Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Boosts Quit-Smoking Success Rates

Research from the University of Bath suggests that adding smoking cessation support to NHS Talking Therapies for depression and anxiety can help individuals quit smoking (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
intEgrating Smoking Cessation treatment As part of usual Psychological care for dEpression and anxiety (ESCAPE): A randomised and controlled, multi-centre, acceptability and feasibility trial with nested qualitative methods

Go to source). The study was led by Dr Gemma Taylor at the University of Bath, with researchers from several other institutions, the study published in Addiction also found that adding smoking support to mental health treatment didn’t disrupt therapy. Instead, it helped to manage mental and physical health together.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Quit Smoking

The trial was conducted across four NHS trusts in the Midlands, London, and the southwest of England and tested how integrating smoking cessation support with NHS-funded cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression and anxiety.

A total of 135 people were split into two groups where one group received 12 sessions of smoking cessation support as part of their CBT session. The other group had standard CBT and were given information about quitting smoking after treatment.

The analysis was done in the third and sixth months after to measure engagement, satisfaction, smoking habits, and mental health outcomes. At six months, 15% of the combined treatment group had quit smoking completely more than two and a half times the quit rate of the control group (6%).

CBT Doubles Quit-Smoking Success in People with Depression

A Cochrane review reported an 8.8% quit rate for standard smoking cessation treatments among individuals with depression. Findings from the ESCAPE trial reveal that incorporating cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) nearly doubles this rate.

The researchers think this study could open the door to bringing smoking cessation support into more mental health services. Therapists are backing the intervention, saying it is both helpful and easy to use, improving clients' mental and physical health.

"People with depression and anxiety are twice as likely to smoke and quitting is one of the most powerful ways to improve both physical and mental health. This study shows that by addressing smoking alongside mental health treatment, the NHS can offer patients a chance to break free from a deadly cycle, improving their well-being in a way that’s practical, effective, and life-changing."

The NHS is letting down people who both smoke and live with depression and anxiety by addressing these issues in silos. By combining treatment people will see their physical and mental health improve with long-term benefits to them and the healthcare system.

“If Wes Streeting wants to shift the NHS from ‘sickness to prevention’ it must find smarter ways to improve people's health. This is a ready-made solution that can be slotted into existing services. We will call for follow-up studies to see if outcomes can be replicated and services scaled up for all.”

Expanding Quit-Smoking Support

Mark Rowland, Chair of the Mental Health and Smoking Partnership and Chief Exec of the Mental Health Foundation said that quitting smoking not only reduces your risk of cancer and heart disease, it is also one of the best ways to improve your mental health and wellbeing. This study shows that the NHS could be doing much more to support people struggling with their mental health to quit smoking. We hope to see a rapid expansion of this model to help more people break out of the cycle of stress and addiction caused by smoking.”

Tom Ayres, Director of the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health said that people with mental health conditions are motivated to quit smoking like non-smokers however they face many barriers to achieving it. This research shows that stop-smoking support can be embedded in Talking Therapies programs to help people address their tobacco addiction alongside their mental health. This approach should be scaled up to ensure that people with mental health conditions get the support they need to be smoke-free.

Expanding smoking cessation within NHS mental health services isn’t just a smart choice is an important step towards improving patient outcomes and building healthier communities. People with depression and anxiety are two times more likely to smoke compared to the general population, with 26% of this group in the UK identified as smoking. NHS Talking Therapies were accessed by 1.2 million people last year, and it can reach up to 300,000 people who smoke each year.

Evidence suggests that smoking may be contributing to poor mental health. However, a recent study by Dr Taylor shows that stopping smoking improves mental health as much as taking anti-depressants.

Reference:

1. intEgrating Smoking Cessation treatment As part of usual Psychological care for dEpression and anxiety (ESCAPE): A randomised and controlled, multi-centre, acceptability and feasibility trial with nested qualitative methods - (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.16718)

Source-Eurekalert