7 Steps to Use Hypnotism to Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking can be incredibly difficult, but it’s a good decision for your health. If you have tried other methods to stop smoking and they haven’t worked, self-hypnosis could be an option for you. Some people respond to hypnotic suggestion and some don’t, but hypnosis may be able to help you relax, manage anxiety, and kick your smoking habit for good.

• First you must Understand how hypnosis works. Unlike the myths in popular culture, hypnosis doesn’t render you unconscious, and you cannot be forced to do anything against your will while under hypnosis. Hypnosis first encourages you to relax. Relaxation is often achieved by deep breathing and visualization exercises. If a trained hypnotherapist is helping you, they may speak very softly and slowly to you. If you are on your own, you may find a hypnosis CD or soundtrack with relaxing noises helpful.  Once relaxed, hypnosis provides statements and suggestions to help you change your behavior. It is thought that the hypnotic state makes you more receptive to embracing suggestions. Hypnosis helps you achieve focus. While in a hypnotic state, ideally you will focus only on the goal that you want to accomplish. This enhanced focus can help you accept the suggestions and prepare you to work for your goal 

Explore your own mental state. Hypnosis can’t make you do something you don’t want to do. It cannot give you a “secret password” that makes you never want to smoke again. It can, however, help you focus, concentrate, and change your behaviors.  

1. Hypnosis works best for people who are suggestible. If your personality is very resistant to new ideas or changes, or if you find it difficult to suspend disbelief, hypnosis may not be a good fit for you. 
2.  Hypnosis relies on your own belief that the treatment will work. Hypnosis will only help you make changes that you actually want to make.[4] For self-hypnosis to help you, you must be committed to quitting smoking.

• Find a quiet, private space to practice self-hypnosis. Ideally, it should be free of all distractions: no TV, no cell-phones, no other people. You should feel comfortable and relaxed in this location. If you can, avoid lying on a bed, as you may end up falling asleep instead of entering a hypnotic state. A comfortable chair or recliner may be more helpful to keep you relaxed but awake.   

• Create affirmations for yourself. Hypnosis may be more effective if the suggestions you use are direct statements, rather than abstract questions. Rather than asking yourself something like “Why do I smoke?” consider using statements such as “Smoking harms me. I do not want to harm myself.”[5] Write them down and keep them. Try to keep your affirmations reasonable. A statement such as “It will be easy to quit smoking” or “I will never want to smoke again” may not be very effective. Instead, consider something like “I respect my body and will not damage it by smoking.”[6] Affirmations that are phrased in the present tense, such as “I do not want to smoke,” may be more helpful to you as they keep your attention on what is happening at the present moment. 

• Accept that self-hypnosis may take some time. Most people are not immediately skilled at self-hypnosis. Even if the technique does work for you, it may take quite some time for you to become fully comfortable practicing self-hypnosis. Stay patient with yourself and keep trying.

• Commit to consistency. While some people can stop smoking after only one session with a clinical hypnotist, for most people it may take several sessions for the technique to work.[7] This is doubly true if you are practicing self-hypnosis, as you may need to experiment and practice before you are able to effectively use it.

• Understand when to see a professional. While many people have found self-hypnosis useful for helping them quit smoking, it may not work for everyone. Sometimes, seeing a trained clinical hypnotherapist can help even if self-hypnosis has not worked for you.  The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis maintains a database of certified professional hypnotherapists. It is highly recommended that you visit a professional, as clinical hypnosis requires training to be administered safely and effectively.

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