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  Author: Paul Douglass
  Location: Harley Street, London, United Kingdom
  Speciality: Psychotherapist / Analytical Hypnotherapist

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Home > Information Resources > Alternative and Complementary Therapies > Hypnotherapy > How does hypnotherapy help you to stop smoking?

How does hypnotherapy help you to stop smoking?

By Paul Douglass D.Hyp. MIAH. Reg.Hyp. GHR (Affil.)
Harley Street Consultant Psychotherapist and Hypnotherapist

Think of the mind of having two main parts, the conscious mind, and the subconscious mind.

The conscious mind is the part of your mind that makes rational, calculated decisions, and the subconscious part of the mind is the part that does the feeling.

The thing to remember here, is that the subconscious mind is much more powerful than the conscious mind.

What does all that mean? - Think of someone trying to stop smoking by will power alone.  They often get irritable, scratchy, angry... all sorts of emotions.  Why? - because it's the conscious mind has decided to stop smoking, but the subconscious hasn't.

As far as the subconscious is concerned, something's missing, and so it feels bad (remember the subconscious does the feeling?)

It's because the 'feeling' part of the mind is much more powerful than the 'thinking' part, that many people who try to stop smoking by willpower alone will go back to smoking... it's just too much of a struggle.

Hypnotherapy harnesses the power of the subconscious part of the mind. 

Effectively, it brings the two parts of the mind together, and if the two parts of the mind are working together, there's no conflict, and so it's easy to stop smoking!

"I've had friends who have stopped smoking after seeing a hypnotherapist, and they've not had any 'withdrawal symptoms'... how come?"

To realise how and why, you've really got to turn the way you see withdrawal symptoms upside-down.

The common belief is that 'withdrawal symptoms' are caused by the body longing for a chemical to which it's addicted.  In the case of smoking, this simply isn't the case.

You smoke because you get something out of it...

That last sentence was important enough to say it again... You smoke because you get something out of it...

Whether it's to get away from work, or the kids for ten minutes, or to relieve boredom, whatever.... you do it for a reason.  Smoking means something to you.

Imagine someone having their car stolen.  How do they feel?... angry?, irritable?, wound up?, depressed?, stressed?, longing to have it back? - Why?... because they've lost something that meant a lot to them, and got nothing in return.

Smoking is the same...  you do it for a reason... it makes you feel like you've taken time for yourself, it makes you feel a little bit better...  you do it for a reason... you get something out of it.

Now, if you just consciously decide to stop smoking by willpower alone, you're deliberately depriving yourself... and your subconscious doesn't like it that way... so it tries to make to smoke again, by making you realise that something's missing.

Look back again at how the chap who's had his car stolen feels... angry?, irritable?, wound up?, depressed?, stressed?, longing to have it back? - If you've tried to stop smoking by willpower alone and have had 'withdrawal symptoms' , then these feelings probably sound familiar.

What's happened is that you had consciously decided to stop smoking, and those withdrawal symptoms are just the subconscious mind letting you know something's missing.  In psychological terms it's known as 'cognitive dissonance'.

If your subconscious mind knows right from the start that it's ok to stop smoking, it doesn't need to remind you that something's missing... and the withdrawal symptoms simply don't happen!

That's how hypnotherapy can help you stop smoking with no 'withdrawal symptoms'.

Document Ref: E002
Date Added: 02-Apr-05
Source: Paul Douglass D.Hyp. MIAH. Reg.Hyp. GHR (Affil.)
Further Information: www.pauldouglass.co.uk - (UK) 020 7467 8385

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