Hypnotherapy to quit smoking - does it work?

I don't know about hypnotherapy but I know a few people who have stopped using Champix, though there can be side efffects, as with any drug.

Your post sounds exactly like me - even the ages - and it really is so hard to stop. As maggied said you have to WANT to stop and even though we known "intellectually" that we should, the addiction stops us from event wanting to.

ameliarate wrote: »

I don't know about hypnotherapy but I know a few people who have stopped using Champix, though there can be side efffects, as with any drug. QUOTE]

I can definitely vouch for Champix. I've just finished my 2nd week, and can honestly say that I don't crave nicotine at all, it's just the habit of nipping out for a quick one that I have to break.
Trust me, I've tried willpower alone, patches, gum and hypnotherapy (for dieting, but still didn't work), and Champix is the first thing that's made me think that I can finally crack it.

I won't get into the 'how and why' it works, but feel free to pm me if you want any further info. And just to clarify, I'm not in any way affiliated with whoever it is who makes Champix, I'm just a very happy customer.

Right, where do I start. I was a 40 a day smoker more on weekends and late nights out. I decided it was time to give up and someone gave me a leaflet that the doctor had given them as they where advised to give up due to the thikening of her arteries, I gave the guy a ring had a chat and said I would think about it and read all his info on his website (Max Kirsten) then did nothing about it.

Over the next 6 to 8 months I kept thinking about it spoke to a few people who wanted to give up and to others that had success stories from their friends and from others that had been hypnotised and had started smoking due to some sort of trauma in their life, kept talking about it kept thinking about it then worked out what I wanted to do and called Max and made an appointment for Monday in the evening as this to me was important as I could go after work then home to bed to rest and for it to be far away from the weekend as possible so that I would not be tempted to smoke.

The Monday arrived and I was hypnotised and I won't describe the feeling but before I walked out of there I was asked what I wanted to do with my cigarettes that I had left on the desk, they went into the bin, on the way back to the car I felt my lighter in my pocket it was a strange feeling and once in the car it went in to the glove compartment.

On the Thursday I was in the pub (smoking ban had not been imposed) and had not smoked since my session and to tell you the truth it did not bother me and none of my friends could believe that I had stopped the woman who gave me the leaflet still smokes to this day and I believe in August it will be 4 years and I never feel the urge to smoke at all.

The only advise I will give it that you want to give up, choose the right time and day to go and then like me once you have had your session get an empty bottle and everyday roll up a £5 note and push it into the bottle and after 3 months smash it open and with the £400 treat yourself to a nice present as this will always help you remember that you gave up smoking.

HTH

ps at the time it cost me £195, best £195 I have spent in my life.

The doctor gave her a leaflet about an NHS hypnotherapist who does private sessions to quit smoking. In this leaflet he claims that 1 session (costing £85) is all that will be needed and she will never smoke again.

If this was the case then there would be no smokers left in the NHS! There would be no NRT and need for expensive drugs. All the studies that have been done on hypnosis over the years show that is no more successful that will power alone. You still have to go through drug withdrawal (which can be pretty unpleasant) and also the habits and association stuff.

I have 14 years of smoking cessation experience (I have been an addiction counsellor up until recently).

The best way to stop smoking is Champix - the results compaired to everything else are way beyond Zyban and NRT. If not suitable then NRT is an option but the problem with most smokers on nrt is that they do not take enough of it for long enough. Most people should be using 2 products (those smoking 20 a day+)

The problem for most smokers isn't the drug addiction but the habits of smoking - until they address the reasons why they smoke they will not succeed.

The other thing I would say is that most smokers are completely unrealistic about stopping smoking - it is something that will take most smokers 6 months to a year to truly get mentally into the habit of being a non smoker (note I said non smoker rather than ex smoker). Those who cannot accept not smoking as a long term goal will not stop.

I am more than happy to talk to anyone who wants to pm me about smoking and stopping. I might have retired from it professionally but I am more than happy to spread the knowledge and experience.

Ax

PS and before anyone asks I am an ex smoker - I used to smoke 40 a day and I gave up years ago without anything or anyone - just got fed up of all my money going on it.