Hypnosis is a term that we’ve all heard about, but not many people know what Hypnosis is. It is featured in many movies, and some people have had personal experiences. However, for smokers, it’s a different ball game. A lot of people make promises to their loved ones that they intend to stop smoking, but that’s a difficult promise. Some people have found a way out with Hypnosis, but is it really that effective?
What is Hypnosis, and How Does It Work?
In the early twentieth century, Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, brought Hypnosis into the spotlight. He wasn’t the first to think of the concept, but it still became a very important concept in modern medicine and psychology.
Health experts have found Freud’s hypnotherapy theories to be helpful because it induces a state of altered awareness that has the potential to provide you access to your subconscious mind. Smoking cessation is one of the theories that have been tested with Hypnosis. Most people want to stop this habit because of its health issues, including lung cancer, heart attack, and the worst-case scenario death.
It’s normal to have some reservations regarding Hypnosis and how it works for quitting smoking. According to the media, Hypnosis is ineffective and is usually portrayed as entertainment, like in magic TV shows. So, to understand how Hypnosis works, we will describe what happens during a session.
Inducing Hypnosis can be done in a variety of ways. However, it isn’t done by swinging a watch in front of the eyes as you would see in movies. The goal here is concentration, and the hypnotic induction technique is to calm the conscious mind and induce a trance-like state. Therapists employ a combination of ideas and words with the aid of guided sessions or cassettes.
The purpose is not to make you sleep, as this defeats Hypnosis. Instead, it’s a profoundly altered condition of awareness. Brain scans have revealed that people really have increased brain activity during Hypnosis. It is the reason why they can focus during Hypnosis. Some psychologists have recorded events where people go into a trance-like state.
In this state, therapists give the clients’ hypnotic recommendations.’ It is a form of a statement that encourages people to set objectives and, in this case, possibly quit the smoking habit. The method a therapist uses for Hypnosis varies, and some even use pre-written scripts. Also, this smoking therapy is not a foolproof way to stop clients from smoking. It may be as effective in some people like some other smoking therapies.
Does Hypnosis Work for Quitting Smoking?
The evidence for Hypnosis as a successful means of quitting smoking is subjective. While some research has recorded a high success rate, some did not produce any positive outcomes. However, this does not in any way rule out that hypnotherapy has been helpful in curbing smoking. Some people, however, do not mind trying the stop smoking self-hypnosis route.
If you are struggling with smoking and are looking for an effective solution to break this habit, take a look at the different therapies available online.