Hypnosis To Quit Smoking: Is It Effective?

Smoking is one of the most harmful and cost-effective habits in the world. Although its harmful effects are well known, many people struggle and fail in their attempt to quit. And it is that it is a highly addictive substance. That is why today we want to talk to you about one of the techniques that can play an important role in treatment: hypnosis to stop smoking.

Hearing this term may have brought an unrealistic, movie-worthy image to your mind. Perhaps you have imagined a person lying down and immersed in an altered state of consciousness, listening to the orders and suggestions of a therapist. Or perhaps you have thought of an audio recording that is listened to when sleeping and eliminates the desire to smoke.

The reality is that hypnosis to stop smoking, understood from cognitive behavioral psychology, is not related to the previous examples. It is a therapeutic approach that has been shown to be effective in the treatment of smoking, and which we will talk about below.

What is hypnosis to quit smoking?

Hypnosis to quit smoking is a technique used as part of various programs to address tobacco addiction. Far from being presented as a magical or miraculous intervention, it requires the involvement and active participation of the patient, who remains conscious at all times.

Its main objective is to facilitate the work with the beliefs, emotions and behaviors that are in the origin and the continuity in the tobacco consumption. And for this, a state of deep relaxation is induced in the person that allows the change to occur in a faster and easier way. Thus, it can be used in different ways.

Aversive hypnosis

In this case, it is sought that the individual achieves an association of tobacco with unpleasant sensations and emotions.

For example, you may be asked to evoke the unpleasant sensations that you experience when you have smoked a lot; and, then, these are related to the simple consumption of a cigarette. Through this suggestion, the person can perceive and feel the act of smoking as aversive, helping to reduce it.

Hypnosis for self-control

Many people who want to quit smoking have a poor self-concept. That is, they do not trust their ability to tolerate the frustration of avoiding tobacco and they do not see themselves able to do so.

Hypnosis modifies this self-perception and provides you with a tool you can turn to when the urge to smoke arises.

Regression hypnosis

It can also be helpful to ask the individual to recall in their imagination that time when they were not smoking and to relive the positive feelings that this brought about.

For example, breathing easier or feeling more energetic. By imagining yourself regaining those benefits after successfully quitting, quitting doesn’t require as much effort.

Projection in time

The same process can be done by generating a projection into the future. In hypnosis, the person can be asked to visualize himself in different future situations as a non-smoker and enjoying the positive aspects of his new state.

This exercise helps to consolidate the new self-image and promotes abstinence.

Hypnosis to quit smoking: an effective but not miraculous intervention

Hypnosis used as a resource to work on beliefs, feelings and behaviors has proven to be effective in the treatment of smoking. However, not as an isolated and independent intervention. In other words, mere hypnosis is not enough to cover the complex condition of tobacco addiction.

Cigarettes have multiple meanings and serve various functions in the life of the smoker; therefore, multicomponent treatments are the most suitable.

Hypnosis is one of these components that works in conjunction with other psychological techniques or pharmacological approaches to achieve abstinence. It may not be enough on its own, but it is effective in facilitating and speeding up processes.

However, each person will react better to a personalized intervention; following some techniques that are proven, but adapting their application to your circumstances.