While willpower by itself is not an effective quit method, it can still be useful for those trying to quit. “Addiction is a chronic disease that changes the structure of the brain and affects many areas, particularly those that influence decision-making, behavior control and learning. It works on a very primitive, instinctual level that often bypasses or impairs our brain’s higher-level functioning,” writes Hays. Addiction undermines willpower, or the ability to control impulses through decision-making. Quitting cold turkey has such a low success rate due to the nature of addiction. Research over the past 25 years has shown that, out of 100 people trying to quit smoking cold turkey, only about three to five of them will succeed for longer than six months, according to Hays. In other words, while some people can quit this way, at least 95 percent of people can’t. Relying on willpower alone, however, is not likely to be successful. “This idea is closely tied to a long-standing misconception that the most effective method for quitting is to ‘white knuckle it’ with willpower alone,” writes Hays. Hays authors a regular blog on BecomeAnEX®, the digital quit-smoking program developed by Truth Initiative® in collaboration with Mayo Clinic. Taylor Hays, a Mayo Clinic College of Medicine professor and director of the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center. The most accepted meaning of quitting cold turkey is “to quit abruptly with no treatment support or replacement medications,” according to Dr. What does it mean to quit this way, and does it work? Like the phrase itself, the “cold turkey” method of quitting smoking can be confusing.
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