Do you want to quit smoking? The science shows it can be an effective tool to kick your smoking habit. Many people struggle to quit smoking. Research suggests that it may take 30 attempts to finally stop.
Smoking is the single best thing you can do for yourself and your health. Smoking is America’s leading preventable cause death.
Hypnosis helps you quit smoking by looking into the psychological reasons for your addiction. It can be difficult to quit smoking, but it can improve your overall health and reduce your risk of developing diseases and premature death.
Let’s explore some of the risks of smoking, the benefits of quitting, as well as how hypnotherapy may help people quit.
The dangers that smoking poses
Worldwide, over 1.1 million people smoke according to the World Health Organisation. Although it may seem like a staggeringly large number, this is actually a decrease in the global smoking rate. In fact, there are 29,000,000 fewer smokers than 2000.
Tobacco smoking is extremely dangerous. It is the number one cause of lung cancer and is responsible to 70% of all cases.
According to the CDC 1 out 5 deaths in America are caused by smoking each year. This means that smoking can cause more deaths than HIV/AIDS, illegal drug abuse, alcohol use, car accidents, or firearm-related incidents.
The risk of developing cancer has been proven to be high from smoking.
Bladder
Blood (acutemyeloid leukemia).
Cervix
Colon and Rectum (colorectal).
Esophagus
Kidneys and ureters
Larynx
Liver
Oropharynx: This includes parts of the throat and tongue, soft palate, tonsils, and vocal cords.
Pancreas
Stomach
Lung, bronchus, and tracea
Also, smoking increases your risk of many illnesses, including:
Heart failure
Lung diseases
Strokes
Cataracts
Infertility
Nearly half all smokers die early from smoking-related illnesses. On average, a smoker lives ten longer than someone who isn’t.
Why is it so difficult for smokers to quit?
You might wonder why so many people still smoke. It is because it is extremely difficult for most people to quit smoking.
BMJ Open revealed that even experts can underestimate how hard it is to quit smoking in a 2016 study. Cancer.org provides helpful resources. They state that it can take “several attempts” to quit smoking. It can take you 30+ attempts to quit smoking, according to the BMJ open study.
The withdrawal symptoms from nicotine withdrawal can make quitting smoking difficult. Nicotine is an addictive chemical found within cigarettes. It makes people want more nicotine, even if it’s not something they are trying to quit.
The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Journal published a study that showed that the brain responds to smoking by continuing to smoke.
If you start smoking, nicotine can target the reward system of your brain, the ventral area (VTA), to stimulate pleasure and aversion. In other words, you may have tried the taste, but wanted more.
You may experience brain reward system changes if you continue smoking. When you smoke, nicotine releases dopamine (the chemical that makes you feel good). This teaches your brain to keep doing the same thing. This stage is when you no longer feel repelled from smoking and instead start to want them.
Once nicotine dependence is established, your brain will stop chasing the addictive pleasures of smoking. It will instead focus on the unpleasant feelings of having no nicotine in you system.
Resignation from smoking
The more you smoke, your body will require more nicotine to feel ‘normal. If your body doesn’t receive nicotine, it can make you feel uncomfortable and even crave cigarettes.
The withdrawal symptoms can start as soon as the last cigarette is gone. When someone quits smoking, they may experience severe withdrawal symptoms. These include:
Want to try nicotine?
Nausea
Headache
Abdominal pain
Aches, pains and discomfort
The withdrawal from nicotine could also cause sleep and mental problems such as:
Irritability
Anxiety
Depression
Concentration difficulties
Insomnia
Hypnotherapy might be an option if you are looking to quit smoking and wish to prevent withdrawal symptoms. A study has shown that hypnotherapy can be used to help quit smoking or overcome nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
Quitting smoking is a good idea.
Smoking is good for you, no matter what your age. Quitting smoking sooner is better for your health. You’ll also be less likely to develop serious health issues.
Here are some of the many benefits of quitting smoking
Reduced risk of death from diseases and premature death: Quitting smoking will improve your overall health and your quality of life. You can also get years back that you would have lost if you died too young.
Higher energy levels: The levels of carbon monoxide in the blood are greater in people who smoke. This causes a decrease in oxygen and makes it difficult for the body to function properly. Smoking cessation allows the body to produce less carbon monoxide, which is good for the lungs as well as muscles. The brain is also more alert due to higher levels of oxygen.
Smoking causes skin to age faster, leading to more youthful skin. Smoking can cause skin to become dry and dull. But quitting can reverse this trend and provide the skin with the nutrients it needs. Your skin will look better over time.
Better breathing: You may experience a 10% increase in your lung capacity within one year after quitting smoking. This allows you more daily tasks to be completed without getting out of breath. You might also lose your’smoker’s cuff’ eventually. Any breathing conditions, including asthma, should improve.
There is less stress: Smoking has been shown to increase long-term stress levels. Even though quitting smoking can be hard at first, it may help to lower stress levels in the long-term.
Financial Benefits: An average pack of cigarettes in the US costs $6. This can add up over time. A pack-a-day habit of smoking will cost you around $180 per monthly or $2200 each year. Stop smoking can save you up to $22,000 in ten-years.
