Smoking Cessation Programs
You Can Quit Smoking
You are not alone in your desire to stop smoking. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 70% of smokers want to quit. Most people can quit for a day or two, maybe even a few months – but habits, urges, withdrawal symptoms, smoking triggers, addictive thoughts, emotions and stressful situations can all lead to relapse. UnityPoint Health - Meriter highly successful programs can provide you with the skills necessary for overcoming these challenges.
UnityPoint Health - Meriter offers two groundbreaking smoking interventions to help you quit for good.
About Mindfulness Training for Smokers (MTS)
Mindfulness Training for Smokers (MTS) is one of the most successful smoking cessation programs available – anywhere. In fact, participants are three times more likely to quit successfully with MTS than with medication alone and ten times more likely than by quitting "cold turkey."
"Mindfulness Training for Smokers, or MTS, was developed and tested with National Institutes of Health funding by nationally known researchers as an experiment in high impact smoking cessation. MTS integrates almost every evidence-based therapy available to create a program specifically designed to treat long-term, serious smoking addiction. The results of MTS for the toughest cases in our community—the people we care so much about—have been outstanding."
-James Davis, M.D., MTS Creator and Researcher
Quit Smoking Option 1: Mindfulness Training for Smokers (MTS)
MTS is a seven-week program designed for smokers who have tried to quit and relapsed. MTS combines medications, weekly meetings and training in mindfulness, a powerful tool for managing cravings, withdrawal symptoms, smoking triggers and stress—all of which are circumstances that can lead to relapse.
Your quit day is several weeks into the program. Our MTS program will provide you with all the skills necessary for you to be ready for it. In fact, many participants report that they feel confident and even excited leading up to their quit day.
After completing the 7-week program, you can receive ongoing community support; you are welcome to drop-in to a MTS group meeting at any time at no cost.
MTS is a good option if you:
- Have previously tried to quit but relapsed
- Have smoked for more than 20 years
- Have depression, anxiety or high stress
View the MTS Schedule
Quit Smoking Option 2: The Meriter Quit Line
The UnityPoint Health - Meriter Quit Line combines medication with smoking cessation counseling over the phone, although it is not as effective as Mindfulness Training for Smokers.
The Quit Line is a good option if you:
- Have low-level addiction
- Have never tried to quit smoking before
- Are unable to attend the weekly MTS meetings at UnityPoint Health - Meriter
Why You Should Quit Smoking with MTS
You can quit for good. A majority of smokers don't believe they can quit. Success rates in the MTS program are 10 times higher than trying to quit "cold turkey."
Smoking is killing you. Smoking harms nearly every part of your body. Sadly, more than 50% of current smokers will die from smoking. If you are a smoker, it is already killing you.
You can't afford NOT to quit. Aside from the toll it takes on your health, smoking is a pricey addiction. If you smoke 1 pack per day, you spend approximately $180 per month on cigarettes. That's almost $2,200 each year.
Learn more about why you should quit with this NBC15 interview with DaRae Coughlin, Smoking Cessation nurse practitioner.
Insurance
Mindfulness Training for Smokers is one of the most affordable programs available to help you quit smoking. Many health insurances cover smoking cessation at UnityPoint Health - Meriter and the program may be completely or partially covered by your insurance. As each insurance varies, please check with your provider.
If you are a member of Physicians Plus, your program fees will be 100% covered.
(608) 417-QUIT (7848)
When you are ready to quit, our smoking cessation coordinator will help you decide which program is best for you. Call (608) 417-QUIT (7848) for more information.
Mindfulness Training for Smokers provided me with all of the tools I needed to quit smoking. I continue to use mindfulness to improve other areas of my life; thanks to MTS, I know I can do anything. If you use all the tools provided by MTS (group sessions, meditation, book lessons, DVD lessons, patches and other medications) I know you will be successful too. I am so thankful for what the program has given me!
-Becky, 44
"This class helped me to understand my smoking addiction. Many stop-smoking programs deal with just the physical addiction, but this class also addresses the psychological addiction. Often, people find the most difficult part of quitting is feeling like they're giving up their best friend. I was originally unsure about becoming part of a group, but the group setting truly served as a tool to help me succeed. Through the strategies taught in the meetings, I was able to gain control over my choice of whether or not to smoke. I applaud UnityPoint Health - Meriter for making this class available. Receiving the help needed to quit is invaluable. priceless."
-Barbara, 60