The Results - How these Stop Smoking Methods were Tested

This research was carried out on 300 subjects (beginning in January 2000 and continuing until March 2002)* who responded to an advertisement. A 'blind trial' technique was used - subjects were not aware that they were taking part in a hypnosis research project although they all ticked a box on their intake forms saying that they understood that the hypnotist's methods were always being measured tested and improved, and that results would be collated and studied. Client confidentiality was assured so that their data could be used but not their names, and these subjects were randomly allocated to receive either 'standard' hypnotherapy or a special formulation of hypnotherapy which was termed 'advanced hypnotherapy'. 51% of respondents were male and 49% female; the median age of all subjects was 44 years.

No respondents had previous experience of hypnosis - 51% of subjects had tried nicotine patches, 14% had tried nicotine gum, 7% had tried acupuncture, 6% had tried using a nicotine inhaler and 30% had previously tried to quit using will-power alone. 11% of subjects had not previously tried to quit smoking.

Quit rates were established thorough telephone interviews 1 month and 6 months after the first session of hypnosis treatment.

After 1 session 95% of those who received 'advanced hypnotherapy' had quit smoking.

The remaining 5% received a second session of hypnosis treatment leading to a further 1.3% of the group quitting smoking.

In total therefore, at 6 months, 97% of those who received 'advanced hypnotherapy' had quit smoking.

Of those who received 'standard hypnotherapy' 51% quit smoking after one session and a further 6% quit after a second session - a total of 57% had quit smoking at 6 months.

Those who were still smoking at 6 months did not differ from those who had successfully quit in terms of gender, age or therapies previously tried. These results mean that for both standard treatments and the 'advanced hypnotherapy treatment' quit rates are extraordinarily high and well above what has hitherto been reported in the literature. Results for both treatments were significant at the 0.001 level (chi-square).

Outcomes for the 'advanced hypnotherapy' are considerably higher than any findings previously reported in the literature.

* These clients were seen by Dr. Barry Neale Ph.D in his hypnotherapy practice, The Accelerated Change Centre (UK).

Quoted from: "Smoking Cessation and Hypnosis. A comparative review of the effectiveness of hypnosis, an advanced method of hypnosis, and other interventions used for the cessation of smoking." Michael O'Driscoll B.Sc., M.Sc. (Oxon)