JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
The Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Health and Wellness Center offers a tobacco cessation class to Department of Defense cardholders that begins the first Tuesday of every month from 11 a.m.-noon. Through a series of four sessions weekly, the class teaches techniques that can help smokers relieve nicotine cravings from tobacco.
"For anyone wanting to stop smoking or using tobacco, we're here for you," Tech. Sgt. Helen Schlemper, HAWC NCO in charge, said. "Family and friends of people taking the course are more than welcome to join for support."
Support is a major factor that can weigh in on a person's decision to quit smoking.
"This is one of the hardest things people will ever do in their lives," Schlemper said. "They need as much support as possible, from spouses to best friends."
The class is spread out in four sessions so that information overload shouldn't overwhelm members who attend.
"Patients can come to the classes or use the quit line (a phone number provided from an independent company), but it's absolutely mandatory that they attend the first class," Staff Sgt. Dennis Wichter, HAWC diet technician, said.
This is because during the first class, an independent provider will discuss prescription options with attendees regarding a medication used to relinquish nicotine addiction.
After the first class, which also covers understanding the tobacco cessation program, "the second class is about mastering the first couple of days after someone stops smoking, including how to handle withdrawals and common things to avoid; the third class is about mastering obstacles; and the fourth class is about incorporating nutrition and fitness in the person's daily routine," Wichter said.
The class - located at the HAWC, Bldg. 999 - can seat approximately 40 people and has an average turnout of 20 people via in class or through the quit line.
However, an average class of 20 people will usually drop down to 10 by the course's end.
"The success rate (of the course) is not very good; 50 percent will drop out," Wichter said.
But this is not due to the course, but rather the difficulty in quitting habits that people have often invested years into.
Chances are likely the tobacco cessation course is not the first opportunity a person has taken to quit smoking, Wichter said.
"Smoking can be one of the hardest habits to break and people will need help," he said.
Tobacco cessation doesn't necessarily focus on what people already know about nicotine smoking: that it's addictive and a health risk.
The course focuses on the overall lifestyle of the patient instead.
"What we're gearing toward is having a healthier lifestyle and that by quitting smoking, you're decreasing your chance of having comorbidity diseases (two or more coexisting medical conditions in addition to the primary diagnosis) like heart attacks and strokes from lung cancer," Schlemper said.
Nutrition and fitness are central to the course because people who quit smoking tend to experience a 4- to 10-pound weight increase, Schlemper said.
One pack of cigarettes burns about 200 calories because of nicotine's effect on one's metabolism.
As to why the weight gain happens?
"Snacking," Wichter answered. "People need to keep their hands and mouths busy so they go for snacks. If they go overboard with snacking, especially with unhealthy snacks, that's where a lot of weight gain occurs. And that goes for healthy snacks as well. Too much of anything can have negative results."
After the first class of tobacco cessation passes on the first Tuesday of the month, the second class happens on the first Thursday of the month, while the last two classes take place the following Tuesdays, one week apart.
Call the HAWC at 652-2300 to sign up and for more information.