By Caroline Anderson MSc Psych DATE, Read Time 13.8 minutes
Creator of Kick A Habit®
Note From Caroline:
Most smokers who want to stop smoking, grasp at any support available to them that they hope might help. This is a HUGE problem.
Why? Because, if the support that you grasp doesn’t really meet your personal needs then it isn’t much of a support, and you're on your own again, fighting your demon, you really can benefit from knowing what support works.
Luckily, not only am I now a non–smoker for decades after indulging in a twenty-a-day Marlboro habit for years, but I’m also a fully qualified therapist, specialising in anxiety and habit change who can give you the lowdown on what forms of support really work to help you as a smoker Kick A Habit and become a Non-Smoker.
Stop Smoking Support That Works
Have you ever ‘tried’ to stop smoking previously, maybe cut down for a while or even stopped before returning to the solace of cigarettes preferring to suffer the the regrets and shame of failure than the edginess of trying to be someone you’ve forgotten how to be, a Non-Smoker?
Yes?
You are not the only one.
Any ex-smoker will tell you that trying to stop smoking is one thing. Making sure that you stay stopped, permanently, and feel good about it, well that’s something else.
Luckily there is some support out there, you are not alone. There are patches and gum to help with perceived withdrawal symptoms. There are alternative habits, such as vaping, there is a chat with your local health provider and informative leaflets about the dangers of smoking aiming to scare you into stopping. Stop-smoking support groups are promoting CBT approaches and there is hypnosis that, well executed, can work wonders. There is also willpower, the drive and persistence that upholds a good decision.
There is a lot of support for people who want to stop smoking out there but what works and what is best for you?
To help you become a happy, confident non-smoker you need reliable information about the types of support available and who they are best suited to, let us look here at that. In this article, I will:
- Show you five types of support that some people swear by.
- Explain why they work and what draws some people to them.
- Give you the lowdown on the success rates as officially reported.
- Explain the pitfalls of each type of stop-smoking support.
- Offer some real-life examples of smoker's journeys to non-smoking.
- Some final thoughts.
The Five Types Of Support
#1 On your own
#2 Over the counter Nicotine replacements
#3 Prescribed Medication
#4 Local Stop Smoking Services
#5 Using Hypnosis
Final Thoughts
Go Straight to Stop Smoking With Caroline Training
References
#1 On Your Own 5% Success Rate, 95% Failure Rate ↓
Why did I pick on your own to start with? Well because for most smokers that is exactly where they are in terms of support and the truth is that it can be done. The journey begins with making a decision and then sticking with it. The headline success and failure rates above are derived from over 25 years of research at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. The question is, are you one of the 5%? This range of statistics is backed up by the American Lung Association who suggest only ‘ 4 to 7 percent that try to quit cold turkey are successful long term’. The UK Public Health England government site says that using willpower alone is the least effective method to successfully become and remain a non-smoker.
#2 Over The Counter Nicotine Replacements ↓
7 -10 % Success Rate, 90 to 93% Failure Rate ( source, gov.UK Public Health)
19.4 % Success Rate using Nicotine patch, 80.1% Failure rate at 12 weeks,
11.7% Success Rate using Placebo Patch (source, Imperial Cancer Research fund)
Interesting isn’t it how the use of statistics can mean that such products are often advertised as being up to twice as effective as going cold turkey whilst forgetting to mention that they do not help more than 80% of smokers, stop smoking permanently? On the plus side, they are easily available in local pharmacies and for people who are fearful of experiencing nicotine withdrawal symptoms, they may provide a form of relief. Unfortunately, there are adverse reactions which make some people unable to use nicotine patches or gum. These include
( Source, healthline.com)
- Skin reaction ( Patches)
- Nausea
- Headache
- Vivid dreams
- Insomnia
- Aching muscles
- Mild allergic reactions (rare)
Some sources suggest an 8-week duration of patch use whilst others suggest that 24 weeks use is more effective. A month's supply of branded nicotine patches is around $20 or £20 so that would come in at an investment of $£40 to $£120 with at least an 80% failure rate.
Nicorette gum advertises using up to 24 times a day is acceptable, at that rate, a new packet of 100 gums every 4 or 5 days at a cost of over $£300 for 8 weeks use or $£900 for 24 weeks! There are various other withdrawal management products but all have the same two real issues.
What is the real problem with Nicotine replacements? It is two-fold, they don’t address the psychological connection you have to cigarettes, your desire to smoke.
And then of course your physical connection to nicotine remains, leaving you wanting more nicotine in one form or another. – often another cigarette.
