By Smoking cessation is the common term for a purposeful effort to stop smoking cigarettes or any other nicotine-containing products. Cessation programs commonly include some form of medication designed to break or diminish reliance on nicotine, as well as some sort of counseling or therapy designed to modify smoking-related behavior. In an article published in October 2013 in the journal Addiction, researchers from Great Britain’s University of Oxford conducted the first comprehensive assessment of the relative importance of behavioral therapy as a tool in smoking cessation efforts.
Behavioral Therapy in Addiction
Behavioral therapy is a catchall term for a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques designed to bring about beneficial changes in a person’s dysfunctional reactions to stressful events or other unpleasant situations. Addiction specialists commonly use these techniques to break the cycle of behaviors that reinforces the intake of addictive substances. Some forms of behavioral therapy do not require patients/clients to reflect very deeply on the motivations for their dysfunctional actions. However, other forms (including cognitive behavioral therapy) emphasize a conscious understanding of one’s motivations as the main tool in gradually developing new, beneficial behaviors that replace the old, damaging reactions.
The Benefits of Behavioral Therapy for Smoking Cessation
In a study at the University of Oxford, researchers looked at 20 study reviews conducted to determine the effectiveness of the available treatments for smoking cessation. Some of these reviews were entirely new, while others represented updated forms of earlier research efforts. In addition to assessing the benefits of behavioral therapy for addiction, the researchers looked at a range of other treatment factors, including the usefulness of a smoking cessation medication called cystine, the usefulness of cellphone-based technology in smoking cessation efforts, and the effects of improved smoking cessation training for the professional personnel employed by treatment programs.
After completing their analysis of the 20 study reviews, the researchers concluded that behavioral therapy produces unique benefits in smoking cessation programs that medications cannot duplicate. These benefits substantially increase the rate of successful cessation in program participants. The researchers also confirmed earlier research efforts that found that smokers who receive both medication and behavioral therapy quit tobacco use at a higher rate than smokers who only receive medication.
The researchers believe they are the first researchers to confirm the unique use of behavioral therapy as a tool in smoking cessation treatment. They also confirm the usefulness of cystine as a smoking cessation medication, the usefulness of cell phone-based software as a tool for promoting successful smoking cessation, and the benefits of improved smoking cessation-related training for the professionals who staff cessation programs. In addition, the authors confirm that doctors can enhance the effectiveness of smoking cessation efforts with relatively low doses of the medication varenicline. This finding is important because the use of relatively high doses of varenicline has been associated with dangerous patient outcomes such as increases in depression symptoms, increases in mental agitation or hostility, increases in suicidal thought processes, and dysfunctional changes in behavior that may lead to actual suicide attempts.
