Saturday 2 October 2010

Smoking Cessation & Hypnosis

Can hypnotherapy combat smoking addiction?
Hypnotherapy puts a person into a relaxed state so that the therapist can establish contact with the client’s unconscious mind. This is arguably the best method to convince a smoker who genuinely wants to give up their habit to quit smoking. It is called smoking cessation hypnosis. There are various stages in this very specific kind of hypnosis which is aimed at making the smoker to lead a smoke free life.
For any smoker, the decision to quit the habit will be a difficult and often painful one. Nicotine is a powerful chemical and hence the addiction levels are generally very high. Many people are not able to get rid of the habit due to this reason.
For those who believe that they do not have mental ability to do away with their habit, smoking cessation hypnosis can often be an important solution.
Hypnosis is a complex process whereby one person relaxes another, this puts the hypnotized person into a very suggestible state. After getting hypnotized, one is in a position to accept the suggestions of the other person and do activities which would not have been otherwise possible in their normal, conscious state of mind. The unconscious mind will, however, always have the best interests of that person in focus - so you cannot be hypnotized to do anything that may break your moral code. Thus hypnosis is an effective solution to quit smoking for those who have the conviction to leave the habit but are not able to resist the temptations.
Smoking cessation hypnosis is a scientific method and requires a trained professional to administer it. One should not try to implement hypnotherapy unless properly trained to do so. It is a practice which needs to be implemented methodically and professionally. Only when the specifics of a smoking cessation session are administered correctly will the patient will be able to progress.
By and large many clients will be suited to undergo hypnosis smoking cessation irrespective of their medical case history. However in some cases, hypnosis may not be appropriate.
In the initial stage the hypnotist will take efforts to explain the harmful effects of smoking and how a smoker becomes addicted. They will also gather information on the strategies currently being appropriated to tempt the client to continue their unwanted bad habit. The basic aim is to make the client understand the intricacies so that they get to know that up until that point, they have been committing a mistake - repeatedly. Once they are aware of this fact, ideally they will not subject themselves to any other substitute bad habits, or be tempted again further down the line should somebody try to convince them to have a smoke.

The next stage marks the actual process of hypnosis. In this process the smoker is placed into a hypnotic trance. After that the cigarette is compared to an unwanted element by making use of complex simile and metaphor. After this is done the therapist may explain the harm that the cigarette has done to them thus far by making use of more figurative speech. The smoker is then given a few alternatives to get rid of their habit (they are at liberty to make their own choice).
The therapist will then continue this process into the next stage. In this stage the smoker is totally convinced that they should quit smoking by making further powerful use of figurative speech.
Even if you have decided to quit smoking you will often be tempted to smoke in the future. For anyone, it will be difficult to renounce any habit all of a sudden. One popular reason for this could be choosing an ineffective method or choosing one that is not appropriate for you. Unless you succeed in making the right move no amount of efforts will help you to quit smoking.
Why Quit Smoking?
The first and foremost reason for quitting smoking is your health. Smoking destroys your health and leads to many fatal diseases including lung cancer. You not only waste your money and damage your health but you also pollute the environment and endanger the lives of others. Your productivity and concentration are both affected more so when you smoke while working.
Quit Smoking Aids
Quit smoking aids help you to give up the habit of smoking. Some of them include nicotine replacement products and therapies like smoking cessation hypnosis. These aids may not work if your addiction levels are very high. Most of them do not have side effects, but some may not be suitable for consumption if you are pregnant or already suffering from some diseases like lung cancer. There are lots of ways to help quit smoking. They range from therapies to counselling to Smoking cessation programs. Lots of books are out there to help you with guidelines and are full of tips to quit smoking. You can also avail the services of a smoking cessation centre. Lots of websites also offer you information and instructions to quit smoking. You need to plan how to quit smoking before choosing a particular method.
Ayurvedic and Yoga
Ayurvedic treatment for smoking is quite different from other methods. In an ayurvedic treatment the objective is not only to curtail smoking but also to take care of body, mind and spirit. This treatment not only helps to quit smoking but also helps to cure the areas or parts of the body affected by smoking by natural means. Other methods also work on the same principles but their delivery is on an artificial basis. Ayurvedic treatment does not rely on one particular method for quitting smoking. On the contrary this system incorporates many methods and ensures that the person is able to get rid of smoking in a natural way. Ayurveda recommends a few medicines and exercises to help the person to get rid of smoking.

Lots of standard methods for regulating breath and exercises for relieving stress are taught in yoga. If you regularly practice them you are sure to achieve remarkable results. Certain physical postures have to be maintained while performing yoga exercises. If you follow those postures your muscles will be stretched and your mind will be relaxed. You will not only be able to get rid of a smoking habit but you can give yourself the best chance of being free from any vice if you regularly practice yoga.
Counselling
Counselling is another effective method which helps you to eliminate the habit of smoking. In this method more emphasis is on the mind than the body. The counsellor makes a psychological impact on the smoker and attempts to convince them to quit the habit of smoking. The smoker is often encouraged to express their difficulties, which can also be rectified if need be.
What does a smoking cessation program offer?
If you feel that you have succumbed to an addictive smoking behaviour and you want professional help, then a smoking cessation program will probably fit your bill. It is always advisable to choose programs after proper scrutiny.
A decent smoking cessation program is designed to help you to quit your habit of smoking. Classroom instructions, Anti smoking aids, counselling or hypnosis and any other method devised to enable a person to stop smoking is referred to as a smoking cessation program.
No smoking cessation program should ever guarantee results, however you should follow the instructions and act accordingly to be assured of the best chance of success to kick your habit.