Before you decide what is the best method to stop smoking, let’s take a look at the
most common reasons given for smoking and then let’s look at the effectiveness of the
methods people utilize to support their desire to quit… AND STAY QUIT!
The Most Common Reasons (Excuses) For Smoking
1. Confidence
2. An excuse for a break (e.g. at work)
3. To celebrate something
4. Relaxation
5. As an end of the day ritual
6. Part of drinking something (typically tea, coffee and alcohol)
7. To accompany meals
8. As part of socializing
9. To avoid Boredom
10. Quiet time to think about things
11. To signal a time for them to have a private chat with someone (usually a spouse)
12. To concentrate on a task
Even if you are not focused on it now, the truth is that all of these things are 10 times
better as a non-smoker and you’ll rediscover that as you become a non-smoker.
Let’s Now Take A Look Where Motivated Smokers Turn To For Support To Quit
And How Effective (Or Ineffective) They Are:
a. Patches and Gum. Only has a 7% success rate. You are less likely to succeed with
these than with pure willpower (Shiffman et alia, May 2002 “Addictions” issue 97 (5)
pp 505-516.) Any study which claims that these have a 40% or similar success rate it
flawed.
Here’s why…They don’t track reality. The people who take part in these studies are
given free patches and gum, are under constant medical supervision and are far too
close the individual. Also they have doctors pressuring them to quit now in a highly-
controlled environment- not real life. So it ends up being a placebo effect.
b. Chantix- shown in clinical studies to have about a 40% success rates but watch out
for some serious potential side effects!! A November 2, 2011 study examined U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports of serious adverse events in users of
approved quit smoking products (Chantix, Zyban and NRT). It concluded:
"The findings for varenicline (Chantix), combined with other problems with its
safety profile, render it unsuitable for first-line use in smoking cessation."
c. Willpower. Willpower has likelihood of between 6 and 11% chance of success.
(Schiffman’s study and the New Scientist article below.)
d. Herbal remedies (Little data)
e. Lozenges (Little data)
f. Nasal sprays (Little data)
g. Herbal cigarettes (Little data)
h. Acupuncture. 24% average, long-term success rate (see New Scientist article
below)
i. Inhalers (Little data)
j. Electronic cigarettes (Little data)
k. Hypnosis. 80% Or Better Effective With Motivated Individuals.
Described by the New Scientist in a meta study as: “the most effective way of giving up
smoking.” (New Scientist, issue 1845, 31October 1992, p6). As the public becomes
aware of how Hypnosis is the most-effective.
Want more clinical study proof?? Just Take A Look!
90.6% Success Rate for Smoking Cessation Using Hypnosis
Of 43 consecutive patients undergoing this treatment protocol, 39 reported remaining
abstinent from tobacco use at follow-up (6 months to 3 years post-treatment). This
represents a 90.6% success rate using hypnosis.
University of Washington School of Medicine, Depts. of Anesthesiology and
Rehabilitation Medicine, Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2001 Jul;49(3):257-66. Barber J.
87% Reported Abstinence From Tobacco Use With Hypnosis
A field study of 93 male and 93 female CMHC outpatients examined the facilitation of
smoking cessation by using hypnosis. At 3-month follow-up, 86% of the men and 87%
of the women reported continued abstinence from the use of tobacco using hypnosis.
Performance by gender in a stop-smoking program combining hypnosis and
aversion. Johnson DL, Karkut RT. Adkar Associates, Inc., Bloomington, Indiana.
Psychol Rep. 1994 Oct;75(2):851-7. PMID: 7862796 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
81% Reported They Had Stopped Smoking After Hypnosis Thirty smokers enrolled
in an HMO were referred by their primary physician for treatment. Twenty-one patients
returned after an initial consultation and received hypnosis for smoking cessation. At the
end of treatment, 81% of those patients reported that they had stopped smoking, and
48% reported abstinence at 12 months post-treatment.
Texas A&M University, System Health Science Center, College of Medicine, College
Station, TX USA. Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2004 Jan;52(1):73-81. Clinical hypnosis for
smoking cessation: preliminary results of a three-session intervention. Elkins GR, Rajab
MH.
Hypnosis Patients Twice As Likely To Remain Smoke-Free After Two Years
Study of 71 smokers showed that after a two-year follow up, patients that quit with
hypnosis were twice as likely to remain smoke-free than those who quit on their own.
Guided health imagery for smoking cessation and long-term abstinence. Wynd, CA.
Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 2005; 37:3, pages 245-250.
Hypnosis More Effective Than Drug Interventions For Smoking Cessation
Group hypnosis sessions, evaluated at a less effective success rate (22% success)
than individualized hypnosis sessions. However, group hypnosis sessions were still
demonstrated here as being more effective than drug interventions.
Ohio State University, College of Nursing, Columbus, OH 43210, USA Descriptive
outcomes of the American Lung Association of Ohio hypnotherapy smoking cessation
program. Ahijevych K, Yerardi R, Nedilsky N.
Hypnosis Most Effective Says Largest Study Ever: 3 Times as Effective as Patch
and 15 Times as Effective as Willpower
Hypnosis is the most effective way of giving up smoking, according to the largest
ever scientific comparison of ways of breaking the habit. A meta-analysis, statistically
combining results of more than 600 studies of 72,000 people from America and Europe
to compare various methods of quitting. On average, hypnosis was over three times as
effective as nicotine replacement methods and 15 times as effective as trying to quit
alone. University of Iowa, Journal of Applied Psychology, How One in Five Give Up
Smoking. October 1992. (Also New Scientist, October 10, 1992).
Hypnosis Over 30 Times as Effective for Weight Loss Investigated the effects of
hypnosis in weight loss for 60 females, at least 20% overweight. Treatment included
group hypnosis with metaphors for ego-strengthening, decision making and motivation,
ideomotor exploration in individual hypnosis, and group hypnosis with maintenance
suggestions. Hypnosis was more effective than a control group: an average of 17
lbs lost by the hypnosis group vs. an average of 0.5 lbs lost by the control group,
on follow-up. Cochrane, Gordon; Friesen, J. (1986). Hypnotherapy in weight loss
treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 489-492.
Two Years Later: Hypnosis Subjects Continued To Lose Significant Weight
109 people completed a behavioral treatment for weight management either with or
without the addition of hypnosis. At the end of the 9-week program, both interventions
resulted in significant weight reduction. At 8-month and 2-year follow-ups, the hypnosis
subjects were found to have continued to lose significant weight, while those in the
behavioral-treatment-only group showed little further change.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (1985)
Hypnosis Subjects Lost More Weight Than 90% of Others and Kept it Off
Researchers analyzed 18 studies comparing a cognitive behavioral therapy such
as relaxation training, guided imagery, self-monitoring, or goal setting with the same
therapy supplemented by hypnosis.
Those who received the hypnosis lost more weight than 90 percent of those not
receiving hypnosis and maintained the weight loss two years after treatment ended.
University of Connecticut, Storrs Allison DB, Faith MS. Hypnosis as an adjunct to
cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy for obesity: a meta-analytic reappraisal. J Consult
Clin Psychol. 1996;64(3):513-516.
People, serious about quitting, are now beginning to turn to the
therapy demonstrated most effective and turn to it first to stop sooner
while avoiding months of potential failure to quit, often at significant
expense. They are turning to hypnosis first.
Are you sick of smoking? Are you extremely committed to stopping
and stopping NOW?