Had a friend who literally chain-smoked, she tried hypnotherapy and stopped just like that. I, and my OH, used to smoke heavily, but were able to stop after reading a book written by Alan Carr on how he quit. Before I had finished the book, I had stopped smoking, or as he says became a non-smoker, and have never wanted to smoke since - over 20 years now yeah!
Have you tried an e-cig. It involves more work (making sure you have liquid/charged etc) but will give you the nicotine without the toxins. The best part is you don't affect those around you and can still get the fix anywhere. If you do go this route invest in a decent one (long battery life, decent atomiser) as it is very easy to reach for a real one when it's not ready to go!
Downside...dry mouth and the need to be organised so you are never without it
Upside....can vape ANYWHERE and no one notices, health gets better, family and friends love you and those that can "smell" it say it smells nice!!!!
Annette, tried champix, but had to stop after 4 nights of waking up between 3 and 4 am and not being able to go back to sleep. I could live with the stomach upsets, but not sleep deprivation.
Celeste, that is what my therapist has told me to do too. I have innumerable reasons not to smoke and only one for it, which is that there is something about it that I enjoy. Unfortunately, that one pro may prove to be the difficulty in stopping despite all of the cons.
or you could just try champix!
Many of my friends have used this route effectively. Please do some googling though first so you understand the drug and how it works. You will need a doctors script and it is not suitable for all due to interactions with other script drugs or a tendancy towards psych disorders/illness. :-) Make sure those around you know that you are taking it so early odd/strange behaviour/side effects are noticed.
No, but my OH is a prime example of failed hypnotherapy. Her psychoanalyst in Switzerland was trying to get her to stop smoking as one of the big changes to her life after a failed marriage. He was a top man in his field and knew top level specialists. She was recommended on to a hypnotherapist who has written umpteen academic papers on the field. She wanted to stop. She was willing to have hypnotherapy. After a few sessions she was told she was now ready to start self helping by extending breaks between cigarettes, she tried and nothing happened. She went the distance with the hypnotherapy but no success.
She has tried three times since because all the anti-smoking pills, potions, devices and all else do not work. The last time was because she has had a serious warning from a specialist about other things smoking is doing to her including her being on the borderline of osteo-sclerosis beginning to affect her joints plus circulation problems. Hypnosis does not seem work and she is aware of all the points Celeste makes and takes them on board but it does not work. The woman she went to here said that hypnosis does not work on all people, especially in this case because my OH does not have the capacity to switch off.
Maybe she needs a stage hypnotist, just for the audience mind you, to shame her into giving up!
Yes Annette, it was the therapist I was uncomfortable with, not the hypnosis process, which I relish when done properly (i.e. in a manner which suits me). My first hypnotherapist used very similar techniques to the one I saw a few months ago, when I felt I had been truly in a trance (to use Celeste's word). The fact that I was so deeply hypnotised, but failed to quit smoking, is what leads me to the conclusion that I didn't want to stop enough - although I thought I did and still do. We'll see what happens in a couple of weeks time.
That's so funny Glyn. I have to admit I also had an uncontrollable urge to start laughing and eventually told her so. Apparently it's not uncommon, a kind of avoidance reaction to something we find uncomfortable. Personally I think it was her choice of words and tone....lol....
I have always wondered if I could by hypnotised to remember my school French - as I knew all the tenses and could speak fairly fluently in French back then. It would be a lot easier than re-learning it all !
mmm...there is a big difference between hypnosis and hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy involves sessions with a trained psych to enable the person to go to their "happy" place and remove or replace what the person wants to change. BUT the person has to have the willing to want to change and needs to use their own will power. The sessions involve going into a deep relaxed state and the practitioner reinforces the ideas with suggestion whilst the brain is in this state making it easier to remember and effect what they wanted the change in the first place.
Hypnosis is taking the person to a depth where the person will follow a directive without objecting. Certain very strong inhibitions will not be overidden, but if you tell a person under hypnosis that an onion tastes delicious they will eat it like a juicy apple!!! lol
So....not sure what you were thinking? or the direction your wondering was going....
I did hypnotherapy for smoking many years ago and found it effective to crush the obsession of having to have a packet of cigarettes with me 24/7, but my brain decided if I could stop that easily then I could equally choose to do it at any time! Bottom line was that I didn't really deep down want to stop!!!!!
It's expensive (professional fees), needs many sessions and is not 100% re persons will power.
Does that help? :-)
Hi, yes, I experienced hypnotherapy in my middle/late 20s, to help me quit smoking. It was terrific, I stopped after 2 1 hour sessions, after smoking up to 30 a day for 10+ years. Unfortunately, I started again when I was 50, and I went to see another hypnotherapist a few months ago. This time, it didn't work (so I'm seeing her again next month). They can't work miracles, so you have to really want to do whatever it is you're seeing the therapist for - stop smoking, lose weight, gain confidence, whatever.
Despite having started smoking again, the hypnotherapy has had an invaluable long term effect - relaxation. I realised whilst undergoing the therapy that I didn't even know how to completely relax, and the ability to do so has stayed with me.
I find that you need to have good rapport with the therapist for hypnosis to work well. I did see someone a few years back and her imagery just made me giggle!