HEALTH SENSE: Quitting tobacco for a healthy heart

HEALTH SENSE

Veteran Keith Montgomery enjoys hiking in places like Arctic Valley after quitting tobacco.

Quitting tobacco for a happy heart

By Katie Yearley AlAskA VA HeAlTHCAre sysTem

When I was a kid, I spent many summers visiting my grandparents’ house in New Mexico. I have many memories from that time, but one of the strongest is my entire family sitting on the back porch and talking while enjoying the sunshine.

In every one of these memories, my family smoked tobacco.

This memory, of an enjoyable activity associated with smoking, is a common one. Dr. Jill Duke, licensed clinical psychologist, says this is part of what makes quitting smoking so difficult.

“A person who is using tobacco has established a lot of habits,” says Duke, “Each of the times they’re using tobacco, they’re oftentimes engaged in another activity… those two things have now become linked.”

Whether it is because you are having coffee or you are driving, once you start using tobacco regularly with those activities, you create a habit. Suddenly you cannot do one without the other.

Duke helps head a Tobacco Cessation Group at Alaska VA Healthcare. In these classes, she works with veterans to help them develop a plan for how they can ease off and quit tobacco, whether its cigarettes, cigars, vaping, or chewing.

Much of the direction is behavioral changes, like different stress management choices and medication alternatives for nicotine.

Army Veteran Keith Montgomery started the process of quitting after visiting Duke’s Tobacco Cessation Group. After talking through some of the steps, he decided to quit on Valentine’s Day in 2020. He chose that date because he wanted to start being good to his heart on “heart day.”

Montgomery began using tobacco when he was around 10 years old. Back then, everyone smoked pretty heavily, Montgomery says.

Once he set his quit date last February, Montgomery began a process of using nicotine patches, which he slowly reduced until he felt he did not need them anymore. After a month or so, he stopped using them completely.

“I don’t have the desire to smoke right now and I don’t want to,” he says proudly, “I got back from Seattle last night and, you know, [being] on the plane was a big thing, because you couldn’t smoke.”

When he does get cravings, Montgomery uses breathing techniques and meditation to get through the moment. Overall, he feels the smoke-free experience has been great for his respiratory system and thinks other veterans should look into the Tobacco Cessation Group.

“What’ve they got to lose?” he says.

The Tobacco Cessation Group is held virtually every Wednesday from 1-2:30 p.m. using VA Video Connect. The group offers support from providers and participants talk about strategies for quitting.

Veterans can call 907-257-4854 to be scheduled and sent a link.

Questions? Contact one of the group facilitators at 907-257-3727 or 907257-4854.

Katie Yearley is a public affairs specialist at the Anchorage office of the Alaska VA Healthcare System in the Department of Veterans Affairs.