Hypnosis: tell me some positive stories, please

[Thurlow]

I've booked hypnosis for this weekend. I've never really managed to quit properly, and I need to am upduffed sooner than expected

Can someone tell me some good, positive stories about hypnosis? My problem has always been that I know I shouldn't, and I do well for days, and then get stressed and end up having a crafty cigarette. Which I definitely do not want to do at all.

[MissBattleaxe]

I'd be interested in this too if anyone has any experience?

[ClopySow]

I did a couple of years ago. Left there an ex smoker. It went really well for 3 months, then i started again on a trip home.

[MissBattleaxe]

Oh dear. I was hoping for a lovely permanent happy ending story! I've read Allen Carr about eight times and it works for about a month each time. I'm currently vaping with many falls from grace every time alcohol or other smokers are involved.

[FATEdestiny]

No experience of hypnosis, but I have successfully given up for good.

The key for me was plenty of NRT for a long time. I literally never, ever denied myself. I used lozenges for 14 months and then patches cut up gradually smaller for the final two months.

Last cigarette 31st Dec 2012, no nicotine from April 2014

Something definitely has changed in my psyche. I was not 'trying to give up'. I was/am very definitely never, ever going to smoke ever again. I don't miss smoking, I think in only negative ways about smoking, I pity smokers (sorry, no offence meant) and an revolted by it all. A significant mindset change happened that was nothing to do with the physical addiction that meant it worked.

I mention this because it is possibly a similar state that hypnosis aims to create? If so, it should be great. But expect to need NRT as well.

Give yourself the best possible chance by doing everything. Hypnosis, the Carr book, NRT long term, in the beginning (or if you are going out) you can really overdo NRT with patches and lozenges for example. Do everything. Don't rely just on hypnosis - do everything you possibly can to make stopping smoking as easy as possible.

IMO most fail because they consciously make it difficult for themselves by not using enough NRT for long enough. There should be no I satisfied cravings. Ever.

[FATEdestiny]

No *unsatisfied cravings. Ever.

[LineyReborn]

My OH gave up smoking and he had a 50 a day habit (roll ups).

He had one longish session of hypnotherapy, and like FATE alluded to about her mind-set, something changed, and I think hypnotherapy was the catalyst.

He still needs nicotine replacement, but that's in the form of very weak vape, so a massive change.

[ClopySow]

I actually think hypno was responsible for my change in mindset. Smoking never sat comfortably with me after it. I thought about it constantly when i started again and hated it. I'd tried to stop about half a dozen times before it each time using nrt. Drinking was my downfall.

This time i've stopped, i have felt differently. I stopped on the 28th of March and up until these last few days, ut just hasn't bothered me. I was on patches for the first week, then went on to just lozenges when i forgot to wear my patch one day and managed fine. The last 3 days have been more of a struggle and i'm wearing a patch again today. But that's ok. In the past, if i'd struggled i would have smoked. I've been boozy a few times and other that a fleeting thought, i haven't wanted to smoke.

I'm going to see a friend who smokes tonight. We're having wine. But i genuinely feel confident that i'll be ok. In the past, i'd have secretly been thinking "fuck it, i'm just going to do it tonight, it'll be ok" but i'm determined. I don't want to ruin it all and go back to day 1.

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

I literally never, ever denied myself.

If you're using NRT or vaping I think this is the key to success. Either use enough (and for long enough) that you're not badly craving, or don't use nicotine at all and go cold turkey. Lots of people try getting by on a tiny bit of NRT just when they're really desperate and it just prolongs the agony.

The way NRT is supposed to work is to kill (or make manageable) your nicotine cravings while you focus on losing the habit part of smoking (hand-to-mouth, routine fag breaks, favourite fags of the day, difficult situations etc.) Once you've cracked that, you can cut down and stop using nicotine at your own pace because on its own, nicotine isn't very harmful at all.

I'm not sure Allen Carr and NRT are compatible. The whole premise of Allen Carr is that you don't need nicotine and I can't see how you could convince yourself of that if you were using NRT.

Whether you're using NRT/vaping or not, the first few days are likely to be tough. Nothing else delivers the fast, strong nicotine hit of a cigarette and there are other things in smoke besides nicotine that your body will be missing.

[Thurlow]

Just spotted this had some replies!

For feedback, I went, the session was very interesting and all that but... no, didn't work. Or at least not properly. I don't know whether it did change something in my mindset and has made it easier for me to quit since, but that's quite hard to measure really.

I've since quit (6 weeks this weekend!) using a combination of Allen Carr and then the NHS Stop Smoking service, which I can't praise highly enough. You get regular meetings, a personalised plan, nicotine replacement on prescription, and someone you can phone or email to talk to if you need to. It's been really great, and I've found quitting a lot easier than I thought I would.

[Thurlow]

I'm not sure Allen Carr and NRT are compatible. The whole premise of Allen Carr is that you don't need nicotine and I can't see how you could convince yourself of that if you were using NRT.

For me it worked because Allen Carr convinced me that I didn't need a cigarette, and the NRT has helped me get through the cravings.

[FATEdestiny]

nicotine replacement on prescription

Well done Thurow! Regarding nicotine replacement on prescription - a tip I learnt (I also used the NHS Stop Smoking service) is to always ask for the full amount you can get for NRT on prescription

As you are probably finding 6 weeks in, you start decreasing the amount of NRT you need per day. But if you get the max you can have (rather than just as much as you need that week), then you can stock-pile and it lasts much longer.

I did 12 weeks on NHS New Leaf (3 years ago) and the prescription NRT I got lasted me 5 months. I then wasn't ready to stop NRT so went back to New Leaf and restarted another 12 week course. Again got full-whack prescription NRT stock piled over the 12 weeks and that lasted me 10 more months.

16 months after my last cigarette I stopped NRT. In my opinion most pole done use enough NRT for long enough.

[FATEdestiny]

pole done = people dont

[Thurlow]

In my opinion most pole done use enough NRT for long enough.

That's what the counsellor told me. I said I didn't entirely feel comfortable dropping to the lower patches yet and she was surprised I'd even been considering it, as far as she was concerned then we'd just keep going with patches forever.

I also want to add, in case anyone in the same boat as me stumbles on this thread, is that I'm actually pregnant and the Stop Smoking service couldn't be more supportive and less judgemental and so much more helpful than the standard GP/midwife "well, just stop it!" response that wasn't helping me at all.