Methods Of Quitting Smoking (Part 3)

Cold Turkey:

Some people swear by this approach. It’s a no-nonsense, low-cost approach… the “Just Do It” method for quitting smoking. About 85% of smokers who try to quit do it “cold turkey”; however, this strategy has been shown to be far less effective than active approaches like nicotine replacement therapy and behavioral counseling. The problem is that, for most people who quit cold turkey, nothing changes except the smoking. Daily routines are still the same, methods of coping with stress and frustration are still the same, and the body’s dependence on nicotine is still the same. With all these powerful triggers to deal with throughout the day, it’s no surprise why many people relapse within just 3 days after trying to quit cold turkey.

Cutting Back :

Many smokers believe that just cutting back on the number of cigarettes is enough to avoid the dangerous health problems associated with smoking. It just doesn't work that way. There is NO safe level of smoking. Over time, most people go back to smoking their regular amount anyway. Cutting back is not an effective or recommended approach to quitting smoking.

Alternative Therapies :

Even though alternative therapies like acupuncture, hypnosis, and herbal remedies are more readily available and have gained some recent popularity, their effectiveness is still unproven in clinical studies. The Surgeon General’s Guidelines of June 2001 did not recommend any of the following approaches as effective ways to quit smoking. Any effect that these therapies produce is most likely due to positive expectations… in other words, belief in the value of the treatment.