Stop Smoking Programs: Quit at Home

Home study courses are stop smoking programs that provide you with materials that you use either on your own, or in conjunction with telephone, e-mail, or other forms of support.  (If you're looking for info about other types of programs, you can also read about quit smoking classes, where you attend sessions outside your home, or residential programs, where you live at the program site for the duration of the program.) 

Three home study programs I discuss here are:

Quit Smoking the Bright Way

Easy Way to Stop Smoking

SmokEnders "Quit Kit"

Home study stop smoking programs tend to be both the most convenient and the least expensive type of stop smoking program.  You don't have to rearrange your schedule to attend classes, and you certainly don't have to 'check in' somewhere as you do for a residential program.  Home study programs have the added advantage of being more widely available, since it generally doesn't matter what part of the country you live in.  

However, home study programs vary widely in terms of how much guidance they provide to help you quit smoking successfully.  They can range from a short information pamphlet with a few quit smoking 'tips' that you can get for free on the internet, to a well-designed comprehensive step-by-step program for quitting.  Additionally, some include additional help and support ― you can call and talk to someone, or get questions answered via e-mail ― but with others, you're strictly on your own. 

Costs for home study programs vary.  You can find quit smoking 'tips' or short brochures available on the internet or by mail for free, whereas a full, step-by-step program with professional support may cost a few hundred dollars.  

Effectiveness of Home Study Stop Smoking Programs

Home study programs have probably the broadest range of effectiveness, both because their materials and approaches vary widely, and because people using these materials have wide latitude to follow or not follow the program instructions, and so may get varying results.  Not surprisingly, research shows that more comprehensive programs are more effective, and follow-up or support components can also improve success rates.

Effectiveness for home study stop smoking programs is commonly estimated by looking at how many folks get their money back.  This is not a bad way to estimate how many people felt 'satisfied' with the program, but probably doesn't reflect a true success rate comparable to the more formal assessments done for residential quit smoking programs.  For instance, using this method, some home study programs claim a 'success rate' of 75% or more (compared to 45-65% for residential programs).  However, head-to-head studies typically show that residential programs are more intensive and more effective that their out-patient counterparts.

In other words, this method of estimating the quality of a program may be useful when comparing home study programs to one another (assuming the guarantee period and conditions are identical), but don't compare this number to success estimates obtained in other ways for other types of programs or products. 

One more point about home study stop smoking programs: Unlike residential programs, a good home study program generally comes with a guarantee of some sort.  Read the terms and conditions carefully to make sure you understand what you need to do to get your money back if you are not satisfied.  Besides providing peace of mind, understanding the terms of the guarantee will also provide some context for understanding the success rate quoted.  If the guarantee is for a short period of time and has conditions you must meet, you are less likely to be able to get your money back.  That means that you would be counted as a 'success' according to that company's calculation, even if you weren't happy with the program. 

In other words, the more difficult it is to meet the terms of the guarantee, the more inflated the 'success rate' estimate is. 

Home Study Stop Smoking Programs

I found three home study stop smoking programs, although there are probably more.  (If you have experience with a home study stop smoking program and would like to provide information about it so I can describe it here,  let me know.) 

The three home study stop smoking programs I have looked at so far include Allen Carr's  Easy Way to Stop Smoking method,  SmokEnders "Quit Kit," and my own program,  Quit Smoking the Bright Way.  (Since I'm comparing my own proprietary program in this mix, it's not really fair for me to make actual recommendations, so I'll try to stick to descriptive information, so you can decide for yourself.)

Pros and Cons

What are the pros and cons to home study stop smoking programs? 

 Pros:

• Convenience - no classes to attend or facility to check in to.  Home study programs are generally done according to your own schedule.

• Generally less expensive than some other program types, although this can depend on levels of support and the overall quality of the program design.

• Widely available since program can be done virtually anywhere, unlike classes or residential programs.

• Tools and techniques applied immediately to regular life circumstances, since you are not 'removed' from your everyday setting.

Cons:

• May be less 'intensive' than residential programs, since you don't take time out of your life to do it.

• Unless it comes with support, no place to get questions answered or techniques clarified. 

Tips for Quitting with a Home Study Program

• Do some research:  If you choose to do a home study program, I recommend spending some time to find one that feels right for you.  Be sure the instructions are clear, and that it provides enough guidance that you understand exactly what to do.  Broad instructions such as 'make sure you have social support' are not as useful as a step-by-step process that helps you understand exactly what you need to do to be successful.

• Don't be lulled into inactivity just because you're not on someone else's timetable.  Make sure you set a time to begin, and then devote yourself to it.

