
- With Mayo Clinic behavioral counselor
Jennifer A. Kern, M.S., C.T.T.S.
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Jennifer A. Kern, M.S., C.T.T.S.
Jennifer A. Kern, M.S., C.T.T.S.
Jennifer Kern is a tobacco treatment specialist, certified through the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center.
Her counseling work addresses various aspects of tobacco addiction, including the love-hate relationship many tobacco users have with their smoking or chewing, education about nicotine addiction, and effective strategies to help with quitting.
In addition, she explores the importance of getting emotional and social support when stopping tobacco use, and offers ideas and suggestions about how to ask for and give this support.
Being bilingual, she enjoys counseling in both Spanish and English. She holds a master's degree in psychology, with interests including spirituality, psychosomatic illness, depression and anxiety, maladaptive coping behaviors, and overall health behavior change.
"As a former smoker, I am personally familiar with the complexity of dealing with the 'tobacco shackles,' " she said. "I am committed to helping others conquer this addiction so they may regain their freedom and possibly even save their own lives."
Latest entries
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Nov. 24, 2009
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Nov. 17, 2009
- Preparation key to quitting smoking
Nov. 5, 2009
- Learning to be a non-smoker
Oct. 23, 2009
- Build confidence in effort to go smoke-free
Oct. 16, 2009
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Get StartedQuit smoking blog
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April 17, 2009
Why do you want to quit tobacco?
By Jennifer A. Kern, M.S., C.T.T.S.
In talking with people like you about becoming smoke-free, everyone seems to have their own motivation to stop using tobacco. The main reason seems to be for health, whether it's facing an immediate illness or wanting to avoid the risks down the road.
Some of you aren't as concerned with your own health as with that of loved ones. For example, pregnancy can be a strong motivator for women to quit smoking. When it comes to family, I hear a lot of parents expressing concern for the example they set for their children, so for them becoming a non-smoker is part of being a good role model. I've even heard some people express concern for their pets' exposure to secondhand smoke.
For others, the incentive is financial. With the rising costs of maintaining a tobacco addiction, coupled with the current economy, many people would rather put their money someplace more useful or rewarding than in their ashtrays.
I'd like to hear more about what's on your mind. What are the things, people or circumstances in your life that make becoming a non-smoker important to you?
21 comments posted
November 17, 2009 7:04 p.m.
Hi, I'm a student at Metro State of Denver. I'm researching a new product possibility; the product would be a "Quit Smoking" aide that offers a stepping down approach. I am a former smoker myself but I'm addicted to Commit lozenges and they contain nicotine. I would still buy them if they had zero mg of nicotine but they don't offer that. I would like to market a product that does. Anyways, I made this survey for my research project and it would really help me if anyone could take it [smokers, former smokers, and non-smokers are all welcome] Thanks so much. -- Casey Here's the link to the survey. http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/206243/r2zgt
- Casey
August 15, 2009 12:36 a.m.
It's been 31 hours since I went cold turkey. Recently I lost my job, was granted unemployment but have no health insurance. Last week I had to go to ER because of ongoing pain in the neck that got worse. My DX is Cervical Osteoarthritis with two cervical vertebrae fusing, and a pinched nerve.This is progressivly degenerative with no reverse. Surgery might help except I have COPD that would require me to be on a Ventilator and No doctor will touch me unless I can breath on my own. Determined to quit, I did some research and found out some things. The addiction factor is NICOTINE. Nicotine works as a mental stimulate at a low dose. And as a sedative at a high dose. Too much Nicotine is toxic and will cause death. A few other key substances that is found in this drug is TAR, which in itself contains hundreds of hazardous and carcinogenic compounds. CARBON MONOXIDE actually squeezes the oxygen out of your red blood cells, significantly reducing the amount of life-giving oxygen that gets to your heart, muscles, and brain. Moderate amounts cause dizziness and nausea, due to lack of oxygen, and large amounts can cause death. HYDROGEN CYANIDE, is one of the most poisonous compounds in cigarette smoke. Modest amounts of this killer cause weakness, headache, nauses, vomiting, breathing difficulty. FORMALDEHYDE and BENZENE, are considered to be probable cancer-causing agents. CIGARETTES are highly toxic and are the main cause of many diseases and deaths that result from being a user.
- Brenda
July 17, 2009 12:18 a.m.
I quit over fifteen years ago, mainly, because I wanted to play the saxaphone. I still haven't learned to play but I sure do feel a lot better!
- mrxsmoker
June 4, 2009 7:21 p.m.
I quit smoking after 47 years of it. I should never have started in the first place. I would like to know if scientist know what effect smoking has on a persons thinking, considering the smoker is not getting the proper amount of oxygen. Doesn't the carbon monoxide from smoking effect the thought process or the thought?
- john wade
June 2, 2009 1:23 p.m.
I quit at 38 in December of 1995. I already knew that smoking was slowly killing me so (over a 2 or 3 year period) I had cut down to less than 10 per day. I developed a cold/flu that was so bad that each puff hurt my lungs. I figured the severe virus already had me spaced out and that quitting smoking couldn't make it any worse. 2 weeks later, my cold was gone and so were the cravings. While I don't have "nic-fits" per se anymore, I know that one puff would addict me again instantly - even after 14 smoke-free years.
- Jimdraft
June 2, 2009 11:34 a.m.
