Ever tried to give up smoking? Found it harder than you thought? As a hypnotherapist, I have been working with smokers on and off since I qualified in 2019. Offering therapy across between three and six sessions saw my smoking clients experience success. However, recently I have felt that I want to offer something more…something different. How much better it would be if my clients could leave my therapy room after just a couple of hours, having broken free from their unwanted habit, be it smoking or vaping!
I am so excited to be able to say that this is now on offer at Hadleigh Hypnotherapy and Counselling.
Is Smoking a Habit or an Addiction?
Whist nicotine is known to be an addictive substance, the process of withdrawal doesn’t affect the body in the same way as withdrawing from heroin or alcohol. People who smoke or vape will happily sleep through eight hours at night without the need to wake up and satisfy any craving.
If we think of smoking as an addiction, we can feel powerless in its grip, convinced that the body needs this substance to survive. However, the great news is that we are not powerless, because smoking and vaping are, in fact ingrained habits.
A 2010 article published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology demonstrated how nicotine cravings are due to the psychosocial elements of smoking, rather than any physiological effect. One study involved in-flight airline staff who, for the duration of their working hours were unable to smoke. No cravings were reported because they weren’t carrying out the daily activities that they would normally associate with smoking. When the routine was changed, their cravings disappeared.
Think about that first ever cigarette. Horrible, wasn’t it? It tasted disgusting, made us cough, we felt dizzy, maybe we were sick. Our whole being was doing its very best to get rid of the toxins just introduced into it. But the alure was strong and we persisted. We wanted to look cool, appear grown up, stay slim, infuriate our parents, make friends…the list is long. It was important to us at that time and, gradually, like any repeated behaviour, the smoking became lodged in our subconscious (very much like driving, walking, writing or riding a bike do.)
We started to associate smoking with other activities and situations, such as drinking alcohol, our morning coffee, or socialising. Perhaps we came to see smoking as an excuse for a break, something to do with our hands or it instilled a sense of bravado in situations about which we are uncertain. What started as a conscious choice became a deep-seated habit, fostering in us a belief that we need it. In this way, we believe it has become part of who we are.
What About Vaping?
The downsides to smoking have been well documented over many years. Vaping, though, hasn’t really been around long enough for us to truly understand all the risks involved. Let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room here; studies of short and medium-term effects indicate that, whilst the risks are less than those of smoking (particularly in terms of cancer) the idea that vaping is a completely safe alternative to smoking is losing ground. (https://www.ukat.co.uk/hidden-dangers-of-vaping/)
Due to the way it has been marketed, it’s easy to kid ourselves that vaping is a healthy alternative to smoking. However, it hides behind a disguise of happy childhood tutti-frutti memories and cartoon packaging. And in many cases, it is readily available, with far fewer restrictions on when and where we can partake. It’s a real snake-in-the-grass.
How I Can Help You Stop Smoking and Vaping
I don’t use aversion therapy to help you stop smoking and vaping. You know the risks, you are aware of the detrimental effects that they have on different aspects of your life, so me re-iterating these to you in my therapy room is, in my opinion, just energy wasted. We can spend the time far more productively exploring your current relationship with these habits and all the benefits to you of leaving them in the past. Together, we will break the links that connect smoking and vaping to all those activities and situations that were not always connected to smoking and vaping.
Hypnotherapy
Whilst hypnotherapy can’t give you the motivation to stop smoking or vaping, if you’re genuinely committed to the process and the outcome, it will enable your release, because hypnotherapy harnesses the very power that embedded the habit in the first place. I can help your conscious and your subconscious minds to work harmoniously together. You were not born smoking or vaping. You can once again be free from smoking or vaping.
The Smoking Cessation Session
As with all my clients, I work with you as an individual, attuning your therapy to your needs. However, my stop smoking sessions generally run along the following lines;
Before you attend, I will ask that you have removed all your old smoking/vaping equipment from your home, your car, your handbag, your office, anywhere they might be lurking. You’ll not be needing them any more. Please make sure you have your final cigarette or vape at least two hours ahead of your appointment.
When you arrive, the first thing that I’ll do is show you how you can turn off any cravings quickly and easily.
After that, we will spend time exploring the history and nature of your particular habit, and what you might have done previously to try to stop. We’ll have a good look at the advantages you see of making this change, as well as talking about other positive things in your life. It is this information that I’ll use for the major part of your session.
Following this, I’ll help you into a nice, relaxed hypnotic state, where we’ll assist your subconscious to understand that it’s fine for you to finish with smoking and vaping.
Aftercare
To enable you see the best results, you’ll carry on working with your subconscious after you leave my therapy room. So that you can do this, I’ll provide you with two audio recordings for you to listen to at home. This is a really important part of your therapy, essential rather than optional. With your permission, I’ll contact you two weeks after your session to see how you’re doing. If, by this time you feel you need further support, we can meet again and explore our way forward in helping you achieve your goals.
Is Success Guaranteed?
Hypnotherapy isn’t magic. It can’t be used to override your conscious behaviours and choices, so if you are attending your session because someone has told you to do so, then you are not likely to be successful. People change when they are motivated and committed, when they want to make the change for themselves. Hypnotherapy works with your powerful subconscious in helping you to make this change.
Cost of Single-Session Smoking or Vaping Cessation
The total cost of the programme is £250.00. For this, you will receive the session itself, which will last for around two hours. In addition, you will have two audio recordings to take away with you, to continue your therapy after you return home, plus one catch-up meeting should you want this.
Please do contact me if you are interested in breaking free from these unwanted habits. I will be really happy to help you.
Charlotte
