Hypnosis to quit smoking
Hypnosis to quit smoking means you no longer have to make excuses about your addiction. We've heard them all! You've more than likely made some of them yourself.
Why do people smoke?
When we ask people why they smoke, we’re often given the following answers:
- I like the taste.
- It helps me cope with stress
- It's my reward
- It stops me putting on weight
- It helps to relax me.
- I always smoke when I’m drinking.
- If I didn’t smoke I’d be bored.
- It helps me concentrate.
- It helps get you over painful relationships.
- I’m addicted to the nicotine. I just can't help it.
- I wouldn’t know what to do with my hands if I didn‘t light up.
- It makes me look sophisticated.
- Everything’s got bad chemicals in them these days. How can smoking be any worse?
- I tried giving up but couldn’t cope with the withdrawal symptoms.
If any of these sound like you then have a look below and see if they’re truly giving you what you want.
I like the taste.
Sweet ingredients such as chocolate, vanilla and honey are added by cigarette manufacturers to disguise the bitter taste of tobacco. It also allows them to pack in more nicotine, thus keeping you addicted. It’s not really the taste you enjoy and if you really think about it, you’ll realise your brain has been paying a trick on you.
Helps you cope with stress.
No it doesn't! It might feel that way but it actually causes stress! What you’re experiencing is relief from the withdrawal symptoms caused by the last cigarette you smoked. It’s a vicious circle and the cigarette you’re having now to make you feel better will leave you feeling stressed again within an hour.
It’s my reward.
Reward? Would you really consider rewarding someone you love with poison, knowing it causes disease and death? If you'd not do that to someone else, why would you do that to yourself?
It stops me putting on weight.
The adrenaline flight or fight response to stress produced by smoking does indeed speed up your metabolism, but did you know that smokers tend to build up fat on their stomachs which is associated with a higher incidence of heart attacks (quite apart from the additional risk from smoking itself.) You’ll probably be suffering from vitamin/mineral deficiencies (i.e. malnutrition) as smoking prevents absorption in your stomach and intestines. Giving up smoking, doesn't automatically mean gaining weight. If you see giving up as depriving yourself you’ll probably try to compensate with something else, may be food. People who do this see an average weight gain of 5-7 pounds only and while this isn’t ideal, once the smoking habit has been dealt with, it’s relatively easier to deal with the few pounds now that you’re that much healthier and can enjoy walking or sports. If however, you see giving up as a positive, healthy option, you’ll not see it as deprivation and you’re a lot less likely to have any weight issues.
It helps to relax me.
Yep! That’s a good one! So what is it about being dependent on drugs that makes you feel relaxed? How is that normal? Or healthy and stress-free?
Also, usually these days you're prevented from smoking in the work environment, at social events and in fact, in all public places. So how does it feel to be preoccupied with planning where and when you can have your next fix? Bet you don’t feel relaxed at all.
I always smoke when I’m drinking.
Because alcohol anaesthetises the throat, a cigarette feels less irritating and therefore more enjoyable with a drink. In addition, while cigarettes are stimulating to the nervous system, alcohol has the opposite effect so you’re constantly bouncing back and forth trying to find a comfortable level. Undoubtedly you'll have therefore drunk more and smoked more under these circumstances than at any other time. Why do you suppose you wake up with a raging sore throat the next day?
If I didn’t smoke I'd be bored.
Really? So are you saying that a three-minute relationship with a burning cigarette will keep you entertained? Make a list of things you’d like to do in your job, home, relationships, hobbies etc and find a way of making your life more interesting and fulfilling.
It helps me concentrate.
You think so? Smoking doesn’t improve concentration. It’s actually the smoking that produces the fluctuation in concentration levels. The cigarette you’re smoking now, that makes you feel normal again will leave you feeling distracted once more in an hour’s time. The fact is, non-smokers have a much more consistent level of concentration and are therefore able to achieve more consistent results.
It helps get you over painful relationships.
Self destruction isn't the recommended way to get over relationships! Trying to find a way of anaesthetising the pain and avoiding the real issue while giving yourself massive health problems at the same time wouldn't be my choice. Get professional help. Get to the bottom of your problem and don’t look back.
I’m addicted to the nicotine. I just can't help it.
Oh please! There are lots of different ways of kicking the habit so find one that’s right for you. Remember: don’t stop trying to stop. There is no need to be a victim. If you really want to stop, you’ll find a way, just like all the other people who have quit before you.You’ll feel in charge of your life again and ready to tackle anything.
I wouldn’t know what to do with my hands if I didn‘t light up.
Oh come on! Use your imagination and find something else to do with your hands. Maybe something that doesn’t kill you!
It makes me look sophisticated.
Mmmmm... since when did yellow fingers, brown teeth, grey and wrinkled skin and red and screwed up eyes look sophisticated or attractive? Do you realise that non-smokers look at smokers and feel sorry for them? They don’t see sophistication. They see someone being a victim.
Everything’s got bad chemicals in them these days. How can smoking be any worse?
Sounds like a low self-esteem issue to us or even depression to be feeling that you have no say in what enters your body. It’s the cigarettes causing the imbalance in your dopamine mechanism causing you to feel this way. Don’t let it get any worse. Take control.
I tried giving up but couldn’t cope with the withdrawal symptoms.
It just might be that using our programmes means that you don't have to suffer cravings. Many don't. And in any case, we teach you how to get rid of them the moment you detect they're about to start.Either way you're in control of them and not the other way round.
Get the information you need because there’s a successful quitting strategy for everyone and you know what, maybe hypnosis to quit smoking, being the drug-free alternative, will be the right way for you.