Focus on Hypnosis

No, you are not getting sleepy, but you might actually stop craving cigarettes. In this edition of “Focus on…” we’ll think deep thoughts about hypnotherapy and discover what types of hypnotherapy programs there are available for smokers hoping to quit.

Hypnosis is a way of training your brain to think differently about yourself or the world around you. While you can use the power of suggestion to do just about anything, the chemicals in your brain change when you smoke. This is especially true for those that have smoked for many years, but even these entrenched brain chemical changes can be reversed. This is where hypnosis does its work. This technique is not well studied by the traditional medical community, but many smokers have used hypnotherapy to successfully quit smoking.

The types of programs and costs vary, but in general expect to spend about $50 to $100 for a series of hypnosis CDs or MP3 downloads. There are also self-hypnosis books for the do-it-yourselfer for much less. You could go the expensive route if you live near a major city and visit a hypnotherapist in their office. If you don’t have the cash or the transportation, there are some hypnosis professionals that will custom make a hypnosis CD for you for the cost of about five visits to the therapy office. If you are going for the bigger ticket options, make sure you check references and consider using a therapist certified by the National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists. You can find one in your area at www.natboard.com.

Even though hypnotherapy has no side effects, you should clear it with your doctor. This is true no matter which stop smoking tool you use. Once you’ve done that, it’s time to start quitting!