• Create your own intensity:  The 'intensity' of treatment in a residential program gets a lot of credit for the success rates they enjoy, but you pay a lot for that intensity.  Keep in mind that you can create your own intensity with a home study program by making it a priority while you're doing it.  Really focus on getting the most out of the program you choose.

• Use all of the resources offered: If you choose a program that has external support or consultations included, don't be shy - take advantage of all of the resources it offers.  It could make the difference between success and failure. 

EasyWay Method to Stop Smoking: Is There Really an "Easy" Way?

The Easy Way to Stop Smoking, according to Allen Carr, is to read his book.  I've summarized my impressions of the book in the first couple of paragraphs below, and provide a little more detail about it on the rest of this page.

Executive Summary

If you already know that smoking doesn't make you smarter, sexier, or more relaxed, you won't learn much from this book.  On the other hand, if you haven't yet internalized these things, or if you have any doubts at all about whether smoking is bad for you, then get this book and read it immediately.  It may not make you quit, but it will certainly provide you with a lot of information about why you should. 

Easy Way to Stop Smoking does a pretty good job of explaining various smoking fallacies, and understanding these fallacies can help put you in the right frame of mind to quit smoking.  It is very well reviewed on Amazon, so clearly a number of people DID find the information in this book helpful.

If you do already understand why you should quit, and are looking for something to tell you HOW, this isn't it.  There's not much in the way of 'method' in Easy Way to Stop Smoking, beyond the instructions "Decide to quit.  Quit.  Whenever you think you want a cigarette, tell yourself, 'Yay, I've quit.'"  In general, the book is simplistic and repetitive, but if you need something to shore up your resolve to quit, this book may help with that.   

Overview

The Easy Way to Stop Smoking book was first published in 1985, and since then has sold millions of copies.  Interestingly, Allen Carr (the author) was an accountant who actually quit via hypnosis, but does not attribute his success at quitting to that.  Instead, in his book he describes trying to figure out why it was so easy that time (not to mention successful) when it had been so difficult before.  The Allen Carr Easy Way to Stop Smoking method is the product of that exploration. 

The general premise of the Easy Way to Stop Smoking is that instead of looking at reasons to quit smoking, it makes more sense to turn it around and ask, why smoke?  According to the author, the only reason folks smoke at all is because of the nicotine addiction and what he calls 'brainwashing.'  The 'brainwashing' refers to all of the ways society, cigarette manufacturers, and the nicotine addiction itself convince you that there is something good or useful about smoking.  In fact, Carr does a good job of making the case that virtually all of the 'pleasure' you get from smoking is really a function of relieving either the physical or psychological addiction.  Once you've broken out of those addictions, there is, in fact, nothing to 'give up' and quitting becomes easy.

So the Easy Way to Stop Smoking method, in a nutshell, consists of reading the book - while continuing to smoke - to 'undo' the brainwashing.  Once you've undone the brainwashing, putting out your last cigarette and eliminating the physical addiction to nicotine is not only easy, it's actually joyful as you realize that you are finally freeing yourself from the nicotine 'monster.' 

My Impressions

I actually agree with the general premise of the book ― that virtually all of the enjoyment from smoking is a function of relieving some aspect of a physical addiction to nicotine or a psychological dependence on smoking itself.  It's also true that once you've freed yourself from these, that quitting is pretty easy. The problem is, getting over the dependence ― especially the psychological dependence ― is just not as simple as reading a book and understanding the information, at least for most people. 

One reason that's true is because people process information in two different 'modes,' using two different information systems:  the Rational System, and the Experiential System.  It is primarily the Rational System that works to understand the information in the Easy Way to Stop Smoking book, but unfortunately, the desire to smoke is rooted in the Experiential System.  The ultimate outcome of quitting using only information processed by the Rational System is that you manage to quit (at least for awhile), but the desire to smoke remains strong. 

Easy Way to Stop Smoking fails to deal with this very important issue.  In one of the final chapters, Carr describes how he is frustrated by the category of smokers who find it a struggle to quit.  (Isn't that most folks?)  One of the problems, he says, is that they've misunderstood his instructions.  His response to someone who quits but is still craving cigarettes is: 

"Then you are being very stupid.  How can you claim, 'I want to be a non-smoker' and then say 'I want a cigarette?'  That's a contradiction.  If you say, 'I want a cigarette,' you are saying, 'I want to be a smoker.'  Non-smokers don't want to smoke cigarettes."

In fact, people who have quit smoking recently often DO have a strong desire to smoke.  However, it's hard to imagine how this comment, focused strongly on Rational System processing, would be at all helpful in that situation.  What you need instead are functional tools to begin to eliminate the desire to smoke where it lives - in the Experiential System.

