to Stay Quit | A stage of maintenance. Working to prevent relapse, although fewer urges than someone in the action stage. Maintenance may last from 6 months to 5 years; however, some smokers remain in maintenance permanently. |
| Relapsing | Not actually a stage but an event: the moment a patient first returns to smoking. It is quickly followed by return to one of the other stages of tobacco cessation. As a clinician, you can help motivate the patient to progress toward the action stage of quitting. |
| Staying Quit | A stage of termination. No urge to do the behavior that is being avoided (e.g., no temptation to smoke), and 100% self-efficacy in managing it. Will never return to old habit regardless of the situation. About 20% of ex-smokers reach termination. |
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