Practicing hypnotherapists hear many peculiar statements from smokers who ask for help in quitting. The idea that cigarettes could be someone's "friend" is just one of them. One man believed that he couldn't write music unless he was smoking. Others have been convinced that they couldn't relax unless they were inhaling tobacco fumes. Those people were suffering from what I have come to call "tobacco hypnosis". They had hypnotized themselves into some odd beliefs about the effects of tobacco and smoking.
It's easy to understand how some of the "tobacco hypnosis" beliefs came about. For example, the notion that smoking is relaxing has a basis in fact. Taking a deep breath and holding it for a few seconds before exhaling does result in a relaxation response. The response of the body to deep breathing is so strong that it overrides the drug effects of the nicotine, which is a stimulant that increases muscle tension, raises blood pressure, and constricts circulation. Consider the power of suggestion,too. A great many people believe that smoking is relaxing, so relaxation becomes a self fulfilling prophesy. They relax while smoking because they believe that smoking causes relaxation. The power of that belief empowers the mind to actually reverse the drug effects of the nicotine.
Those kinds of beliefs can make it difficult for smokers to quit. After all, they're not just putting down a bad habit, they're giving up a friend, or worse yet, their ability to relax! Of course, all humans have the ability to relax without inhaling cigarette fumes, taking drugs, or a hot bath. However much some smokers may believe otherwise, we all have the capacity to take a break, or a deep breath, or to change our mood quickly with a smile, an expletive, or a good laugh.
The job of the hypnotherapist is to help clients loosen or blow out obstructing beliefs so that they can quit smoking easily. Humor works exceptionally well with "Cigarettes are my friend". Simply look at the smoker quizzically, and ask, "Do you pull out cigarettes and have long conversations with them about all the things going on in your life? Or, maybe you put a pack on the pillow next to you and say 'Good night' before turning out the lights?" Usually, the response is a surprised laugh, and a smiling "no".
The notion that cigarettes are relaxing can go up in smoke just as quickly. It's simply a matter of explaining the stimulant effects of nicotine, and then having the smoker take a deep breath, hold for a few seconds, and then exhale as if blowing out cigarette smoke. Physical relaxation always follows, and without a single puff on a cigarette! Experiencing the relaxation from a deep breath is usually a strong convincer to a smoker who believed that they could only relax by smoking. And since, people usually relax when going into a hypnotic state, as well, it's easy for the hypnotherapist to have them memorize the feelings for later.
Perhaps the most difficult and oppressive belief for smokers to give up is that cigarettes are "addicting". Surprised that anyone could disagree after all the publicity that's been given to the scientific research that's been done on tobacco? From a hypnotherapist's point of view, the word "addiction" means something different when applied to tobacco versus narcotics like heroin. And, making that distinction can be crucial in helping a smoker quit, because a smoker's belief in addiction can turn into a self fulfilling prophesy of struggle and difficulty, hardly the ideal mindset for successfully quitting.
So what is the difference between heroin and tobacco? Someone addicted to heroin will go into withdrawal, feel sick and experience physical cravings too strong to ignore on a regular basis, say every 6 hours. Some smokers report having no cravings or withdrawal for 8 hours at work, "because smoking is not allowed", although the first thing they when leaving is to light up. Others will forget cigarettes for an hour or two at a movie or church. And, no one seems to be awakened fifteen times a night by nicotine withdrawal. Once awakened a smoker may indulge, but it isn't craving a cigarette that wakes them up in the first place. A heroin addict does not sleep through withdrawal cravings, or put off the next fix for a while just because it's inconvenient.
This is not to downplay the difficulties that so many have had in quitting cigarettes. Their struggles, including cravings and unpleasant physical sensations, have been real, generated by a combination of supporting beliefs, and nicotine. Changing those beliefs is just one of the tools that hypnotherapist uses in helping smokers quit easily and for good.
