A Word About Quitting Success Rates
Before you start using nicotine replacement or sign up for a stop smoking class or program, you may wonder what its success rate is. That's a hard question to answer for many reasons. First, not all programs define success in the same way. Does success mean that a person is not smoking at the end of the program? After 3 months? 6 months? 1 year? Does smoking fewer cigarettes (rather than stopping completely) count as success? If a program you're considering claims a certain success rate, ask for more details on how success is defined and what kind of follow-up is done to confirm the rate.
The truth is, quit smoking programs, like other programs that treat addictions, often have a fairly low success rate. But that does not mean they are not worthwhile or that you should be discouraged. Your own success in quitting is what really counts, and that is under your control.
About 5% to 16% of people are able to quit smoking for at least 6 months without any medicine to help with withdrawal.
Several articles in medical journals have reported that between about 25% and about 33% of smokers who use medicines can remain smoke-free for over 6 months. There is also early evidence that combining some medicines may work better than using them alone.
Behavioral and supportive therapies may increase success rates even further. Check the package insert of any product you are using to see if the manufacturer provides free telephone-based counseling.
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How to Quit
Smokers often say, "Don't tell me why to quit, tell me how." There is no one right way to quit, but there are some key elements in quitting with success. These 4 factors are key:
* making the decision to quit
* setting a quit date and choosing a quit plan
* dealing with withdrawal
* staying quit (maintenance)
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