Quit smoking | advisor

Quit Smoking

There are many statistics bounded about maintaining that giving up smoking is hard, and much worse than giving up heroin. And that nicotine works on the brain within 10 seconds, faster than many psychoactive substances. Whilst there’s no denying nicotine does reach the brain quickly and that smoking is an addictive behaviour, people can and do give up smoking. In fact research has found that nicotine and the chemicals within cigarettes actually play a much smaller role into why people smoke. Research has suggested that it maybe psychological cues that actually work with nicotine to compound and thus reinforce this deadly addictive habit.

For instance, when someone first tries to quit smoking, research has suggested that people become more vigilant and thus more aroused to nicotine. Accordingly, during the first week or two of abstaining from smoking people’s sense of smell maybe heightened to the smell of cigarette smoke. They therefore, maybe drawn to places where they expect to see people smoke. These actions could be due to the chemical element of the addiction insofar as nicotine is craved there’s a physiological response to seek out stimuli related to smoking. The nicotine ‘focus’ may last the first few weeks and in some people the withdrawal symptoms of nicotine, maybe too much, resulting in relapse. Research suggests that up to a quarter will relapse within the first few weeks of giving up smoking.

Once a person manages to abstain from smoking for 2-4 weeks other psychological cues may take over especially what is known as the psychomotor response. This is the actual physical action of smoking when you reach for a cigarette and begin to smoke. This action becomes more dominate and cues such as boredom, anxiety, socialising with friends at a pub or party or having a drink may all be triggers into smoking.

There are other psychological reasons that may fuel smoking other than nicotine and psychomotor habits, and these could actually be the main reasons you continue smoking, and what are termed secondary gains or hidden agendas. This could relate to smoking to keep you slim, reducing anxiety, the belief that smoking relaxes you, peer pressure or perhaps you cherish those breaks during the day to have a fag and a chat.

However, the most prevailing factor to whether you quit smoking is actually the desire to quit. So if you want to quit smoking and feel that now is the right time then you are already setting down the strong foundations to quit. Motivation to quit is the key to success.

How can hypnosis help me to quit smoking?

Smoking is pretty much the same as most other habits and addictions. It is a learned behaviour. A behaviour that a person has chosen to persevere with in order to maintain it and as such the behaviour can be ‘unlearned’.

Hypnosis is powerful in ‘unlearning’ the behaviour by giving direct and indirect suggestions to the unconscious mind whilst a person is hypnotised. You will be shown how you can affect your own behaviour insofar as how you can relax your body and/or feel different sensations whilst under hypnosis i.e. tingling, warm, heavy or light. Thus demonstrating on how powerful your mind is controlling your behaviour. You will then be shown how you can stop smoking as this power is within your unconscious mind to do so.

How many sessions will I need?

Before a session is booked I will talk to you over the telephone to gather some information about your smoking history, previous attempts of giving up and why you want to give up smoking. I offer a 30 minutes free telephone conversation in order to take this information.

The next step is a one off 90 minute session. Alternatively, some clients may like two separate 50 minute sessions. The latter must be undertaken within 48 hours.