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.CompleteQuitSystem.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 meta analytic 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: The Complete Quit System 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.CompleteQuitSystem.com.