Hypnosis/Hypnotherapy For Stop Smoking Sees Strong Positive Results

A new study shows that hospitalized patients who smoke may be more likely to stop smoking through hypnosis/hypnotherapy than patients using other smoking cessation methods.

It was noted that smoking patients who participated in one hypnosis/hypnotherapy session were more likely to be nonsmokers at six months compared with patients who quit “cold turkey” or used nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) alone. Patients admitted to the hospital with a cardiac diagnosis were shown to be three times more likely to quit smoking at six months than those patients admitted with a pulmonary diagnosis.

"Hypnotherapy (aka. hypnosis) appears to be quite effective and a good modality to incorporate into a smoking cessation program after hospital discharge,” said Faysal Hasan, MD, FCCP, North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA. “Our results,” she added, “showed that hypnotherapy resulted in higher quit rates compared with NRT alone.”

The quit rates of 67 smoking patients hospitalized with a cardiopulmonary diagnosis were compared by Dr. Hasan and colleagues from North Shore Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital. compared. All patients expressed a desire to quit smoking and were approached about smoking cessation.

At discharge, patients were divided into four groups based on their preferred method of smoking cessation treatment: hypnosis/hypnotherapy (n=14), NRT (n=19), NRT and hypnosis/hypnotherapy (n=18), and a group of controls who preferred to quit "cold turkey" (n=16).

All patients received self-help brochures. The control group received brief counseling, but other groups received intensive counseling, free supply of NRT and/or a free hypnosis/hypnotherapy session within seven days of discharge, as well as follow up telephone calls at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 26 weeks after discharge. Those receiving hypnosis/hypnotherapy were given tapes to play at the end of the session for their own self-hypnosis treatment.

At 26 weeks after discharge, 50 percent of patients treated with hypnosis/hypnotherapy alone were nonsmokers, compared with 50 percent in the NRT/hypnosis/hypnotherapy group, 25 percent in the control group, and 15.78 percent in the NRT group. Patients admitted with a cardiac diagnosis were more likely to quit smoking at 26 weeks (45.5 percent) than patients admitted with a pulmonary diagnosis (15.63 percent).

"Patients admitted with coronary symptoms may have experienced 'fear and doom' and decided to alter a major health risk to their disease when approached about smoking cessation," said Dr. Hasan. "In contrast, pulmonary patients admitted for another exacerbation may not have felt the same threat. They likely felt they can live for another day and continue the smoking habit."

The researchers note that hospitalization is an important opportunity to intervene among patients who smoke. "Doctors and other health personnel should use this occasion to firmly recommend smoking cessation and emphasize the impact of smoking on their disease process and hospital admission," said Dr. Hasan. "Pulmonologists, in particular, should make a stronger case and more passionate message to their patients, and efforts should be coordinated with counseling."

Alvin V. Thomas, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians stated that "As physicians, we are constantly reviewing new approaches for smoking cessation and revisiting existing approaches to confirm their effectiveness,” and added, “The results of this study and many others confirm that using a multimodality approach to smoking cessation is optimal for success."
 
If you are interested in stopping smoking using hypnosis contact Dr. Robert at 201-728-4831 or click on the links below.

Dr. Robert's hypnosis program to stop smoking. You will be taken to another website for Dr. Robert's stop smoking service.

Many products can help you stop smoking...

Robert Galarowicz ND
Stop Smoking Hypnosis
Paramus, New Jersey (NJ)
Passaic County Bergen County
201-728-4831

Source: ScienceDaily (Oct. 22, 2007)