Treatment to quit smoking

Smoking is a form of drug addiction. This is because nicotine , like other drugs , produces both physical and psychological dependence .

Health professionals have as their mission to advise patients about the various risk factors that affect their health, even when they are not directly related to the reason for the consultation. Therefore, recommend a patient to stop smoking should not be seen as an interference in your life but quite the opposite. Omitting advice about risks to your health is a gross negligence.

In the Tobacco Unit of the Clínica Galiana a personalized therapy has been designed to stop smoking. In addition, it is established as a commitment that the treatment is not more costly to the patient than his own addiction .

As a first step, a preliminary study of the patient's medical history related to their tobacco use is made. Then follow-up studies are carried out to establish what is the most appropriate treatment and questionnaires are also used to establish their degree of motivation and dependence. Once all the necessary examinations have been completed, a personalized pharmacological treatment is established, which consists of establishing a nicotine replacement therapy, the use of tricyclic antidepressants or a combination therapy.. This treatment can not last for more than three months.

At Clínica Galiana we place special emphasis on the motivation of our patients when quitting smoking. For this reason at the same time that the patient receives pharmacological treatment is also valued by a psychologist , with the aim that you feel supported in your attempt to overcome the addiction. The main function of health personnel is, in addition to treating all those complications derived from smoking, to ensure the effectiveness of the therapy, as it is essential to remind the patient not to smoke and also take the medication .

The direct relationship between smoking and social relationships is a serious difficulty for those who want to quit. For this reason it is important to remind the patient that it is not worth going back, since relapses are common. We can only consider "ex-smoker" who has not smoked for more than a year. It has been determined that 7 out of 10 ex-smokers never smoke again.

Smoking is primarily a consumption , although secondarily it ends up being an addiction. As consumption, it carries a lot of repercussions that go beyond the health field. This makes it necessary for health professionals to contribute their knowledge to raise public awareness about the seriousness of smoking, carrying out social work.