Stop Smoking

At the University of Iowa, Frank Schmidt and research student Chockalingham Viswesvaran conducted a study to find the most effective method for stopping smoking. They used meta-analysis, utilising the results of more than 600 studies totalling nearly 72,000 people.

The amazing results, which included 48 studies of hypnosis covering 6000 smokers, were published in the Journal of Applied Psychology. The result? Hypnosis was the hands down winner, beating aversion therapy, acupuncture, nicotine gum and nicotine patches.

Did you know?
The American Journal of Clinical Hypnotherapy published a report that showed that 94% of patients that stopped smoking through hypnosis were still not smoking 18 months later.

Smoking is partly addiction and partly habit. Most smokers begin smoking during their teenage years when curiosity to experiment and 'look the part' is at its height. From here on in the habit soon becomes established in the brain - remember those neural pathways are being formed?

10 steps to become a non-smoker
This is a hypnosis programme that will enable you to stop smoking for good, and never crave another cigarette again.

Gain the image of a non-smoker and you'll never smoke again
This is a proven behaviour modification audio program (non-hypnosis) that eliminates all desire to perform the behaviour of smoking while you relax or sleep yet still works on a subconscious level by inducing the alpha state it its own way.

The habit then becomes 'anchored' to associated events; these events may be times when you're feeling stress or anxiety and of course are also connected to those relaxing and social situations.

The addiction to smoking cigarettes operates at an unconscious level, which is why most attempts to stop by using your will power alone ends when you're at a low point and you succumb once again to the habit.

The power of the subconscious over the will power of the conscious mind is too strong and even though you may be able to stop for days, weeks, even months at a time, as soon as you re-experience particularly, a stressful event, you soon talk yourself into why it isn't so bad for you after all.

Getting to the point when you know that you've kicked the habit for good means that you are truly free of the need to smoke forever and this feels wonderful because any desire for them in any situation has gone forever - you never even consider it as a solution to ease your anxiety etc. You can now call yourself a 'non-smoker'.

Some people are concerned that when they quit smoking they'll exchange one habit for another such as eating more food. There is a potential for this to occur when you're using 'resistance' rather than dealing with those unconscious urges - in my book, working on the subconscious level really is the only way to go!

And if you're wondering whether 1-off smoking techniques work, I'd highly recommend you work with programmes that diminish your desire to smoke over a period of time that your subconscious mind agrees with - this will bring you lasting results and reduce any stress upon you mentally and physically (such as sudden withdrawal of nicotine).

About six days after you've stopped smoking completely the nicotine is gone from your system, however the habit may still exist and de-toxifying your body may take months even years depending upon how long and how many cigarettes or cigars you have smoked.

I presume that because you're reading this page you are in fact considering stopping smoking - your willingness to change is of itself a huge positive step in the right direction.

You can take it a step further now by writing down on a sheet of paper your motivations for stopping, and pin them by your desk or in your bathroom, somewhere you go to every day so that you'll read them. This will set up a blue print for your subconscious mind to act upon and drives you positively towards your goal.

Secondly, set up a new habit of drinking plenty of water. About 10 glasses per day or 2 to 3 litres is recommended. When you feel the desire for a cigarette, drink a glass of water instead. In some instances this may alleviate the desire for that cigarette and that's one less you have smoked today!

Drinking water will also help cleanse your body and eliminate toxins. Smoking severely dehydrates the body and you'll most certainly notice a benefit of more energy by employing this simple singular tip.

When working with a client who wanted to stop smoking, I noticed that they would very often feel bad about the cigarettes they were still smoking even when they were cutting down quite significantly. If it is your tendency to focus on what you think you're not achieving, adopt praising yourself for your efforts instead - this will motivate you towards your goal, whereas negative self-feedback can lead you back into the undesired habit.

Take a look at the Smoking Statistics page - print it out and keep it beside you during the day and read it whenever you feel the urge to smoke.