#3 Prescribed Medication →
Varenicline 44% Successful Abstinence after 4 weeks, at 12 months 23%. Failure 56% - 77%
Bupropion 30% Successful Abstinence after 4 weeks, at 12 months 16%. Failure 70% - 84%
Prescription tablets Varenicline and Bupropion are the two most popular prescribed medications and are more effective according to trials than over-the-counter products. The failure rate is still high up to 84%. The side effects are similar to those listed above in over-the-counter nicotine replacements with Nausea being the most common irritant and for some, the reason for not continuing the treatment. The prescribed medication is normally offered as part of a more complex program of support from a health provider.
The problem remains the same with medication. The psychological aspect of a smoking habit is left unattended to, hence the stop smoking service requirement.
#4 Local Stop Smoking Services ↑
9 to 15 % Success rate, 85% - 91% Failure Rate ( source, gov.UK Public Health, graphic suggests 3 x more effective than willpower alone or with over-the-counter medication alone)
The UK govt Health Matters site suggests that there is clear evidence that local stop-smoking services are effective, especially if combined with prescribed medication. Admittedly if we use the #3 success rates it could suggest that the success rate is higher for this combination after one year, anything up to 48% effective and only a 52% failure rate but without the medication closer to the 9 to 15% success rate. They will offer strategies to deal with the psychological aspects of a smoking habit including managing withdrawal symptoms. A good local service can be worth its weight in gold. You do need to fit into the local structure though, and get your referral sorted out and appointment attendance booked in. If you have time on your hands it is a good option, if you can tolerate the meds.
#5 Using Hypnosis To Stop Smoking ↑
a 2021 study found an 86 % Success Rate -14% failure rate no longer smoked 6 months after experiencing hypnosis. ( source healthline.com)
Wow! That is a high success rate. There is though limited research on the efficacy of hypnosis to help people become non-smokers. Much evidence is anecdotal and from practitioners, some of whom may be prone to emphasising success rates on occasion and yet the enthusiasm of those ex-smokers who have successfully used this route is often unbounded. There are many ways to access hypnosis. In-person or online with a therapist, using an app, accessing an online course of hypnosis, attending an online or in-person event, you can even read books that explain self-hypnosis and how to do it yourself.
The approach to stop smoking hypnosis varies from a single session to many. It depends on the person and the therapist or program being followed. In the States, the price per session may vary from $75 – 125 per hourly session in the UK it is often more than that depending on the quality and experience of the practitioner.
When I stopped smoking all those years ago, I made a quality, overarching decision and thought to myself ‘ What if it is the next cigarette I smoke that kills me?’ and I haven’t smoked since! I think it was the immediacy of the threat that clicked with me. I don’t advocate this method to others though, using a smoking gun is not considered good therapy practice.
I was a Clinical Hypnotherapist in London for some years, often seeing clients for Stop Smoking in a longer 2-hour appointment with a recording to take away with them, the charge even back then was around £350. Outside of London, time was more available and I began to see the most effective patterns of treatment emerge amongst Smoker clients when we spent more time planning their process of stopping, uncovering motivations to both smoke and stop, limiting beliefs and behaviours that supported their sense of stuckness in their smoking habit. From that, I developed treatment plans that evolved into online courses of treatment that include hypnosis and other useful aspects of cognitive behavioural therapy to address motivation, stress and anxiety as drivers of the habit, reviewing misplaced beliefs around smoking, offering a route to a good night's sleep and how to effectively plan to stop as well as accessible hypnosis support for the times after stopping smoking and becoming a non-smoker.
Why is any of that relevant? Well, it shows that whilst I am trying to be impartial in this article I do have a vested interest in the efficacy of hypnosis, for good reason. Support for stopping smoking has to be in the best interest of the individual. Stop smoking support needs to have value and it needs to be accessible. Always take advice from your doctor regarding stopping smoking and use hypnosis if you choose to, as a support to you on your journey.
Final Words of Stop Smoking Support: The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need
Well, those are the options and the success rates vary from 5% to 86%! From going cold turkey to self-medicating, prescribed medication, local health support, to hypnosis, we have the bases covered. My vote is firmly in favour of the hypnosis route.
How about you?
Caroline is the founder of www.StopSmokingwithcaroline.com an online provider transforming lives through self-empowerment, training, hypnosis and support to help thousands feel better fast every day.
Just go to the online training here
Information Sources
Effectiveness of a nicotine patch in helping people stop smoking: results of a randomised trial in general practice. Imperial Cancer Research Fund General Practice Research Group. BMJ. 1993 May 15;306(6888):1304-8. doi: 10.1136/bmj.306.6888.1304. PMID: 8518571; PMCID: PMC1677770.
www.gov.uk Health Matters: Stopping Smoking
APA
Benli, A. R., Erturhan, S., Oruc, M. A., Kalpakci, P., Sunay, D., Demirel, Y. (2017). A comparison of the efficacy of varenicline and bupropion and an evaluation of the effect of the medications in the context of the smoking cessation programme. Tobacco Induced Diseases, 15(February), 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12971-017-0116-0
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