Does Hypnosis Work to Quit Smoking?

There are many methods available to hep people quit smoking, but none are 100% effective for everyone. Is hypnosis effective in quitting smoking?

Addiction to smoking is difficult to break. There are many treatment options from quitting "cold turkey", using support groups, nicotine replacement, prescription medications and even hypnosis.

The Mayo Clinic even states that hypnosis can be effective for many people for a variety of conditions including quitting smoking. Hypnosis is not a form of mind-control where you might find yourself acting like a monkey with some bizarre command. Rather, it is a form of deep relaxation where your mind is more open to suggestion to help with a problem or change conditioned responses.

Hypnosis is generally safe for everyone with little risk of side effects. Those may include headache or nausea or others depending on the reasons for hypnosis. Side effects from hypnosis are rare, and there is even less chance for side effects when hypnosis is used to change behavior such as quitting smoking.

There is limited research on the effects of hypnosis and quitting smoking. Success rates range from 10% all the way up to 60% with the average statistic showing about a 20% success rate. Like any other treatment option, hypnosis is not effective for everyone. Some people can't reach a relaxed enough state for suggestions to work.

According to the Mayo Clinic, you may be more receptive to hypnosis if certain smells trigger memories for you or if you can become so absorbed in activities such as reading or listening to music that you don't notice what else is going on around you.

I tried hypnosis to quit smoking and it worked...temporarily. A friend offered to pay for me to see a hypnotist who was having a session at the local hospital. Most methods have not worked for me in the long term, except for going "cold turkey" which lasted for two years, but those around me hate me when I use that method.

The hypnotist, Don Mannarino, used what is considered a "non-smoker" method. His suggestions made those of us in the group rethink our lives as those of non-smokers. Not only was the hypnosis relaxing, but after the session I actually felt more invigorated than when I had arrived.

I didn't even want a cigarette for several days. I had no cravings or desire to smoke. In fact, I felt as is I had never smoked and didn't even experience any withdrawal symptoms. It's as if the smoking habit had never been there.

My significant other at the time, who also attended the session, began smoking two days later. That night he inadvertently let out a cloud of second hand smoke near me. I turned my head too late to avoid inhaling this smoke, but didn't notice any cravings or adverse effects, at least not that night.

With the s.o. smoking, there was a pack of cigarettes on the table. When I got up the next morning, without even thinking about it, I picked up the pack and smoked a cigarette. It wasn't until I put it out that I remembered I had supposedly quit smoking. Somehow, inhaling that second hand smoke triggered something in my mind that put me back into the state of mind of being a smoker.

I would consider going to another hypnosis session to quit smoking. If it worked before for me, I feel it can work again. I have the traits listed by the Mayo Clinic that make me receptive to hypnosis, and I have the positive experience to show that for me, hypnosis works to quit smoking.

SOURCES:

Mayo Clinic; Hypnosis

Don Mannarino, Clinical Hypnotist

Paul Segnate; Does Hypnosis Work to Help You Quit Smoking?; WorldWideHealth.com