What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy blends hypnosis with suggestions to improve your control over your body and mind.
Hypnosis is described as being able to focus and absorb your attention. It allows you to be more open to new ideas. It is a natural process, similar to when your attention becomes absorbed in an activity such as driving on the highway or reading a novel.
Hypnosis clinical has been used to treat many medical conditions, such as:
Irritable bowel syndrome
Anxiety disorders
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Alcohol addiction
Depression
Tobacco addiction
Using a hypnotist to stop smoking
Hypnosis is an established practice in medicine that has been proven to be effective for quitting smoking.
Hypnotherapy, which works from within, is an alternative to nicotine replacement therapy.
Hypnotherapy doesn’t replace or slowly decrease the addictive chemicals in your body. Instead, it breaks down the negative habits and thought patterns that go along with smoking.
Hypnosis treatments may also target unconscious motivations for smoking. These might include the desire for acceptance, stress reduction, boredom or loneliness. It might also address some unconscious smoking triggers (such as driving, pouring drinks, or finishing meals) and help break these associations.
The therapist may make suggestions for alternative ways to smoke during a session of hypnotherapy. Patients might also be asked to envision the worst consequences of smoking. One example is that the hypnotherapist could suggest that smoking causes problems in the lungs or that cigarette smoke can smell bad.
The Spiegel method is a very popular method of smoking Hypnosis. It has three main ideas.
Smoking is a form of poison
The body has the right for protection against smoke
Life as a nonsmoker offers many benefits
This works by acting on the smoker’s underlying instincts to lessen their desire to smoke. You can also strengthen your ability and ability to quit. The method can also help them to concentrate more effectively by increasing their concentration.
How does hypnosis work with smoking?
Although science doesn’t know for sure how hypnosis works with smoking cessation at the moment, there are several theories that could explain why hypnosis is useful.
Hypnotherapy may help you change your’smoking attitude’. Hypnotherapy can help to shift your mindset about smoking. The suggestions of your therapist might help you to face and accept the risks of smoking. These suggestions may feel uncomfortable at first but can help you quit smoking, and overcome your cravings.
Hypnotherapy could help you get rid of the habit. A key component of hypnotherapy involves letting go old routines and challenging smoking habits. Hypnotherapy assists in breaking negative thoughts and habits associated with smoking.
Long-term quit efforts may be supported by hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy’s benefits go far beyond the session. Hypnosis allows you to learn how to hypnotize you (also known self-hypnosis). Certain words or phrases can be used to help you overcome your desire to smoke.
Some research suggests that hypnosis can relax smokers and help them quit smoking.
Find out if hypnotherapy can help you quit smoking by taking this Quit Smoking Quiz.
Hypnosis is a science-based method to quit smoking
Multiple studies have proven the effectiveness of using hypnosis to help with smoking addiction. The evidence for hypnosis in smoking cessation has been limited and there is not enough research.
In conclusion, hypnotherapy has been supported by numerous studies conducted over the last ten-years to help smokers quit smoking. These include:
In 2014, 160 smokers with serious lung conditions participated in a randomised controlled trial. This study compared the effectivenesss of nicotine therapy, hypnotherapy and a combination of both. It found that smokers who received hypnotherapy 3 months and 6 month after their hospitalization were more likely to stop smoking.
A 2012 meta-study also found that hypnotherapy may help smokers quit. However, more research is required to establish hypnotherapy’s effectiveness in helping smokers quit.
A 2019 meta-study comparing 14 studies regarding the effectiveness of smoking cessation hypnosis found that it was equal to behavioral interventions.
There are many benefits to hypnotherapy when you want to quit smoking
Hypnotherapy could be a good choice if you’re looking to change your smoking habits or see your addiction from psychological perspectives.
The many benefits of hypnotherapy are numerous.
Hypnotherapy’s safety record is exceptional. A large review of 5 studies has shown that hypnotherapy works well for many clinical conditions. Although hypnotherapy has been shown to be extremely safe, it should not be recommended for anyone suffering from psychotic symptoms (e.g. hallucinations).
Hypnotherapy is generally cheaper than other therapy sessions. Counseling or cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) are more expensive. At-home hypnotherapy sessions can be accessed via apps on your mobile phone and are cheaper than in-person sessions.
Hypnotherapy can be less expensive than nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). On average, NRT costs $185. Research has shown that NRT can be expensive as it takes people around 30 attempts to quit. It costs $150 to $250 to have hypnotherapy done in-person. Some people only need one to feel the effects.
Hypnotherapy works well with other methods. If you want to make changes in your behavior and get rid of nicotine dependence, Hypnotherapy could be combined safely with other methods, such as nicotine replacement therapy, gums, patches, or inhalers.
The Wrap-Up
To quit smoking is difficult. Although science has shown the dangers associated with smoking, it is very difficult to quit. Hypnotherapy may be used alone or with other methods such as nicotine replacement therapy to help you quit smoking. Hypnotherapy is a method that targets physiological triggers and gets people to see the consequences of smoking. Although it can be hard to kick an addiction, especially if it is a lifetime habit, hypnotherapy could help you quit smoking.
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