What Is The Success Rate Of Hypnotherapy For Smoking?
When you’re exploring your options regarding hypnosis to quit smoking, success rate will no doubt be top of mind.
I’m often asked about my success rate by those who call up to enquire about my services and I always give the same answer: ‘I don’t know’.
As I mentioned in my previous article discussing the success rate of hypnosis, it’s because I don’t have the resources to collect the data and perform the studies that would be required to provide an accurate and honest figure.
On the other hand, since 2003 I have helped hundreds of clients to quit smoking, sometimes in as little as one session; and those clients have referred many of their friends to me.
If you want to give up cigarettes permanently with hypnotherapy, there are three key factors that will come into play in relation to whether or not your therapy will be effective.
Remove the Triggers
The first factor is smoking triggers. Almost all smokers have certain times in the day where they feel compelled to have a smoke.
Some examples are:
- First thing in the morning;
- While waiting for something;
- After meals
These are triggers in the mind that connect the act of smoking with the act of doing something specific, and they are locked in the subconscious; that’s why they may feel like an automatic response.
A qualified hypnotherapist can address these triggers in a fraction of the time that it would take you to train yourself to do it.
With the triggers gone, it’s much easier to stick to your decision to stay away from cigarettes in the long term.
Causes of Smoking
Now let’s talk about the second factor, which is the causes of smoking.
Some people just smoke because they have always smoked. Until they decided to quit, it never occurred to them to not smoke.
Each time you do something, you get used to doing it and that action becomes more and more ingrained in your automatic behaviour. This is how habits are formed.
Other people smoke to fill a deeper need.
For example, they may smoke when they are stressed, angry or overwhelmed. If you fall into this second category, your hypnotherapist must explore the cause in more detail and address this otherwise the therapy will not work.
A part of you smokes because it helps you in some way.
A hypnotherapist can direct that part of your subconscious to help you in more positive ways so you don’t have to smoke in order to feel better.
Choose an Experienced Hypnotherapist
And finally, it’s important to choose the right hypnotherapist. The cost of hypnotherapy can vary significantly from practitioner to practitioner. So, it may be tempting to go for the cheapest price; but just as the most expensive therapist is not necessarily the best option, neither is the cheapest.
The most helpful information you can gather from your therapist are:
- How long has this person been practising?
- Does she have an accredited qualification?
- Do you feel comfortable with her?
If you don’t feel like your hypnotherapist has enough experience with helping people to stop smoking, you won’t trust her; and if you don’t trust her you will not allow yourself to be hypnotized.
It’s very likely that you can and will quit smoking provided you work with a qualified and experienced practitioner.
If you’d like to talk to me about how I may be able to help you, feel free to call me or contact me via my website.