Helping deployers kick 'butts, cans' Published Jan. 9, 2009 By Senior Airman Clinton Atkins 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs SOUTHWEST ASIA -- According to lungusa.org, "Smoking-related diseases claim an estimated 438,000 American lives each year, including those affected indirectly, such as babies born prematurely due to prenatal maternal smoking and victims of 'secondhand' exposure to tobacco's carcinogens." The 379th Expeditionary Medical Group Mental Health Clinic here offers a smoking cessation class to prevent servicemembers from becoming another statistic. "What we try to do is to replace the automatic response of reaching for a cigarette in any situation with the techniques that we teach like debreathing, muscle relaxation and exercising," said Master Sgt. Fernando Richards Jr., 379 EMDG Mental Health noncommissioned officer in charge. "We try to engrain that into their brains over the course of the program." The smoking cessation program requires servicemembers to attend one day per week for four week. Mental Health offers a morning class from 8 to 9 a.m. Classes for this month are Jan. 6, 13, 20 and 27. There is also an evening class, which will be held on Jan. 8, 15, 22 and 29 from 5 to 6 p.m. The class may have already begun and the facility's space may be limited, but Sergeant Richards said he will always try to accommodate more people who are dedicated to quit smoking. "Currently, we are holding classes here at the mental health clinic so we can fit about 10 people inside the classroom," he said. "If there are people who are interested in signing up after the class has already started or we have already reach capacity we always try to accommodate them. For the newcomers, I try to get them spun up with one-on-one sessions." The smoking cessation class uses a group support structure to help its participant boot the habit. "More often than not, someone who's trying to quit smoking has a better chance because here they have all of the encouragement, support and resources necessary to accomplish their goals," said the Panama City, Panama, native. "We discuss everything dealing with tobacco cessation together, bounce different ideas off one another. "We encourage the participants to use their Wingman because it helps them to prevent a relapse from occurring," said Sergeant Richards, deployed from Kadena Air Base, Japan. "Those who try to quit by themselves are much more susceptible to pitfalls. That's why I them to try to stay away from the (Memorial Plaza) for the first couple of weeks in the program. A habitual smoker's automatic response is to smoke while they are drinking and hanging around other people who smoke. So until they learn to how to control their addiction, I suggest they stay away from the (Memorial Plaza). Another method to control smoking addiction is nicotine replacement therapy products such as the patch and gum, which committed class participants will receive for free. For those who choose to, Zybane may also be prescribed. "Individuals will either get the patch or gum," he said. "The people who dip usually choose the gum just so they have something in their mouth because they are used to having something in their mouth. "Of course, all of the products and help we offer won't do you any good unless you are truly dedicated to quitting," he said. "You have to be motivated and it can't be forced." Those who come to Mental Health can attribute their motivation to many different sources, but for Senior Airman Wilfredo Padin, 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Expeditionary Theater Distribution Center journeyman, who found success with the program, drew his inspiration from his family. "I was concerned for my own health, but what really motivated me to quit smoking is the fact that my wife is pregnant and I'm about to be a father," said the Buffalo, New York, native. "The Zybane helped some, but the biggest factor was my wife. She would send me pictures of her progression and ultrasound pictures of the baby. "Becoming a father really motivated me to concentrate on quitting," said Airman Padin, deployed from MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. "I've been trying to quit on my own ever since I got here and it wasn't working so finally decided to go to the class. I am now smoke-free for more than a month and I haven't had the urge to smoke for about a couple weeks now. "The class really does help," he said. "If you're having trouble quitting you definitely should go the class."