Using Hypnosis To Quit Smoking

Probably one of the hardest things a person will ever do is to make the decision and then follow through on the commitment to stop smoking. The challenge is that nicotine is highly addictive

from a psychological and physiological standpoint. For some people wanting to quit smoking, pills are expensive and other methods not effective. In this case, hypnosis is used and interestingly, it works. Numerous studies have been conducted specific to hypnosis and smoking and the results show that whether used as the only treatment or along with prescribed medication, hypnosis is a great tool to help a person stop smoking.

People that try to kick the nicotine habit need to stop beating themselves up. After all, the number of smokers that have quit but experienced a relapse is high. In fact, to be 100% successful, it takes the average person up to four attempts before finally putting the habit to rest. The great thing about using hypnosis to stop smoking is that in addition to helping with cravings and withdrawal symptoms, it also gets to the underlying reason the person started smoking.

The Way Hypnosis Works to Help People Stop Smoking

Cigarettes contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance that affects the cholinergic pathway associated with the brain. What makes smoking so fascinating is that it can energize a person, creating a better sense of awareness and quicker reaction time while also calming a person down with a sense of euphoric. Nicotine is the only substance known that is both an upper and a downer, which is why it is so addictive. With hypnotherapy, the individual that wants to stop smoking is trained to have positive and healthy thoughts and behaviors that create the same level of energy, concentration, and alertness that nicotine offers but without harmful chemicals.

When cigarettes are smoked, the nicotine encourages the brain to release hormones known as endorphins and dopamine, which are a naturally produced type of morphine but stronger. With this, the brain wants to experience more pleasurable moments and activities. Therefore, nicotine causes the brain to release chemicals that encourage a sense of calm and happiness that feels good. However, smoking is not just dangerous but deadly. Hypnotherapy can help a person stop smoking in that it shows the brain ways of releasing endorphins and dopamine without chemicals.

Another interesting fact about nicotine is that glutamate, a neurotransmitter stimulating memory and the ability to learn is released. This neurotransmitter works in the body by building better and stronger pathways between various neuron sets but for smokers, it actually enhances the addiction to nicotine by making the memory of feeling good while smoking stronger. The great thing about hypnotherapy is that the old connections created by nicotine are broken and the brain is taught new ways of building connections but in a healthy manner.

Dr. Joseph Barber, a renowned researcher with the University of Washington discovered that hypnotherapy specific to helping a person stop smoking is highly successful. In fact, through intense study, it was found that a single hypnotherapy session specific to a group of people wanting to quit smoking had a 25% success rate, still not smoking six to twelve months down the road. In addition, smokers that attended multiple hypnotherapy sessions increased success up to 66%, again remaining non-smokers up to one year later.

Without doubt, hypnotherapy is a powerful and effective tool that helps people who want to kick the cigarette habit. For people who are serious about quitting smoking, a one-time or multiple sessions would have a positive impact on the effort. Hypnotherapy could be used as a standalone treatment in the fight to stop smoking or coupled with prescribed medication.