The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) has set itself the goal of reducing the percentage of all tobacco users in Germany to less than five percent by 2040. If you look at the current statistics, this goal sounds almost utopian. The sober reality is that currently more than a third of all Germans are addicted to nicotine. According to the German survey on smoking behavior (DEBRA) , more than 38 percent of these smokers are motivated to quit smoking.
Unfortunately, for many people who want to quit smoking, giving up cigarettes for good is a major challenge. More than three-quarters of smokers who attempt to quit without support relapse within the first month, and at six months only a meager three percent are smoke-free.
Very few use a supportive smoking cessation method such as behavioral therapy or nicotine replacement therapy using patches or sprays. This may be because the methods currently available are very limited and many alternatives have proven ineffective.
So what to do to quit smoking?
Understanding cigarette addiction
First of all, it makes sense to understand your cigarette addiction.
Why do most smokers become restless, stressed or even aggressive when they are not allowed to smoke for a longer period of time, such as on a long-haul flight? What triggers the craving for a cigarette? Why don't nicotine substitutions alone help to satisfy this craving?
To understand what is really behind addiction, one should first look at the different components of addiction. Cigarettes are doubly addictive: physically through the nicotine, and psychologically through the habit built up over the years.
physical dependency
The physical dependence is caused by the nicotine contained in cigarettes. With each puff, nicotine enters the bloodstream and binds to the nicotine receptors in the brain. By repeatedly stimulating these receptors, the brain adapts and creates more receptors. This results in an increased tolerance to nicotine, meaning larger amounts are needed to get the same effect.
The nicotine receptors in the brain want to be full regularly. However, since the nicotine level falls by half around two hours after smoking, withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, restlessness and inner emptiness appear. The body sends clear signals that it needs nicotine to feel good again. In order to give in to the urge and alleviate the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, one reaches for the cigarette. This leads to a short-term feeling of well-being and the vicious cycle of addiction begins.
In addition to physical nicotine dependence, psychological dependence, i.e. habits and learned behavior, also plays an important role.
psychological dependence
Smokers often reach for a cigarette in very specific situations, be it after a good meal, while drinking coffee or when they are stressed or bored. Nicotine activates the reward system, making positive events seem more enjoyable and negative situations less bad.
Over time, memory retains the association between a particular stimulus, the response to smoking, and the subsequent reward. This creates a craving for smoking in precisely these situations, such as dinner with friends or in stressful situations - one has the feeling that without a cigarette something is missing, namely the reward. The brain knows that smoking can quell that craving and that nicotine provides a reward, so reaching for a cigarette is automatic .
However, we are not helplessly at the mercy of these automatisms.
treatment of physical dependence
Nicotine replacement products such as nicotine patches, nicotine gum and nicotine inhalers are available to treat physical addiction.
Nicotine replacement therapy using nicotine patches, gum and inhalers have been used for years to help people quit smoking. They deliver controlled doses of nicotine to the body over a period of time to reduce cigarette cravings. These products can be purchased in pharmacies without a doctor's prescription. While nicotine replacement therapy using patches, sprays, and chewing gum can temporarily reduce withdrawal symptoms, for many smokers, replacing nicotine alone is not enough to satisfy the craving for a cigarette. They lack their daily ritual when quitting nicotine. For this reason, more and more people who want to quit smoking are turning to e-cigarettes (also called vaporizers).
Unlike traditional nicotine replacement products, e-cigarettes not only treat nicotine addiction by delivering nicotine, but also provide a similar smoking experience to traditional cigarettes. Using vaporizers allows smoking habits to be maintained initially, which facilitates cessation and allows for a gradual transition to a smoke-free life.
In this context, nuumi offers an innovative non-smoking program. By using an intelligent vaporizer, the program records smoking behavior in real time and reduces typical withdrawal symptoms by individually adjusting the nicotine content. In addition, it accompanies and supports those affected during the entire process of giving up smoking with a program tailored to their smoking behavior.
Learn more about the benefits of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation
However, for sustainable smoking cessation, it also makes sense to combine nicotine replacement therapy with behavioral therapy. This helps to fundamentally change annoying habits and rituals and to swear off smoking permanently.
For this it is important to understand the psychological component of the dependency and to treat it in the next step.
What makes a successful treatment of psychological dependence?
Behavioral therapy is a psychotherapeutic method that can be used specifically to treat nicotine addiction. Their main goal is to change unhealthy behaviors and addictions associated with smoking. Smoking behavior and the associated habits and triggers are analyzed, understood and ultimately modified.
In behavioral therapy, those affected are taught specific techniques and strategies to develop new, healthier behaviors that replace smoking. For example, it may involve finding alternative activities or coping mechanisms that reduce the desire for a cigarette, such as mindful breathing, distraction with physical activity, or reaching for healthy snacks.
An important aspect of behavioral therapy for nicotine addiction is teaching people self-help skills. This empowers them to manage cigarette cravings, maintain their motivation to quit, and prevent relapse. Therapy aims to use the individual's personal strengths and resources to achieve long-term behavioral changes and lead a smoke-free life.
Holistic therapy with nuumi
The nuumi program offers behavioral training and coaching around the clock via the app. It supports smokers in building new skills, recognizing triggers and consciously controlling their actions. The program aims to break down and change unwanted behavioral patterns by providing targeted training and guidance. Thanks to constant support in the app, those affected are never alone and have support on their way to a smoke-free life.
At the beginning of the program, smokers are supported in switching from cigarettes to vaporizers. This ensures the necessary nicotine supply, which should prevent possible withdrawal symptoms.
The next step is reduction: over the next two to four months, nicotine consumption is gradually reduced based on recorded usage behavior and possible withdrawal symptoms.
When you finally stop smoking, the last step is to completely do without the vaporizer. Life as a non-smoker can begin.
Conclusion
A holistic approach to smoking cessation, that is, the combination of treatment for psychological and physical dependence, is crucial for long-term success. Nuumi offers a holistic therapy to treat both addictions: by combining a vaporizer with behavioral therapy, nuumi enables gentle nicotine withdrawal. The vaporizer reduces harmful toxins and efficiently delivers the needed nicotine. There is no need to give up something right away, which makes weaning less stressful. At the same time, thanks to nuumi's digital approach, progress can be tracked and small successes celebrated. Step by step, the puffs can be reduced until even the vaporizer is no longer needed - then the big goal of finally being smoke-free has been achieved.
