Hypnotherapy Proves More Effective than Nicotine Replacement Therapy for Smoking Cessation

A young lady breaking a cigarette in two symbolises a new beginning.

Medications like nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) are well‑known for helping people quit smoking. But because many smokers relapse or experience side effects, interest in hypnotherapy has grown. This study set out to compare three approaches for smokers hospitalized with heart or lung disease:

• NRT alone

• Hypnotherapy alone

• Hypnotherapy combined with NRT

A fourth group of patients who refused treatment served as a comparison group (“self‑quit”).

The goal was to see which method helped people stay smoke‑free after leaving the hospital.

Methods

The study took place at a single medical center. A total of 164 hospitalized smokers were enrolled. Of these:

• 41 received 30 days of NRT

• 39 received a single 90‑minute hypnotherapy session

• 37 received both hypnotherapy and NRT

• 35 refused treatment and became the self‑quit group

Researchers measured smoking abstinence at 12 weeks and 26 weeks after hospitalization. They used both self‑reports and biochemical tests to confirm whether patients had truly quit.

Results

Hypnotherapy vs. NRT

Patients who received hypnotherapy alone were more likely to be smoke‑free than those who received NRT alone:

• At 12 weeks:

• Hypnotherapy: 43.9%

• NRT: 28.2%

• At 26 weeks:

• Hypnotherapy: 36.6%

• NRT: 18.0%

Although these differences did not reach traditional statistical significance, the trend strongly favored hypnotherapy.

Beautiful beach with blue green water.

Hypnotherapy + NRT

The group that received both hypnotherapy and NRT had quit rates similar to the hypnotherapy‑only group.

Self‑Quit Group

By 26 weeks, quit rates in the self‑quit group were not significantly different from any of the treatment groups—likely because many participants across all groups relapsed or were lost to follow‑up.

Adjusted Analysis

When researchers accounted for patient characteristics (such as diagnosis and demographics), they found:

• Hypnotherapy alone made patients 3.6 times more likely to be abstinent at 26 weeks than NRT alone.

• Hypnotherapy + NRT made patients 3.2 times more likely to be abstinent than NRT alone.

Both results were statistically significant.

Conclusion

For smokers hospitalized with heart or lung disease, hypnotherapy was more effective than nicotine replacement therapy in helping them quit smoking after discharge. Dori Strait, of Tranceformation Hypnotherapy, has 25 years of experience helping clients quit smoking. Call Dori at 941.324.6095 today to discover how hypnotherapy can benefit you!

References

• M.A. Chandler et al. Smoking cessation. Chest (2010)

• M.V. Burke et al. Treatment of nicotine dependence. Mayo Clin Proc (2008)

• S.W. Rabkin et al. A randomized trial comparing smoking cessation programs utilizing behavior modification, health education or hypnosis. Addict Behav (1984)

• M. Tahiri et al. Alternative smoking cessation aids: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Med (2012)

• Center for Disease Control Prevention (CDC). Cigarette smoking among adults: United States, 2007. MMWR (2008)

• A.N. Mokdad et al. Actual causes of death in the United States. JAMA (2000)

• Smoking-attributable mortality, years of potential life lost and productivity losses: United States, 2000–2004. MMWR (2008)

• Department of Health and Human Services. The health benefits of smoking cessation: a report of the Surgeon General (1990)

• M.C. Fiore et al. Treating tobacco use and dependence: 2008 update. Clinical Practice Guideline (2008)

• M.C. Fiore et al. Treating smokers in the health field setting. N Engl J Med (2011)