Tiara Trotter-Smith proudly celebrates two and a half months of being cigarette-free, attributing her success to determination and support from Agape Recovery’s Respire program.
“I feel healthier in many ways, like the way I breathe, my actions, my movements,” Trotter-Smith said. “It was really, really hard. There were days when I tried to quit, and I had to call [Jerome Burk] and say, you know what, it’s not working today; I’m going to have to have a cigarette. He kind of stayed on my head.”
Jerome Burk, the executive director of Agape Recovery and Trotter-Smith’s mentor, understands the struggles of quitting nicotine, having battled his own addiction.
“I’ve been addicted to nicotine since I was about 13 years old,” Burk said. “I’m 31 now and I quit about 2 years ago.”
Agape Recovery, which Burk founded, actively supports individuals looking to quit smoking through various strategies. Burk emphasized key tactics to help combat cravings: Delay, distract, and drink water…