Of all the methods out there to help people quit smoking , hypnosis is probably the least understood. Perhaps that should read 'most mis-understood', because hypnosis is a largely mis-understood form of therapy. You can probably blame this on all the TV and stage hypnotists out there, that have audience members on stage barking like a dog or crying like a baby for our amusement.

Regardless of whether these shows are real or staged, this popular view of hypnotism naturally generates scepticism when someone suggests using hypnosis for something like quit smoking or losing weight. The truth is that hypnosis isn't just a parlour trick to be paraded on stage and TV. It isn't some fancy magic trick, and  it doesn't mean the therapist can make you do stupid things against your will! So, what is hypnosis then?

Hypnosis is simply a form of elevated relaxation, where the conscious and subconscious minds become aligned, focused and concentrated on the same thing. A common form of hypnotic trance we have all experienced is when we become engrossed in a movie, TV show or book to such an extent that we don't notice what else is going on in the room. You become completely lost in this fantasy world , and until the trance is broken your mind is totally open to it and focused on it at the same time.

During a hypnosis session your mind becomes open to suggestions and influences, and this is how hypnosis can work to help you quit smoking. It allows the hypnotherapist to place suggestions and influences into your mind at a subconscious level. The effect is that your brain becomes reprogrammed in the way it views cigarettes, and in how it reacts to the short term negative aspects of quitting.

A regular course of hypnotherapy to quit smoking will cost you less than $1000, that is 4 sessions at around 200 bucks a pop. It may sound expensive at first glance, but when you compare that to what you would normally spend on cigarettes in a year, you will probably find it isn't.

An important point to note is that you should find the right hypnotherapist to do the job, as there are unqualified charlatans out there. Ensure that they are a qualified and licensed psychologist, and try to do some research into them before handing over your money.

As a method of quit smoking , hypnosis does very well with a success rate of 66%. And it can be fair to assume that of those 34% that failed with hypnosis, a large portion of them either didn't do the research and choose a professional hynotherapist, or weren't committed to it themselves in the first place. Compare that 66% with a 5% success rate for people who try to quit by themselves and 25% for people using Nicotine Replacement Therapy, and the difference is quite remarkable.