Stop Smoking Support: The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need

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.

Luckily, not only am I now a non–smoker (I indulged in a twenty-a-day Marlboro habit for years but have been a non-smoker for over ten years now), but I’m also a fully qualified therapist, specialising in anxiety and habit change. So I feel that I can confidently 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, ie. a Non-Smoker?

Yes?

You are not alone in this.

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.

There is a lot of support for people who want to stop smoking out there but what works and what is best for you?

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.

To help you become a happy, confident non-smoker you need reliable information about the types of support available and what is the best one for you.

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.
• 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.

This 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 that you can use their gum up to 24 times a day but at that rate, (a new packet of 100 gums every 4 or 5 days) the cost to you would be 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? As said, 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. Though 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 government’s Health Matters site highlights clear evidence that local stop-smoking services are highly effective, especially when combined with prescribed medication. Using #3 success rates, it shows that this combination can lead to a success rate of up to 48% after one year, compared to a much lower 9-15% success rate without medication.

These services provide strategies to manage the psychological aspects of smoking, including how to handle withdrawal symptoms. A good local service can be invaluable, but you’ll need to fit into the system, get a referral, and stay committed to attending appointments. It’s a great option if you have the time and can tolerate the medication.

#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.

As a Clinical Hypnotherapist in London, I often worked with clients in two-hour sessions to help them stop smoking, providing them with a recording to take home. Even back then, the fee was around £350. Outside of London, I had more time to work with clients, and it became clear that the most effective treatments involved thorough planning. This included exploring their motivations to smoke and quit, addressing limiting beliefs and habits that kept them stuck in the smoking habit cycle

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 this relevant? While I aim to be impartial in this article, I have a vested interest in hypnosis, and for good reason—it works. Any stop-smoking support should prioritise the individual’s best interest. It needs to be effective and accessible. Always consult your doctor about quitting, and if you choose, use hypnosis as a supportive tool 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.kickahabit.life, an online provider transforming lives through self-empowerment, training, hypnosis and support to help thousands feel better fast every day.

*https://kickahabit.life/stop-smoking-with-confidence-course-options/*

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

www.healthline.com

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