I decided to quit when I was wheezing after climbing a flight of stairs and realized I was not getting a good workout at the gym because of shortness of breath. To top it off, I hated the smell in my car and home and the price of a pack has gone up yet again. I have been smoke free for 62 days now, with the help of Chantix, encouragement from friends and quitnet.com. I have taken the money I would've spent on cigarettes to make payments on a new riding lawn mower...so I CAN'T start smoking again! It sure isn't easy, but I know I can do it. Keep a positive attitude and figure, if others can do it, so can you!
- Shirley
May 29, 2009 12:15 p.m.
I smoked for a little bit, got addicted, quit, and am much happier. Now I'm working for a great campaign with Corporate Accountability International that fights big tobacco. Check it out http://stopcorporateabuse.org/category/siteca
tegories/tobacco because it could help prevent all of the problems that people have from smoking. And most of all, it could help prevent kids - our future - from even having to kick the habit in the first place. Cheers! - Jeremy
May 28, 2009 4:17 a.m.
We Have To Quit Smoking
- adolph
May 28, 2009 2:58 a.m.
Well, I've been smoking for almost 20 years now. I sure had my thoughts to quit, more than once, but I never tried it. Truth is people want *real* motivation to do it, I don't think it's a matter of finding the right technique. I admire with all my heart those people who managed to quit, either gradually or immediately. But I think that deep inside they had a serious incentive to do so, be it the acceptance from their family, the way they valued themselves or just financial reasons.
- Alexander
May 14, 2009 10:09 p.m.
I'm tired of being a slave to a cigarette. Forfeiting good food for a pack of smokes. Rummaging for coins when I'd no money for them. Having a cold and still walking to the store in rain, snow and cold just to get my fix. I'm working on making that behaviour a thing of the past.
- Mark
May 13, 2009 1:18 p.m.
I quit smoking 11 years ago and still want a cigarette. I haven't had one since the day I quit. Experience with trying to quit taught me that one puff and I may as well go out and buy a carton. Once a smoker always a smoker. All the reasons to quit aside, smokers are treated like criminals. Smokers are addicts plain and simple. There just isn't the support system in place to ease back into the nonsmoking world. Now that's criminal.
- Patty
May 12, 2009 6:04 p.m.
I have stopped smoking two times and started smoking again about six months ago and really feel like my chest is very congested all the time now, so it's time to give it up for good.
- Mary
May 12, 2009 5:36 p.m.
I didn't quit, because I, fortunately, never started, thanks to the smokers I met. I have yet to meet a smoker who didn't try at least once to quit the habit. That everyone who smoked wanted to stop it once, but often couldn't, was the strongest motivation for me to never start.
- Peter T
May 12, 2009 2:36 p.m.
Although there are far more urgent issues on the table in the U.S. and around the world at the moment than the Tobacco industry and their millions of smokers, it is still something that should always be taught at an early age and funding should remain for these programs. If the choice is still to smoke, be courteous, don't throw your cigarettes out the window--be clean with your butts, and also try to smoke less. Having a new boyfriend or girlfriend that doesn't smoke will also help!!
- Danielle Watson
May 11, 2009 4:37 a.m.
For whatever reason the person has for quitting to smoke, it is a good reason. Good job for everyone. Way to go. Let us support World No Tobacco Day. On may 31st, we celebrate World No Tobacco Day which has been declared by the World Health Organization. To engage and educate the public about the issues, a free ebook is being given away.Support World No Tobacco Day today! Visit www.TobaccoBook.com for the book's website.
- notobaccocampaign
April 29, 2009 8:57 a.m.
I,m tired of coughing every breath. The cost of cigarettes are killing me and I,m just generally sick of them. The smell on everything, the nicotine stains on my walls, clothes and teeth are bad.
- Donna J
April 29, 2009 12:20 a.m.
I quit for 3 reasons. First my then girlfriend asked me to so that our chnaces of being together longer would be greater. Secondly the state of Tennessee was seeking to increase taxes on cigarettes again! Thridly, I wanted to for myself regardless of the girlfriend whom I lost anyway. Lost her and lost the habit.
- GEORGE
April 22, 2009 1:55 p.m.
My mom and dad lived in the south of Holland when she became pregnant with the child who turned out to be me. The time and place were the summer of `44 Eindhoven, what with the Germans in the back yard and the Allies in the front yard you can immagine the anxiety we all experienced. I wasn`t born yet but I could feel the tension in the air and everytime my mother had a smoke I enjoyed that calm, relaxing feeling that I learned to enjoy. When I left the house of second hand smoke my birtday present was a tobacco pipe along with a lovely pouch of Old Dutch. Ah, those were the days. Now I just have to get back to the office where I keep extra OXYGEN tanks, the signal on my Im Pulse ` èlite ` manufactured by AirSep just told me that the tank is empty. Hate when that happens.
- T.Korvemaker
April 21, 2009 11:07 p.m.
I live in Washington State and the cost of smoking is nut's. If I buy them at a smoke shop (usually cheaper) they now cost $6.85 a pack. You do the math. I quit drinking last year, this year cigarettes. I Hope... Ron
- Ron
April 18, 2009 8:33 a.m.
I can't stand the coughing and shortness of breath. I know it will kill me if I don't quit. I have been smoking for more than 30 years, it stinks! Also my family hates the way I smell and the way it interupts our lives ( I'm going out for a smoke). I do well most of the time but if I go out for a drink I am lost. I really need to work on this.
- Tracy
April 17, 2009 5:52 p.m.
I quit smoking a year ago because I found out I was pregnant. The best thing I ever did, pregnant or not! My daughter is healthy and happy and my hair smells clean all the time!
- m
21 comments posted