Are Smoking Cessation Self-help Programs Effective?
Today, smoking is the first cause of death that we can completely eradicate. The damage this harmful habit causes to health is widely known. However, although there are proven procedures to eliminate this habit, the percentage of smokers who benefit from it is small. For this reason, self-help programs for smoking cessation are considered an interesting alternative.
These types of self-administered procedures are available to address various aspects of health and personal development. However, due to the lack of rigor of many of them, self-help came to be considered ineffective.
The reality is that, when it is based on empirically validated clinical programs, it can achieve very positive results. This is the case for those who engage in smoking.
What are self-help programs to stop smoking?
Self-help to quit smoking basically consists of self-administered protocols based on proven clinical programs. That is, they are the adaptation of treatments and techniques that have been successfully used in conventional intensive care. However, in this case, they can be applied by the patient himself.
What are the advantages?
Smoking cessation self-help programs emerged from the need to reach a broader segment of the smoking population. Clinical resources are not able to cover all people who maintain this habit. Therefore, self-help makes it easier to reach a greater number of people and at a much lower cost.
Also, many people who want to quit smoking prefer to avoid personal contact with a therapist. Thus, this type of program allows each individual to follow their own pace, without having to travel or meet face to face with the professional.
What are the disadvantages?
This alternative also has several disadvantages. First of all, it is necessary that the person has a great motivation to achieve the goal. This is because you will basically become your own therapist, going through the process yourself.
On the other hand, as they are general protocols, not all individuals will feel equally identified with them. There is no degree of personalization or intensive treatment, which can reduce many people’s motivation to continue.
Types of self-help programs for smoking cessation
There are different alternatives included under self-help to stop smoking. The common element is written materials that guide the person through a series of techniques and exercises to help break this habit.
These manuals often contain the “step by step” that the individual must follow to reach the goal. However, there are some variations:
- Some programs only consist of self-application of the manual, without maintaining any contact with the therapist. On the other hand, there are alternatives in which the professional contacts the patient by telephone. This can only happen at the beginning or during the application process.
- In some cases, in addition to the step-by-step manual, a bibliography dedicated to informing patients about smoking and increasing their motivation to quit is included. Likewise, materials are provided to prevent relapses.
- There are several attempts to customize self – administered therapy in some way to make it more effective for the individual patient. Thus, we can find several programs aimed at people of different genders, cultures or who are at different times in the process of change.
Are smoking cessation self-help programs effective?
Despite the bad reputation that self-help has in some areas, in relation to smoking, it has been shown to be very effective. Generalizing the protocols so that they can be self-administered saves money, time and personnel costs. So many more people can benefit from these programs.
They are simple, affordable and proven alternatives. However, to be really effective, it is necessary that the patient is motivated and that the program is individualized in some way. Those protocols in which specific telephone contacts are maintained with the therapist achieve higher success rates. In general, they are a very useful therapeutic alternative.
