HYPNOSIS FOR SMOKING CESSATION

HYPNOSIS TO QUIT SMOKING WITH AN EXCELLENT THERAPIST SHOULD REQUIRE ONLY ONE SESSION…. IF… THE CLIENT IS READY TO STOP.   AND, IF SHE/HE IS BLESSED WITH THE ABILITY TO ADMIT NEEDING HELP TO DO SO.  THERE ARE SMOKERS… AND THERE ARE SMOKERS.   EVERY STORY IS AN INDIVIDUAL STORY,  NO TWO REASONS ARE THE SAME.    THEY MAY SOUND THE SAME UP FRONT, BUT ONCE THE INTERVIEW GETS UNDER WAY, THE UNDERLYING ISSUES BEGIN TO REVEAL THEMSELVES AND OFTEN THE CLIENT IS COMPLETELY SURPRISED BY HER OWN ANSWERS TO SIMPLE QUESTIONS.

MY FIRST QUESTION IS ALWAYS:   WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR OF STOPPING SMOKING?   This question is one I use in so many of the sessions from smoking to chronic pain, to sleeplessness to most any issue.    When one thing is removed, there must be something else to take its place.  The void in one’s life has to be filled and, hopefully, the client will give the therapist a sensible replacement tool.  The first response I get to that question is:   “What could you possibly mean by that… I have no fear of giving this up.   That’s why I’m here”.

SO LET ME EXPLAIN:   Everyone has props.    These are the  things that we think defines us, makes us who we are at that moment.   It can be a physical adornment,  a certain hairdo,  smoking a cigar,  (cigarette),  a special cologne,  wearing tight clothing, or a special style of shoe.    In extreme cases, we have chronic pain which prevents us from physical activities that we hate but feel guilty not participating in.   A bad back can get you out of a whole list of things.   Smoking keeps us tied to a certain lifestyle.   It even limits our social life in many ways.   It certainly eliminates dating a militant non-smoker.    But… how does it effect your life?   Does it keep you locked into a world of smokers?   Do you get sick of those who love you and hope by comments such as, “do you know that over 500,000 people in the United States alone die from cigarettes every year”.    Or,  “did you know that smoking causes a loss of libido and your gums to shrink and make your teeth fall out?”    Well intentioned comments are meant to encourage you to stop, but most folks don’t realize that change does not come from statistics,  that there has to be an emotional component to make the decision a firm one that will send the smoker to the phone to seek help.
If my client identifies as a smoker, the work is more difficult.  If he hates smoking, truly does not think of himself as a smoker, then it can be over with very quickly.   When do you smoke, who do you smoke with,  what are you thinking of as you sit alone and smoke… is smoking a bonding behavior with someone who loves you?  Are you smoking because someone is trying to boss you?  Do you smoke because you know your spouse hates it?    Because you identify with long-deceased parents who smoked all their lives?

Once those questions are answered the hypnosis is the easy part.  All you have to do is relax and let you body be soft while your mind is sharp and receiving information which will reprogram your brain to tell your body to behave in a way different from your past behavior.    Your brain is just the computer waiting for a new program.   Your mind receives this new information through your sub-conscious, (which can neither censor nor edit) passes it to your brain, and within a few minutes your behavior is changed forever.   Or until you give it a new suggestion.   Hypnosis occurs anytime your mind is doing one thing and your body another.   In formal hypnosis the client is  focusing on the sound of the therapists voice while the body is relaxing with intent.   It is the most powerful tool on this planet for us to use to make our lives and our health function to the max of our ability.   You can’t change your body type,  can’t change your long legs to short or your blue eyes to brown, but you certainly can change all of your behaviors and your reaction to the behavior of others.    In hypnosis you will be given the suggestion that whenever you are with smokers you will be totally detached from them and what they are doing.

Congratulations on having made the decision to stop smoking.