Do you want to quit smoking? Have you “tried everything” but still smoke? Smoking can be one of the hardest things to quit but hypnosis can make it so much easier! The biggest problem smokers face is dealing with breaking the habit of smoking. Habits are formed by your conscious mind actively deciding to do an activity. The longer your mind decides to do it, the more programmed it becomes in your subconscious. Changing your subconscious mind can be next to impossible on your own. Hypnotherapy is simply the act of reprogramming your subconscious mind.
Not ready to quit? Often times people will try to quit because their doctor told them they have to, their spouse or other family member is begging them to, or they understand the health risks and “know” they should but don’t want to. Hypnosis alone will not work in these cases. However, coaching can be the answer! Let’s explore why you smoke, why you don’t want to quit, and any fears you might have. Through coaching, you can find the will to want to quit.
Tender Empowerment believes that smoking is more of a habit than an addiction. That is great news as habits are much easier to break. It can be very beneficial to start thinking about your smoking in great detail before your first session. Some things to consider include:
1. Paying really close attention to your smoking habit. This can include keeping a journal. Pay attention to when, why and how you feel when you smoke. Also pay attention to who is with you.
2. Think about other things that you enjoy doing. Come in with a list of things that you enjoy doing or things you would be able to put in place of smoking. So much of smoking is habit and replacing smoking with something else can be a really helpful tool. You know yourself best so being prepared with some things you already do to share with your hypnotherapist.
3. Talk to your loved ones about being supportive A lot of time, loved ones think they are being helpful but they can cause harm by the things they say and the way they say them. For example, if they see you smoking when you are in the process of quitting, they might say something such as “I thought you were quitting” or “How many cigarettes is that today?” This can actually cause someone to stop quitting. Having someone congratulate you for not smoking or even not saying anything at all, can be way more beneficial.
4. Be prepared for quitting to be a process Most likely you didn’t start smoking yesterday so expecting to quit smoking after one day seems a bit unreasonable. It is a process and a journey. Try not to put a timeline on yourself (for example: I will quit smoking by Valentine’s day”) Congratulate yourself on the small steps but don’t be too hard on yourself if you feel your progress should be faster.
Other things to consider:
Paying attention to everything having to do with smoking is the most important thing you can do. If you stop at the same gas station every day to buy cigarettes, that is part of your ritual. You might have made friends with the cashiers or other daily patrons.
Many clients talk about how smoking gives them that break they need. Really think about what other things you can do to get that break. It is a sad fact that most jobs recognize smoke breaks but not other breaks as much. You might need to discuss this issue with your boss to see what options you have.
Another issue is that a great deal of smokers smoke with certain people or doing certain activities. This can be a huge reason why people don’t quit but there are ways around this as well. The more you can pay attention to these issues, the more hypnosis can help you overcome them.
Think about what it is that you dislike about smoking. Make a list of all ways your life will be better when you are smoke free. Think about the money you will save and make a plan for what you will use that money on. We can do these steps together if you are struggling with them.
Tender Empowerment currently offers a detailed program for those who need it and other options for those who don’t. Each perspective smoking cessation client must attend a free consultation call and complete intake paperwork before the first session will be booked. These steps are to ensure that clients have the best possible outcome and create the permanent change that they are seeking.
Schedule your free consultation today to learn more about how hypnotherapy can help you! Sessions are available both in person and virtually via your favorite platform.