Wesley Anderson, DCH can be contacted through Healthy Life Centers at (888) 865-1870 and http://www.iwanttoquitsmoking.com
Translated to mean man root in Chinese, the name ginseng... Read More
Have you ever attempted to perform a simple act and... Read More
Herbal Medicine is the oldest form of health care known... Read More
Aromatherapy Goes 'High Tech'New methods of essential oil extraction are... Read More
A recent case in the news highlights an alarming trend... Read More
The first of January will bring a new group of... Read More
I'm sure you know what it's like to be sick.... Read More
I discovered something completely, 100% amazing about 5 years ago.... Read More
When you are in the season of the mosquito, it... Read More
Essential Oils are the heartbeat of the plant kingdom, and... Read More
Since the late 1960's, wheatgrass has become frequently discussed in... Read More
Alex Wrote;"What is the difference after the kundalini awakens, and... Read More
The ancient Egyptians used aromatherapy thousands of years ago. Aromatherapy,... Read More
What It IsAyurveda is the traditional medical system of sub-continental... Read More
(*In this group are included pain in the back, neck,... Read More
...and one of these tips you can get from a... Read More
CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) therapies are generally classified into... Read More
The most effective way to use the subconscious for pain... Read More
Breathing is the source of life: if breathing stops, do... Read More
Just about everyone asks themselves why? Why did I get... Read More
Glutamate is one of the most important transmitters of chronic... Read More
Home Remedies - Facts or Quacks?That's what I recently asked... Read More
Just when you thought you had all the fun you... Read More
NET or Neuro Emotional Technique is one of the newer... Read More
The organic movement, which started with organic food, is moving... Read More
Given below the list of Best Home Remedies for all... Read More
"The smallest pain in our little finger gives us more... Read More
Dandelions are not weeds! They are wild vegetables. In Greek... Read More
Natural Health is a form of alternative lifestyle whereby individuals... Read More
Asperger's syndrome is a condition common in young children who... Read More
Sitz bath using juniper and lavender oilsIf you have swollen... Read More
It is hard to believe, almost unthinkable. Everyday we are... Read More
Much of what goes on in our bodies is controlled... Read More
The common ginger root used in cooking has been found... Read More
Low back pain is one of the most common pain... Read More
If you're like most of us who have known chronic... Read More
An interesting area of alternative medicine that is advancing rapidly... Read More
Caring for an Alzheimer's patient is one of the most... Read More
Life in today's hectic society is going more and more... Read More
Suffering from neck, back and shoulder pain? If you are,... Read More
Practicing hypnotherapists hear many peculiar statements from smokers who ask... Read More
Hypnosis is probably not what you think it is. Hypnosis... Read More
Have you been diagnosed with genital warts caused by the... Read More
From jeweled necklaces to ankle bracelets, and all the tops... Read More
Running with knees that hurt and are not getting better... Read More
Garlic is another wonder herb. It has action in all... Read More
What It IsIn Homeopathy, extremely dilute preparations are given to... Read More
Massage ?not the areas that hurtSome experts think that arthritic... Read More
Polyphasic sleep - also known as *Uberman's Sleep Schedule*, consists... Read More
Integrating my dark side was a fairly torturous process for... Read More
I recently received a question from one of my readers... Read More
Magnetic energy has been in use for reducing pain and... Read More
Why Your Subconscious May Be Able To Give You a... Read More
If you are overweight, you know it by how you... Read More
There is quite a bit of talk going on about... Read More
Better Living With Essential OilsPractical formulas you can use in... Read More
Aromatherapy originated in Ancient Egypt. About a hundred years ago,... Read More
There are many theories about what causes fibromyalgia. One is... Read More
No doubt you've heard of Green Tea and the health... Read More
When your body is toxic, toxins hide and embed themselves... Read More
The Origin of AromatherapySince the beginning ? from the time... Read More
A laxative is defined as,A substance that is used to... Read More
Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex neurobehavioral disorder of... Read More
Before anyone experiences hypnosis and starts using it to make... Read More
Apple Juice, Figs and RaisinsHere's another constipation home remedy using... Read More
Cascara Sagrada comes from the bark of the buckthorn tree.... Read More
Alternative Medicine |