Why Can't I Stop Smoking?

Many smokers who want to quit will try almost anything to help them. They may try the patches, quitting cold turkey or quit for a few days and then decide it is not worth the trouble. Smoking is a nasty habit that if not stopped, can lead to the individual having cancer or many other serious health issues.

In a recent study done by the National Health Service, they tested to see if promoted service effectiveness or motivation for attending meetings to quit helped smokers quit. The study tested 160 newly smokers using the Stop Smoking Service participants. The study used four groups to test their subjects. The participants were put into standard care, standard care with an effectiveness booklet, standard care with implementation intention, and standard care with the effectiveness booklet and the implementation intention.  The study wanted to measure if these implements helped the individuals quit in a span of 4 weeks. The study found that those individuals given the effectiveness booklet increased their attendance but it had no effect on them quitting. The implementation intention had no effect on their attendance or their success in ceasing smoking.  The study ultimately was not successful in finding ways to help smokers kick their habit. The study had very few limitations. The study included men and women ages 18 to over 65. The study only tested those smokers who had just started smoking though and not those individuals who were very addicted to smoking. The results of those who just started smoking and those who had been smoking for years could have been very different.

Smoking is one of those habits that many people get addicted to but not many offer help to quit. If there were more people and groups to help support those who want to quit, maybe there would be a higher success rate in individuals quitting smoking. Smoking is something that can be stopped!!

Abstract

Matcham, F., McNally, L., Vogt, F. (2014). A pilot randomized controlled trial to increase smoking cessation by maintaining National Health Service Stop Smoking Service attendance. British Journal of Health Psychology, 19(4). http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12078