The same applies to hypnosis as to acupuncture as it is the most important form of suggestive methods. It achieves very good short-term results, but the long-term efficiency could not be proven in good, controlled studies.
The disadvantage of both methods is that they do not provide smokers with any means of coping with crises and temptation situations.
Autogenic training and muscle relaxation training are commonly used as building blocks of smoking cessation treatment, but they are not sufficiently effective on their own.
Behavioral therapies are the most comprehensive, but also the most effective, smoking cessation treatments. They are mostly conducted in groups, but also individually, and consist of three phases: the self-monitoring phase, the acute cessation phase, and a phase for stabilizing the success of cessation and for relapse prevention.
- The self-observation phase aims to make the functions of smoking behavior visible in everyday life. Self-observation, and thus the acquisition of knowledge about the functional relationships of a behavior that previously appeared automated and uncontrollable, enables preparation for difficult situations and thus helps to cope with the acute withdrawal phase as well as with later relapse-critical situations.
- The acute weaning phase is carried out following the self-monitoring phase either via the point-close method (immediate smoking cessation) or via the gradual reduction of cigarette consumption. Gradual cessation is achieved through the formation of partial goals and the use of self-control rules. The phase of support for the acute cessation process involves the establishment of alternative behavior to smoking. This is to find a substitute for smoking and integrate it into everyday life. Furthermore, the success of cessation is to be secured by the use of contracts and rewards in case of success as well as the establishment of social support.
- In the phase of stabilization of the withdrawal success and relapse prophylaxis, the long-term success of the withdrawal should be secured through the identification of relapse-critical situations and the development and testing of coping strategies (in the form of role-playing and by specifically seeking out relapse-critical situations).
Among the medicinal methods, the temporary administration of nicotine (nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, sublingual tablets, inhalers or nasal spray) or the use of the drugs bupropion (Zyban®) and cytisine (Asmoken®), which are approved for smoking cessation, are available. The active principle of drug therapy is the alleviation of withdrawal symptoms and smoking cravings in order to facilitate the cessation process. Nicotine replacement therapy as well as bupropion and cytisine are effective methods. Individual use should be determined by a physician.