The dangers of smoking have been studied and analyzed for years. The detrimental effect of smoking on people’s health and their activities is now public knowledge, and many people who have become addicted to smoking are now looking for ways to quit from Cold-Turkey to Prescription Medication.

      First, we must get the guilt out of the system. Feeling guilty about anything is useless. It does not make us move any faster or with any more conviction. Therefore, first: smoking is just smoking. Hold this in your mind.

     Most stop-smoking programs work at increasing the individual’s strength to resist the desire to smoke. Or the individual continues to put Nicotine into his/her body via the Patch.  Others rely on willpower, and for most people, that is the worst method of quitting smoking. Willpower alone fluctuates like moods and emotions. One day it will be strong, the next day it is weak.

     Hypnosis works at eliminating the desire to smoke, whether it is from identification or replacement, the two principle reasons why we start smoking.

    Identification smokers started to indulge in the habit because he/she admired (or associated) with others who smoke, like parents, peers, or celebrities. He/she may want to look sophisticated, mature or just older. Identification smoking is the most common and the easiest to eliminate.

    Replacement smoking usually takes the place of a previous habit (such as overeating). It is used to replace an emotion or something that is missing in the smokers life; such as love, acceptance, self-esteem. Replacement smokers will often receive sensual gratification from smoking. He/she may enjoy the feeling of the cigarette in their mouth or the taste of the tobacco rather than the rush of the first drag. For cigar and pipe smokers, the act of lighting up often becomes a pleasurable ritual.

    For both types of smokers, smoking is both a physical and mental process. For a Stop Smoking program to be effective, it must address both processes.

   To address the psychological aspects of smoking, the Hypnotherapist usually includes an evaluation of why the person started smoking? For the Identification Smoker, suggestions might be given to help strengthen a person’s perception of his/her individuality. Suggestions like not needing to smoke to be accepted are helpful. For the Replacement Smoker, a more detailed analysis of their motivation is required and healthier choices to replace the emotional need are made.

   To address the physical aspects of smoking, the Hypnotherapist may include suggestions that will change the perception or image of smoking. By offering a variety of suggestions that help the body adjust easily and rapidly will help to make quitting easier while not gaining weight.  

    Hypnosis takes advantage of the mind’s powerful natural ability to imagine. The client imagines him/herself free from the habit, and filled with new health, energy and vitality. The client creates images of him/herself looking healthier, being more attractive as well as being more active.

    Once a smoker has achieved success in a stop-smoking program it is necessary to reinforce the programming that led to quitting. Smoking is a habit that is acquired and built over time. It can rarely be completely eliminated in an instant. Even though the individual may have stopped smoking, that old behavior pattern still remains.

    Fortunately, it fades when not used. Reinforced with audio tapes used for 30 days,  the changes will become permanent.

    What your mind causes, your mind can correct. Wellness begins in your mind. Every problem has a cause, and when you eliminate the cause from the subconscious mind, the problem will disappear.

Hypnosis works!

What you believe you can do, you will. You can change your life through the power of your mind.

     We have developed a new program, Heal the need to smoke. This is a five week process, you did not start smoking overnight. The program works on the inner needs that keep you smoking. Please consider this when all the other programs fail.

    We would like to hear from you with any questions or comments on this topic.  Please contact  us at Comments@pghc.net (please include your topic in the subject line)

© IMDHA   Revised - PGHC, Inc 2001