(Read more about psychological smoking dependence.)

Pros and Cons

What are the pros and cons of The Easy Way to Stop Smoking? 

 Pros:

• The book provides useful information about how nicotine creates the need for the 'pleasure' that smoking provides.  (For instance, although it may feel like smoking a cigarette helps you deal with stress, the truth is, smoking only relieves the 'stress' that is caused by nicotine withdrawal itself.  Once you're off, your stress levels will be lower all the time, because you're off the nicotine roller coaster that actually causes a lot of your stress.)

• The book also presents an important an often overlooked aspect of quitting:  One of the things that makes quitting difficult is 'trying' to quit instead of 'knowing' that you've quit.  Once you've made that leap, you've bridged a large and important gap that makes being an ex-smoker much easier and more comfortable.

Cons:

• The main downside to the 'Easy Way to Stop Smoking 'method' is that it doesn't really provide much of a 'method' at all.  Carr provides a lot of information about what makes it 'easy' to quit, but doesn't provide the tools you need to get there.  Until you can internalize the information into the experiential system, quitting isn't easy at all.

• In his enthusiasm for his own perspective, Carr presents some viewpoints that are contradicted by valid research, and may turn people away from some tools that could actually help them quit.  For example, he says that some people quit 'in spite of' nicotine replacement therapy.  While I agree that the psychological dependence is the primary barrier to quitting, research shows that dealing with the nicotine addiction in conjunction with psychological techniques can improve success rates.    (There are different ways to deal with the nicotine addiction - NRT is just one of them.)

• In general, the book is overly simplistic and repetitive, and it doesn't deal with very real psychological issues such as grief processing or the difference between rational and experiential information processing.  As a result, Carr's advice for people who continue to have cravings is of limited usefulness, to say the least. 

My Recommendations

Some smokers would probably benefit from the information in this book, but I wouldn't rely on it as a method for quitting - there's just not much 'method' to it.  You should also understand that the author doesn't have a background/education in psychology (he quit his job as an accountant when he 'discovered' this 'method'), so his treatment of psychological principles tends to be simplistic and in some cases simply inaccurate. 

Ultimately, if you're looking for something to help get you into the right frame of mind to quit, especially if you like to read, it may be worth checking out. From a cost perspective, it's low risk: you can buy  Easy Way to Stop Smoking for around $10 on Amazon. 

On the other hand, if you're looking for an actual step-by-step method, you'll need to keep looking - this book falls far short.

Quit with a Step-by-step Quit Smoking Action Plan

If you're looking for a quit smoking action plan that provides step-by-step instructions for quitting successfully, The Complete Quit System may be exactly what you need.  I created it because I couldn't find any other programs that I felt combined all of the elements you need to be successful in a home study program:  proven techniques to deal with the psychological dependence, a simple but effective method for eliminating the nicotine addiction while minimizing withdrawal symptoms, opportunities for professional consultation and follow-up when you need it, and a clear, step-by-step roadmap that tells you exactly what you need to do to succeed. 

I mention that this program is my creation because I think it's only fair that you understand my perspective: Since this is my program, I can hardly be an unbiased reviewer.  Still, I can certainly provide enough information for you to draw your own conclusions. 

Because the purpose of this site is to provide an unbiased review of a variety of methods for quitting, I don't sell my own program here.  If you find yourself interested, you'll need to go to  www.QuitSmokingTheBrightWay.com to check it out further.

How Does the Complete Quit System Help You Quit Smoking?

I call this program The Complete Quit System because it deals with both the physical AND psychological aspects of smoking dependence. So many approaches focus only on the one side or the other, (usually the physical addiction) that they're really not complete at all.

I believe that the smartest way to quit - by using your brain to unlearn all of the behaviors, habits, and connections that you've learned over the years, is truly the missing piece of the puzzle.  In fact, this is the only way to keep your brain from driving you crazy with cravings after you quit.  The Complete Quit System contains a detailed quit smoking action plan to help you learn -- and unlearn -- everything you need to in order to eliminate the psychological dependence. 

The program also deals with the physical addiction to nicotine with a simple but very effective tapering method that is intertwined with the psychological techniques.  You may already know that the physical addiction to nicotine goes away relatively quickly - within a few days after you quit.  So it's really the psychological dependence that comes back to haunt you - for weeks, months, or sometimes years - after you quit.

The Complete Quit System is a home-study program - no classes to attend - and it combines the convenience of doing the program at home with opportunities for professional consultation and follow-up support, which research shows can be important for people trying to quit smoking.  The program manual is delivered by download in a pdf file, and the support component includes professional consultation by phone along with unlimited e-mail support for a full 12 months.  The program also comes with an unconditional guarantee.

