3 Ways Hypnosis Can Help You Quit Smoking
Posted on: 15 September 2020
If you want to quit smoking but are finding it hard to stop, then a course of hypnotherapy might help. If you can't go cold turkey and nicotine replacement products aren't helping, then hypnosis could give you the extra push you need. How does hypnosis help smokers quit?
1. Change the Way You Feel About Smoking
A qualified hypnotherapist helps you to move into a trance-like state. You remain aware of what is going on, but your awareness is more focused on a subconscious level. When you're in this state, your counsellor or therapist can introduce ideas, thoughts and beliefs that you'll carry into your everyday life. They implant thoughts in your head that stay there after your session. These thoughts can help you quit smoking more effectively because they'll happen automatically. They replace the way you thought about smoking in the past.
So, for example, your hypnotherapist may suggest that you don't like the taste of tobacco smoke any longer. They may ask you to visualize a lit cigarette and to associate it with feeling nauseous. They may encourage you to tell yourself that you don't want to smoke ever again. After your sessions, you may not remember everything that happened. However, the new thoughts and coping mechanisms sit in your subconscious. If you're tempted to smoke, they should kick in and help you decide not to.
2. Address Underlying Issues
Some people get in the habit of smoking at certain times. For example, you might have a cigarette when you're stressed. Or, you might enjoy a smoke after dinner. It's hard to break these routine habits if you try to quit on your own. If your hypnotherapist understands these triggers, then they can use them in your session to reinforce your therapy. They can ask you to tell yourself that you don't want a cigarette after dinner. They can teach you to practice healthier stress-busting techniques such as deep breathing.
3. Get Future Coping Mechanisms
Even if your hypnosis works initially, there may be times when you worry that you'll slide back into bad habits. This shouldn't be a problem, as you should get some hypnosis techniques you can use at home when your treatment ends. For example, your hypnotherapist may tell you to take a deep breath when you have an urge to smoke and to think about something more positive. They may give you phrases or sentences you can repeat to yourself to tap back into your subconscious.
To find out more about how to use hypnosis to quit smoking, contact local counsellors.
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