Because one very important component of stopping smoking is learning how to change your thinking about cigarettes, and your dependence on them, hypnosis can be a valuable tool in gaining the new perspective and clarity you need in order to overcome your habit. Based on the power of a simple suggestion, hypnosis may focus on:- how bad cigarettes are for your health- the strength of your willpower- how unappealing cigarettes really are- how easy it is going to be for you to give smoking up
The main requirement for hypnosis to be successful is the true desire to quit smoking. With that desire and intention already in place, hypnosis uses simple techniques to help you believe in your ability to quit, reduce your desire to smoke, and promote a deep state of relaxation that will help eliminate any underlying stress-related causes of your smoking.
Hypnosis can take place in a private or group session, or you may use cd's and books to practice the techniques on yourself at home. Combined with a genuine desire to quit, hypnosis claims better success rates than any other smoking cessation method. Although it may be used in combination with other strategies, most practitioners maintain that this is not generally necessary.
The effectiveness of hypnosis relies on your willingness to participate, and is not something that can be done to someone who does not want to quit. However, almost anyone who is willing can be hypnotized, and with impressive results. Some people fear that hypnosis will involve them losing control, when in fact the opposite is true - a hypnotist cannot suggest anything you are not open to responding to, and in a smoking cessation context, is empowering you to use your own natural resources to your greatest potential.
In choosing a hypnotist or a program, do take into consideration such things as credentials, customer testimonials, money-back guarantees, or promises that sound too good to be true. The greatest amount of credibility and accountability will be through professionals who are members of regulatory agencies, such as chartered psychologists and others who may specialize in hypnotherapy. Do some comparison shopping of the services offered and claims made in order to find the treatment that is most likely to offer the best results for you.
Like any stop smoking program, your best chance of quitting successfully will depend on you, your clarity of goals, and your determination to stick to your plan. Unlike other methods, which may inadvertently emphasize your weaknesses, hypnosis may help strengthen your belief in your ability to succeed and make obstacles easier to overcome.
The power of the mind can accomplish impressive feats, as is becoming increasingly evident in fields as diverse as sports psychology, to alternative health. Investigate your own potential for quitting healthily and with minimum discomfort, and find out what hypnosis can offer you in the way of a smoking cessation program.
