h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I am a non-smoker and have never smoked. However, I did some work on this area several years ago. I spoke to a lot of (successful and unsuccessful) quitters trying to understand the process, what succeeded and what failed and why. My conclusions, with apologies for stating the obvious, were as follows:

1. According to survey data a large proportion of smokers (80%+) claim to want to give up smoking. Their reasons for giving up are varied.

2. Giving up is very difficult because the mental withdrawal from nicotine is extremely challenging (though how difficult varies by individual}. Most, in fact the vast majority of quitting attempts fail.

3. There is no magic bullet, i.e. foolproof route to success.

4. The most important precondition for quitting successfully is not finding the right motivation to quit. Most already have ample motivation, but for a smoker to believe that they can succeed. Most attempts that fail seem to do so because the smoker loses self belief. The difference is between saying "I am going to quit" and "I'm going to try to quit". Triers seem to fail. In the psychological jargon the successful quitter takes control of the process and rejects the idea of playing the role of powerless sufferer.

5. Self-belief will reinforce motivation. This is why quitters who use support systems, like NHS quitting groups and family support, that encourage self belief, are more successful than those who use patches etc. alone or try cold turkey.

6. There are some people who can obtain self belief through understanding their addiction better. Allen Carr explains to the smoker that his or her desire for a cigarette is nothing more than a desire to avoid nicotine withdrawal. There is no "enjoyment" from smoking as such, only a continual need to avoid discomfort. When this particular penny drops some smokers they become angry at being "conned" by smoking for so long and become determined to assert themselves. They take control.

7. The Government's restrictions on smoking have worked because, for some, they have made smoking impractical. The smoker who says to him or herself, "I now can't do this anymore (standing outside in the freezing cold etc.), it just doesn't make sense." is more than halfway to quitting successfully. They have convinced themselves that they have no choice but to quit. Those who carry on in spite of the discomfort and inconvenience just haven't reached that point.

8. Smokers who get the gun put to their heads by the medical profession (in effect the 'quit or die' message), my late mother being a case in point, also believe they have no alternative and will quit successfully. They have to believe.

9. If I were the Government I'd be promoting any message or action that communicates to the smoker not that they should give up (most already want to) but that, if they want to, they can.


Does this chime or is it too simplistic to be of value? In any event, good luck to everyone who is trying to give up.

Sausage