I've read about all the methods that can help me to quit smoking: pills, patches and professional help. I'm overwhelmed by all the choices and think I should just quit "cold turkey." Will this do me harm?

There is an old piece of research, which is still often cited, that showed that most smokers choose to quit with the "Cold Turkey" method. This is no longer true. Currently, most smokers are using medication and lifestyle changes when they quit. In fact, a smoker has a better chance of quitting if s/he uses a variety of strategies, the more the better. The most successful approach for heavier smokers combines the use of the antidepressant, Zyban, in conjunction with a Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and behavior modification. If a smoker also has social support, like you will find in our Kick Butt Challenge Chats and Message Boards, the probability of success increases.

Quitting "Cold Turkey" means that you simply stop smoking on an appointed date and cope the full effects of nicotine withdrawal. Cold Turkey is the hardest way to quit smoking if you are addicted to nicotine,and more people relapse back to smoking when using only this quitting method. The use of a NRT can double your chances of success, and adding more strategies to cope with stress and cigarette cravings increase your chances of success even more.

We need much more research about the various quitting methods employed by smokers. We currently have no conclusive head-to-head scientific comparisons of the different kinds of quitting combinations, and no method has been developed to match different types of smokers to the various forms of therapy. This means that YOU MUST MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS about which strategies will work best for you. You can do this by becoming an informed consumer, consulting with your physician, and listening to your inner wisdom.