hypnotism to stop smoking

[chiggles]

Has anyone been hypnotised to stop them smoking and did it work?

I have not (never smoked) but my Aunty has, she had 3 sessions and never smoked again that was 10 years ago.

Does it REALLY work? I'd love to try it, but more importantly I would like to recommend it to my dp. He's a much heavier smoker than me.

It worked for her, some people get put off by the money, but think how easily you would save that if you stopped smoking.

I saw one for my panic attacks. very sceptical but it also worked for me, in that they became much less frequent and very minor when they did come.

How much is it per session?

My aunty, 40/50 a day also saw a hypnotist 6 months ago and hasn't smoked since, wish my dh would see one!

I don't know of anyone who used hypnosis to help them start smoking but I know acupuncture is good for it. You may only need to go a couple of times as well as they can show you how to manipulate the areas (in the ears) yourself

if I am allowed to name names there is a hypnotherapist I know in Glasgow who has a good success with smoking cessation.

I used to work closely and socialse after work with a girl who was one of my best friends. We spent most of our wakikng hours in each other's company. She was a 20 or more a day smoker, so I watched her stop smoking at close hand.She tried herbal cigarrets - I was a passive smoker of these for quite a while - ugh, and they didn't work either.

Someone recommmended a hypnotist. She phoned to book an appointment. A week or so later the hypnotist was on the end of our office phone again. He had to cancel the appointment. Did she want to rebook? She did. She then went to 3 or so sessions, said the hypnotist didn't really put her under, but spent lots of time talking to her about how smoking was a prison and how stopping smoking spelt freedom. She gave up, cigarettes, went cold turkey. Said she could do it, she now understood why she had smoked and so she could now stop. I expected her to restart but she didn't, as far as I know. I spent 12+ hours a day with her. She didn't smoke for years afterwards - don't know if she smokes now.

So yes, chiggles, I think hypnotists can work.

ps forgot to add, that the reason the hypnotist cancelled the first appointment was deliberate. Apparently it is a test to see if the smoker is committed. Someone who is not sure about the hypnotist and stopping smoking would be unlikey to bother to rebook.

I gave up smoking after seeing a hypnotist.

The only thing is, he was a friend and I was a practice patient for him so part of the reason for my success was the fact that I would have felt really guilty if I had failed him!

But there is a lot to it. Although I did have a few pangs, I had no withdrawal symptoms as such - wasn't moody or anything and I would recommend it. Even if it fails, you'll have had a nice relaxing afternoon.

If you can though, try to get a personal recommendation from a friend. Hypnotism is about relaxing you enough to be able to organise your thoughts and contemplate new ones and the effectiveness of the treatment depends more on how well this is done than on how far into a "trance" you go (you probably won't).

I ask cause my Auntie has just tried it. It cost nearlly £300!! (money well spent if it worked!) She was fine from 11am till 7pm then wanted one. I mean really wanted one!! They said she wouldn't get withdrawal symptoms and did. They will give her more sessions free if it doesn't work. By the looks of it then it does take a few sessions anyway. I'll phone her now and tell her she's not a failure like she thinks she is. She smoked 6 yesterday and a few today so she has actually cut down. Got no family left now cause she's that nasty and moody that they've all left her. (Not really!! Joking)
Thanks everyone

My dh is undergoing the hypnotist treatment tonight!
Unrelated, not closely anyway, to my comments on this thread a week ago, he suddenly announced that he was giving up and would use a hypnotist this time...
We got info and quotes from several different names in the yellow pages, sadly not a personal recommendation. Quotes varied fom £55 to £89 we went for the friendliest and most honest person. Each therapist said more than one session may be neccesary as it really made sense to treat the causes of smoking, not just the habbit.
Please wish him/us luck. Maybe we will have some spare cash now!

I'm not really only interested in the saved money, healthy hubbie would be nice too!

smarty, Was that per session? or for however many sessions it takes to stop?

Per session chiggles, and it didn't bloody work! Apparently while this rather odd character was wittering away about going down a staircase and into/out of rooms my dh was concentrating on trying to keep his eyes shut. Wants to try Alan Carrs course now.

smartie, the Allen Carr course has a money back offer if you go back to smoking within x weeks. I think they reckon they have 95% success though.

that sounds very good, I'm beginning to believe nothing will ever help him. He read Alan Carrs book a while ago, said it made alot of sense, but didn't stop him puffing!

Aunties's didn't work either!! She's got another session on Thursday (ie, in a week) If it doesn't work after that I think she'll give up. I have to say that I saw her an hour after she'd done it and she was on cloud 9! We really believed it worked. She was told something about red and 3!!?? That was suppose to make her happy. She did say though that she really couldn't open her eyes or move her body while she was under. Strange!!