Smoking cigarettes is a hard habit to break. Many people try to quit smoking for many years without any success. “It is the hardest thing I have ever done, but it was worth it,” says Naomi Hanauer, 35, the Field Supervisor for UNM's Bus Services. She has worked at UNM for two years and is pursuing a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree.
Naomi quit smoking about a year and a half ago after undergoing major surgery.
Smoking cigarettes is a hard habit to break. Many people try to quit smoking for many years without any success. “It is the hardest thing I have ever done, but it was worth it,” says Naomi Hanauer, 35, the Field Supervisor for UNM's Bus Services. She has worked at UNM for two years and is pursuing a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree.
Naomi quit smoking about a year and a half ago after undergoing major surgery. She smoked cigarettes since she was sixteen years old and decided to quit so that her medications would work correctly since smoking affects the way certain medications work. She tried quitting several times before, but was unsuccessful. Naomi believes it is harder to quit smoking than it is to quit doing most drugs, mainly because it is legal yet still highly addictive. After her fifth time quitting, Naomi finally succeeded. Now urges to “light up” only come once in a while during times of high stress.
Naomi had a love/hate relationship with smoking. While she hated smelling like an ashtray and having an awful taste in her mouth 24/7, she did miss the social act of going on smoking breaks with family, friends, and co-workers. One step that Naomi took to help her quit smoking was staying indoors when everyone went out to smoke. She also sought out one-on-one counseling with Rhonda Miranda, EHP's Health Education Consultant, who runs a smoking cessation program on campus.
Naomi quit for many reasons, including her own health and the health of her kids. Now she keeps herself busy with other activities. Naomi has begun exercising more regularly and is beginning to take Tai Chi. When she gets cravings now, she will eat sunflower seeds to occupy her hands and mouth. She believes that everyone who wants to quit smoking should not let slip-ups negatively impact their plans to quit. It is a long, hard journey and slip-ups will happen to everyone. It's important to focus on the rewards that come with quitting: better health, a longer life, and more money in your pocket.
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