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Does hypnotherapy work for quitting smoking?
August 18, 2020
Does hypnotherapy work for quitting smoking?

For many years, hypnotherapy has been championed as a safe and effective tool in helping people to quit smoking once and for all, so if you’re researching and wondering “does hypnotherapy work for quitting smoking?”, the answer is yes. In the vast majority of cases.

If you’ve ever tried to quit smoking before, you will know that it isn’t easy. People will commonly attempt to quit using more conventional techniques like going cold turkey, or cutting down more gradually using aids such as nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs), including nicotine patches, gums and sprays. In some cases, people even find turn to expensive smoking-cessation drugs to help them to quit cigarettes. It is not uncommon that people find themselves on a merry-go-round of sorts, stopping and starting smoking again, over and over. And there is a real explanation for why this occurs.

You may have heard about hypnotherapy and so you may be wondering “does hypnotherapy work for quitting smoking?”

Does hypnotherapy work for quitting smoking? What makes it any different to any other quit smoking technique? If we are going to understand the reasons why hypnotherapy stands out and can be an effective method to help you to quit smoking for good, it is important firstly, to understand why most other, more conventional therapies often don’t work in the long term.

Many more conventional therapies fail to work in the long term simply due to the very nature of nicotine addiction. The body’s addiction to nicotine is much more than just a physical addiction to a chemical substance. Indeed, the physical addiction that causes physical changes in body chemistry certainly exists; nicotine causes an increase in heart rate, is associated with increased mental alertness, and can bring about feelings of euphoria or relaxation. The problem however, is that nicotine addiction is deeply rooted in the subconscious mind- and this is the issue that most conventional stop-smoking therapies fail to address.

The urge to light up a cigarette can commonly be triggered by normal, everyday activities such as eating, alcohol consumption, driving, feeling bored or stressed, and much more. It therefore makes perfect sense that since the addiction is set in the subconscious brain, any effective therapy for quitting smoking should involve turning off, or reframing those triggering subconscious thoughts. This is the aim of hypnotherapy for quitting smoking.

Does hypnotherapy work for quitting smoking if the person is not ready to quit?

Unfortunately it does not. Despite what popular media and Hollywood films may have you believe, nobody can be hypnotized against their will. When you choose to undergo a hypnotherapy session, your hypnotist will use relaxing speech and imagery to guide you into a state of deep relaxation; an almost trance-like state. Once you are in this state, your mind is able to focus and concentrate on the single task at hand: reframing your thoughts around smoking. Your mind is completely relaxed and void of other thoughts, so it becomes more open to suggestions. During your hypnotherapy session, you still remain aware of your surroundings throughout the duration of your session, and at the end you will remember everything that happened.

Because of this, “does hypnotherapy work for quitting smoking if the smoker is not ready to quit?”, no, it does not. In order for hypnotherapy to work, the person must be completely ready and willing to give up smoking. For example, hypnotherapy is unlikely to work if the person:

  • Thinks they should quit but doesn’t really want to
  • Is trying to quit for the sake of someone else
  • Is not ready to quit but someone told them that they should.

Does hypnotherapy work for quitting smoking? I think I’m ready to try.

Alright, so you’ve thought about it and you are truly ready to quit smoking cigarettes for good. The next step is to reach out to us, today. Our team is approachable and very experienced in helping people just like yourself. We can discuss your individual circumstances with you, gain a better understanding of your personal situation and help you to determine whether hypnotherapy is a good fit for you.

Does hypnotherapy work for quitting smoking? Absolutely, it does. If you want to quit, then you have to give it a try. Don’t waste another day, start today.

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