Strategies for Successfully Kicking the Smoking Habit - The strategies that effectively aid in smoking cessation?
Quitting Smoking: What Works Best According to Experts
World No Tobacco Day highlighted the challenges and Strategies for quitting smoking. According to German researchers, a combination of nicotine replacement therapy, willpower, and social support proves to be the most promising approach.
The Frankfurt Institute for Addiction Research surveyed nearly 6,200 smokers and former smokers in 2022. When asked about their success in quitting, more than 2,000 participants attributed their achievement to willpower, with social support securing the second spot. Only about 1,000 respondents credited nicotine replacement therapy as the deciding factor.
Determining the motivation for quitting, the study found that an average of about four serious quit attempts were necessary. Usually, a health issue or pregnancy for women served as a turning point. Quitting for family, including children, grandchildren, and partners, was also a common motivation, along with the dislike of bad smells associated with smoking.
Regarding maintaining the quit, setting a quit date and creating favorable conditions, such as a change of scenery during a vacation, is advised. Social support, distractions, and physical activities like walking can help during the initial difficult days marked by withdrawal symptoms. Nicotine replacement products, such as patches and gum, can help gradually reduce nicotine intake and weaken the smoking association with behavior.
Many participants found various alternative activities beneficial, including eating, sports, and doing exercises like push-ups to replace the smoking habit.
One challenge in quitting is replacing shared smoking, especially rituals associated with smoking like smoke breaks and social scenarios involving smokers. Research indicates that behavioral aspects, particularly long-standing habits and triggers, play a significant role in maintaining smoking habits.
According to Marina Hinßen from the Berlin Charité, nearly everyone eventually successfully quits smoking with persistence and positive changes. She highlights that it is more crucial to focus on behavioral approaches than nicotine dependence. Social measures like tobacco bans in public places in countries like Australia can aid in reducing smoking behavior.
The utility of e-cigarettes in quitting smoking remains uncertain. While they may offer a higher success rate compared to tobacco cigarettes, users often continue to use e-cigarettes, perpetuating nicotine dependence. Preliminary studies also indicate potential health implications of e-cigarettes.
Experts advise caution in interpreting the benefits of e-cigarettes, as they still contain harmful substances, strain the cardiovascular system, and pose risks due to inadequately understood substances released during vaporization. Additionally, the environmental impact of vaping is lower compared to traditional cigarettes.
The community policy can emphasize the importance of implementing tobacco bans in public places, following the lead of countries like Australia, to foster a health-and-wellness environment and potentially aid in quitting smoking. Understanding the role of mental-health in quitting smoking, therapies-and-treatments can be incorporated to supplement the traditional methods, such as nicotine replacement therapy and willpower, for a comprehensive approach.
