Why is it so difficult to give up smoking?

Research has found that there are far more intricate factors involved in why some people find it easier to give up smoking, whilst others despite having tried, fail. Recognising which smoking cues makes someone reach for the cigarettes, will aid them in breaking this highly addictive habit.

There are a number of smoking cues that smokers have and indeed, they may have a combination of some, or all. These range from the smell of cigarettes, seeing others smoke, drinking alcohol, feelings of boredom, feelings of anxiety or being stressed to physiological cravings.

For instance if we take someone who is trying to give up smoking and they find that the smell of cigarettes gives them the urge to light up. Let’s say for arguments sake they’ve abstained from smoking for 5 days and suddenly they’re walking along and smell cigarette smoke. What researches have found is that in first few weeks of giving up, the actual smoking cues become heightened especially stimuli linked to nicotine i.e. smell and taste which a person associates with going out for a drink or socialising. This creates a physiological and a psychological craving which maybe so overwhelming, they simply give in.

Moreover, research has found that some people are far more sensitive to nicotine, which may result in them relapsing within the first few weeks.

Whilst nicotine may cause strong cravings in the first couple of weeks, research has found that this is replaced with psychomotor habits. This is the habit formed when reaching for the cigarette. This behaviour is automatic and without conscious thought. Once again the brain at this stage becomes extremely heightened at circumstances that you associate with lightening up and before you know it you’re reaching for the cigarettes.

Some people may say it is a fait accompli and that they are doomed to ever give up smoking, and so they don’t bother. This is not the case. Hypnosis can be a powerful tool to quit smoking.

Hypnosis can help you tackle the smoking cues. For example the hypnotherapist could build in an aversion to stop you ‘lighting’ up. This is when a suggestion is made to a person whilst under hypnosis, that if they light up and attempt to smoke, it will taste foul. Perhaps a taste they dislike i.e. marmite, tar, bitter lemons.

This has been found to be effective in preventing relapse in the first couple of weeks, especially in tackling nicotine craving.

There are, however some schools of thought who question the ethics of using such a technique. But it has been suggested that by adopting a time specific aversion strategy; of perhaps no longer than 2 weeks, and associated with cigarettes only, is far more beneficial to a client than smoking.

The hypnotherapist can also help you tackle all the smoking cues by giving you suggestions to your success at quitting smoking and helping your subconscious ‘re-learn’ behaviour that it doesn’t need to smoke.

There’s no denying that giving up smoking isn’t easy but if you are motivated to give up and you know your smoking cues, then hypnosis has been shown to be an extremely effective weapon against this killer habit.