Effectiveness

You'll find that, like alternative therapies, most quit smoking programs have not gone through the kind of controlled clinical trials that are required for drugs or nicotine replacement therapies, and behavioral/psychological programs vary too much for metaanalytic techniques to offer much help.  For programs like this, success rates are generally estimated by using either  'pilot' data, or return rates.  I provide both below:

Pilot Data

I conducted a small pilot of this program before I put it on the market, and 100% of my pilot participants quit for the duration of the follow-up period, which was 6 months.  I also used pilot participants' feedback to make some additional improvements to the final version of the program.

Return Rates

Return rates are tricky - some folks will tell you that since only 35% of their customers 'returned' the product and got their money back, that means the success rate is 65%, which would be pretty good for a smoking cessation product or technique.

However, a better question to ask is, how many people wanted their money back?  For many programs and products, the 'guarantee' requires people to meet certain conditions -- they may be required attend a certain number of the classes, or to return the product in a certain condition to get their money back.  Or the guarantee period may be short - 30 days, or a couple of months, so some people who wanted their money back didn't get it, and are counted as 'successful' customers in the example above, even though they really aren't.

So both the length of the guarantee and any conditions placed on it are important because they give you a better idea of how many people really are happy with the product and whether you'll be able to get your money back if you're not satisfied.

For The Complete Quit System, the return rate is about 15%, meaning the 'satisfied customer rate' is around 85%.  The guarantee is completely unconditional - no one who has ever requested a refund has been denied - and the guarantee period is AN ENTIRE YEAR. 

Those are pretty good odds.

How it Works

The Complete Quit System works by eliminating the desire for a cigarette where it lives - in the experiential system. 

Let me explain. 

Psychologists have discovered that people process information in two different ways, with two different ‘systems’ of learning. One of these – the rational system – processes conceptual information: ideas, facts, figures… This is the kind of learning you did in school, and the kind that you’re used to thinking about as ‘learning.’ Think of it as learning ‘on purpose.’

The other kind of learning is different. It’s called ‘experiential’ learning. It happens at a much deeper level, and often without even thinking about it. In fact, you rarely do ‘experiential learning’ on purpose, but you do it all the time anyway. The experiential system processes perceptual information – that is, information from your senses about your own personal experiences. Your experiential system ‘knows’ about things on an ‘intuitive’ level, because it’s based on your experiences.

In school, your rational system learned things like the capitols of all of the states, and historical dates and places, and when to use a comma instead of a semicolon. Now, your rational system probably knows that smoking causes cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and a host of other major and minor health problems. This system is the one that knows you ‘should’ quit smoking.

However, it is your experiential system that controls the desire to smoke.  That's why programs that focus on teaching you more about 'why you should quit' aren't very helpful.  If you're even reading this page, you probably know all about why you should quit.  What you don't know is how to quit.

The Complete Quit System can teach you how.

My Recommendations

It's almost silly for me to offer recommendations here - this is my program.  I created it to fill a gap in what's available out there, so you know I'm going to recommend it. 

Let me say this instead:  Quit Smoking the Bright Way is really geared for people who understand that quitting isn't going to become magically easy with a little pill.  There is no magic wand, silver bullet, or holy grail when it comes to quitting.  Quit Smoking the Bright Way is a quit smoking action plan for people who are ready to do their part, but want an explicit road map - a step-by-step guide that will guarantee their success. 

If that's you, you can learn more at  www.QuitSmokingTheBrightWay.com. 

A Home Study Program by SmokEnders

SmokEnders (AKA Smoke Enders) has been around for 35+ years, and may be one of the most well-known and long-standing quit smoking plans out there.  They have gone from quit smoking classes exclusively to recording their classes to make a home-study version of the program, which I'll talk about on this page.

If you're more interested in SmokEnder's classes, I'll be writing about those as well, but they are currently only available in New York City and Washington State, so unless you live in one of those areas, you'll probably have to go with the home study version if you want this program.

You've probably heard about SmokEnders - if you've ever heard anyone make a joke about spending a few hundred dollars to go to a program where they told you to snap your wrist with a rubber band when you felt like smoking, that came from this program.  Unfortunately, there is good evidence that punishment-oriented psychological techniques are not as effective as other techniques. 

To give credit, SmokEnders was one of the first programs to recognize that smoking was more than a 'bad habit' or even just a 'habit' combined with a physical addiction to nicotine.  In many ways, it was groundbreaking work to try to integrate psychological techniques into their quit smoking plans.   

I'm in the process of updating my assessment of this program - both the classroom version and the home study version, so if you have any recent experience with either and would be willing to provide information about your experience, please contact me.