Hypnosis helps men quit.

• Position: Smoking - Brief Article

Men who try hypnosis to help them quit smoking are more likely to be successful than women who use the same treatment, according to Joe Green, associate professor of psychology at Ohio State University's Lima campus. A review of 18 studies of hypnosis-based smoking cessation programs found that about 30% of males who used this method successfully stopped smoking, compared to 23% of females. The reasons, however, may have more to do with gender differences in quitting smoking in general than with hypnosis itself.

Green indicates that many experts believe women have a harder time than men giving up smoking. One reason may be that nicotine replacement therapy (such as nicotine gum or patch) is not as effective for women as it is for men. Some claim women are concerned with weight gain associated with smoking cessation, so they are more reluctant to quit or may relapse if experiencing a weight gain.

Yet, that does not mean hypnosis will not work with women, Green emphasizes. The key is to find the right combination of treatments that will help boost the chance of success. Green found that...