To quit smoking, hypnosis has been used with an effective success rate. Its effectiveness is not cent percent but with a little help of strong willpower, you can call it probably the most effective way to quit smoking.
This has been confirmed by the New Scientist Magazine in the report of a study in 1992.
Hypnosis can also be combined with nicotine therapy such as the use of nicotine gums and nicotine patches to make it easier and more effective to quit smoking. Hypnosis probably forms the most successful smoking cessation aid.
What is hypnosis and how does it work?
A little knowledge of hypnosis is in order to help you understand how it helps you to quit smoking. Hypnosis is defined as the induction of an altered state of awareness in which you appear to be asleep or in a trance. In this state you become highly responsive to suggestion.
It is a state of consciousness, which involves concentrated attention and reduced awareness of the surrounding. There is an enhanced power to respond to an outside suggestion.
Hypnosis is a state of relaxation, which is used to make suggestions directly to the subconscious mind by bypassing the conscious mind. In a normal state of mind, this is not possible.
Our subconscious mind has been associating smoking with pleasure. That is why people smoke. Hypnosis alters this conditioning of the subconscious mind and instills the need and benefits of giving up smoking.
The hypnotist is able to make suggestions that are readily accepted by the hypnotized mind. This makes it a little easier to quit smoking now that the barrier of the subconscious is lowered. However, it is still necessary to exercise willpower.
During hypnosis session, the hypnotherapist asks the patient to imagine unpleasant consequences from smoking. For example, he will emphasize that cigarette smoke smells like an automobile exhaust, or that smoking will leave the patient’s mouth with very unpleasant taste.
He will also emphasize the dangers of smoking to your health and how it poisons your body, which you need to live – that you should protect it from the health hazards of smoking. He will fill your subconscious mind with hatred for smoking.
Hypnosis to stop smoking
You can use hypnotherapy to quit smoking in three ways:
1. Self-hypnosis to quit smoking
The hypnotherapist teaches the smoker self-hypnosis and then asks him to do these self-hypnosis sessions whenever the desire to smoke develops.
In self-hypnosis, you hypnotize yourself and appeal to your subconscious. Hypnosis audio programs for use at home have become popular because of convenience and in many cases can be as effective as seeing the therapist in person. They are also far more affordable.
You could do this with the help of certain hypnosis aids such as CDs, tapes, etc.
This requires time to master and a longer period is required for results. Smoking cessation hypnotherapy by this method may show limited results.
2. Quitting smoking with help of a hypnotherapist
Smoking cessation hypnotherapy with the help of a competent quit-smoking hypnotherapist can give good results. It is very important that you do some research and identify a trained, certified, and experienced hypnotherapist.
Usually, one session of hypnotherapy is suggested, but in some cases, more sessions may be necessary for desired results.
3) Combination of the above
Quitting smoking with hypnosis can also be practiced by combining the above two methods. After a session with the hypnotherapist, you can continue using the self-hypnosis method by listening to tapes and CDs in your home.
A lot of your success rate will depend on how competent your hypnotherapist is. Do some research and be sure you engage a qualified, experienced hypnotherapist for your quitting program.
Success rate of different quit-smoking methods compared to hypnosis
Success rates for quitting smoking by various methods are given below. These statistics clearly indicate that quitting smoking with hypnosis is the most successful method.
Stopping smoking with nicotine replacement therapy – 25%
Stopping smoking with non-nicotine medication such as Zyban – 25%
According to quick smoking support, quitting smoking with hypnosis is very effective and yields a success rate of up to 66%. The rider is that you should be doing it correctly with a well-qualified hypnotist.
Cost and duration of hypnotherapy
In the United States, on average, a professional hypnotist with experience of over ten years would charge $200 per hour. Still, the cost varies from region to region and among the different hypnotists. The more qualified and experienced tend to charge more and deliver better results.
Hypnotherapy to stop smoking may involve a single two-hour long session or maybe two, in which case it works out to $400. It is for the hypnotherapist to decide after he has studied your addiction habit.
Bottom line summary
Smoking is an addictive disease and needs a psychological cure. That one should quit smoking is essential because of its dangers to health.
To get the best results, using hypnotism to stop smoking becomes necessary in view of its high success rate. Choosing the right quit-smoking hypnotherapist is important.
Availing of other methods in addition, such as nicotine replacement therapy and stop-smoking programs makes your success that much more definite.
