These days I’m thankfully seeing less and less smokers. There has been an increase in the people coming for help with a cycle of quitting, using vaping and then smoking again. It is this problem that seems to get to the heart of why people need help to quit sometimes.
Habit
Everybody knows that smoking is a habit. By taking up vaping people continue with the same habit. Nicotine, in both cigarettes and vapes, is addictive for a number of reasons. Among others, it stimulates dopamine and adrenaline. Dopamine is a reward neurotransmitter involved in us feeling pleasure, motivation and accomplishment. Adrenaline is a hormone released when we need to physically exert ourselves, especially when we need to escape danger.
There are so many reasons people have to go out and have that next puff; it might be stress, relaxation, escape, rebellion, even to ease social anxieties. When we examine our reasoning rationally we can see those excuses for what they are, nonsense! However, the feelings that run through us encouraging us are powerful. They come from our primitive minds, the part of us that is meant to help us escape danger and survive.
Stress
Often modern life is stressful and our primitive minds unconsciously equate stress with danger. Nicotine, and other chemicals in cigarettes, stimulate processes in our brains and bodies that are similar to anxiety, processes which cause us to be hyper vigilant and ready for fight or flight. When we survive “dangerous” situations and have reward chemicals buzzing around in our systems afterwards, then the primitive part of our minds’ unconsciously believes that inhaling is saving us from danger and feels good!
Using Hypnotherapy to beat these cycles of behaviour I’ve found has been really successful.
Firstly we build up a clear picture of how and why you smoke. Why your habit was created and how it currently looks. We also look at the stresses and strains of your life in general. This gives us a valuable insight into how your primitive mind is protecting you from the “life threatening” situations you encounter every day! Most importantly, we look at what is good in your life and how things would look if you were no longer smoking. We’ll also discuss the neuroscience around stress and mental health and how this links in with the smoking habit.
Next we’ll use Hypnosis. Hypnosis can be a powerful tool for breaking down our misinformed behaviour patterns held in the unconscious mind. It is an experience that can be calm, relaxing and safe. People often emerge from their trance feeling happy, rested and prepared to never inhale their particular poison again!
After the session I send you a Hypnosis MP3 (or can prepare you a CD) which will help you keep stress down while you cement in your new way of being.
If you’d like some help to quit, now and for good, please get in touch now. It generally only takes one session to quit so we may find a spot in my diary sooner than you think.