Hypnosis for quitting smoking is one of the most popular reasons a person sees a hypnotherapist. This is because hypnosis acts on the mind and body in such a way as to eliminate many of the mental, emotional and physical aspects of smoking cessation. The person learns to dislike cigarettes and learns to fight off cravings and to avoid triggers or not respond to them. It creates a nonsmoker for life without using drugs or patches.
One must go into hypnosis for quitting smoking with a positive attitude and a belief that it will be helpful. Hypnosis is, in effect, a matter of mind over matter and individuals must be positive about that. They must be prepared to go into a hypnotic trance, induced in them by the hypnotist who is well trained in hypnosis for quitting smoking. One should always check to make sure their hypnotist is well versed in smoking cessation as it can be a complex issue to treat. Not everyone is very hypnotizable, so one should be prepared to go to several sessions until their susceptibility to hypnotism is better. It is a big decision to quit smoking and choosing a hypnotist is just the first step.
Once you meet your hypnotist, talk to them about hypnosis for quitting smoking. Ask about what kind of induction techniques they use and what their success rate is. Discuss the fact that you are prepared to go to more than one session if needed and talk to them about the major issues you face in the smoking cessation process. Your hypnotist will listen to these issues and will incorporate your concerns into the suggestions they use to help you get past your smoking addiction.
During hypnosis for quitting smoking, you will use one of several techniques for going into a hypnotic trance and will feel peaceful and calm. You will listen to the hypnotist say these suggestions and will repeat them after the hypnotist. The initial suggestions include “Smoking is very distasteful to me” or “Smoking smells and tastes bad” or “I am prepared to throw away my cigarettes”. The hypnotic trance is unique in that the suggestions get into the brain and change the way an individual thinks about, acts and feels about smoking—even when they wake up from the hypnotic trance. The brain is an amazing reservoir and hypnosis can actually change brain chemistry and the way the body handles smoking cessation.
When one undergoes hypnosis for quitting smoking, they often have horrible withdrawal symptoms that can drive them to smoke again. If this is you, see the hypnotist and tell them about your issues and withdrawal symptoms. He or she will likely put you in a hypnotic trance and give you suggestions directly related to withdrawal symptoms. Your body will assimilate these suggestions and will change the way it responds to stopping cigarettes. This will greatly enhance your rate of success and you can be assured that the withdrawal symptoms will be much less or will go away all together.
