Scientific Research
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Excerpts of a comparative review by Oxford University, of the effectiveness of traditional hypnosis, our advanced method of hypnosis, and other interventions used for the cessation of smoking
Our organization began our comprehensive study of hypnotherapy as a means for Smoking Cessation in the 1990"s. The work is ongoing even today and is just one of the defining advantages of this Program. The research led us to refine the methodology to drive the success percentage to on average 95%. This success rate has allowed our practitioners to offer our clients an amazing lifetime guarantee without adversely affecting session time with new clients.
This paper presents some of the findings from a study looking at all methods of smoking cessation, including standard hypnotherapy techniques.
High quit rates for hypnosis compared to other methods
by Michael O' Driscoll B.Sc., M.Sc. (Oxon)
A larger meta-analysis of research into hypnosis to aid smoking cessation (Chockalingam and Schmidt 1992) (48 studies, 6,020 subjects) found that the average quit rate for those using hypnosis was 36%, making hypnosis the most effective method found in this review with the exception of a programme which encouraged pulmonary and cardiac patients to quit smoking using advice from their doctor (such subjects are obviously atypical as they have life-threatening illnesses which are aggravated by smoking and therefore these people have very strong incentives to quit).
Table 1. Effectiveness of different types of intervention to achieve smoking cessation adapted from data in Chockalingam and Schmidt (1992)
|
Type of intervention |
% who quit smoking |
no. of subjects |
no. of trials |
| Advice (cardiac patients) | 42 | 4553 | 34 |
| (Traditional) Hypnosis | 36 | 6020 | 48 |
| Miscellaneous | 35 | 1400 | 10 |
| Advice (pulmonary patients) | 34 | 1661 | 17 |
| Smoke aversion | 31 | 2557 | 103 |
| Group withdrawal clinics | 30 | 11580 | 46 |
| Acupuncture | 30 | 2992 | 19 |
| instructional methods in workplace | 30 | 976 | 13 |
| Other aversive techniques | 27 | 3926 | 178 |
| 5 day plans | 26 | 728 | 25 |
| Aversive methods in | 25 | 1041 | 26 |
| Educational (health promotion initiatives) | 24 | 3352 | 27 |
| Medication | 18 | 6810 | 29 |
| Physician interventions (more than advice) | 18 | 3486 | 16 |
| Nicotine chewing gum | 16 | 4866 | 40 |
| Self-care (self-help) | 15 | 3585 | 24 |
| Physician advice | 7 | 7190 | 17 |
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Cigarettes cause more than one in five American deaths. |
Smoking related-diseases kill one in 10 adults globally, or cause four million deaths. By 2030, if current trends continue, smoking will kill one in six people. |
Law and Tang (1995) looked at 10 randomized trials, carried out between 1975 and 1988, of hypnosis in smoking cessation. They found that the effect of hypnosis was highly statistically significant1. The research they examined involved 646 subjects and cessation rates at 6 months post-treatment ranged from 10% to 38% (the average figure was 24%).
Table 2. Effectiveness of different types of intervention to achieve smoking cessation (adapted from data in Law and Tang 1995)
|
Type of intervention |
% who quit smoking |
no. of subjects |
no. of trials |
| Supportive group session (heart attack survivors) | 36 | 223 | 1 |
| (Traditional) Hypnosis | 24 | 646 | 10 |
| Supportive group session (healthy men in high risk for heart attack group) | 21 | 13205 | 4 |
| Nicotine patch (self-referral) | 13 | 2020 | 10 |
| Nicotine gum (self-referral) | 11 | 3460 | 13 |
| Supportive group session (in pregnancy) | 8 | 4738 | 10 |
| Advice from GP (additional sessions) | 5 | 6466 | 10 |
| Gradual reduction in smoking | 5 | 630 | 8 |
| Nicotine patch (GP initiated treatment) | 4 | 2597 | 4 |
| Nicotine gum (GP initiated treatment) | 3 | 7146 | 15 |
| Acupuncture | 3 | 2759 | 8 |
| Advice from GP (one-off) | 2 | 14438 | 17 |
| Supportive group session | 2 | 2059 | 8 |
Table 2 (above) shows that the meta-analysis of Law and Tang confirms, to a large extent, the meta-analysis of Chockalingam and Schmidt (1992); in both cases hypnosis appears as the most effective form of intervention to achieve smoking cessation with the exception of groups who are highly motivated to quit for medical reasons, such as those with existing heart or pulmonary problems.
***Advanced Hypnosis Technique Study (2000)***
This research was carried out on 300 subjects (Beginning in January 2000 and continuing until March 2002) who responded to an advertisement. A blind trial technique was used. 51% of respondents were male and 49% were female; the median age of a subjects was 44 years.
No respondents had previous experience of hypnosis - 51% of subject had tried nicotine patches, 14% had tried nicotine gum, 7% had tried acupuncture, 6% had tried using a nicotine inhaler, and 30% had previously tried to quit using will power alone. 11% of subjects had not previously tried to quit smoking.
*Findings* Read this part!
Quit rates were established through telephone interviews 1 month and 6 months after the first session of treatment.
After 1 session 95% of those who received advanced therapy had quit smoking. The remaining 5% received a second session of treatment leading to a further 1.3% of the group quitting smoking.
*Conclusions*
As the evidence which has been presented demonstrates, hypnosis would seem to be one of the most effective methods in aiding smoking cessation (and arguably the most effective). The study carried out by Stop smoking in one hourTM achieved quit rates very close to 100%...
Download the full research study (PDF)
High quit rates for hypnosis compared to other methods by Michael O' Driscoll B.Sc., M.Sc. (Oxon)
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