Provision of social support as part of treatment
Intra-treatment social support
Encourage your patients in their quit attempts. Let them know that:
- Effective tobacco dependence treatments are now available.
- Half of all the people who have ever smoked have now quit.
Communicate your belief in your patient's ability to quit.
- Ask how your patient feels about quitting.
- Directly express concern and willingness to help.
- Be open to expressions of fears of quitting, difficulties experienced and ambivalent feelings.
Encourage your patient to talk about the quitting process. Ask about the:
- Reasons the patient wants to quit.
- Concerns or worries about quitting.
- Success the patient has achieved.
- Difficulties encountered while quitting.
Extra-treatment social support: Help in securing social support outside of treatment
Train your patient to ask for support from family, friends, and co-workers.
- Help patients to identify others who will be supportive.
- Prompt support seeking:
- Call patients to remind them to seek support.
- Assign patients to be "buddies" for one another.
- Inform patients of resources such as QuitlineNC.
- Aid your patients in establishing a smoke-free home.