If You Want to Quit Smoking, Hypnosis is the Healthiest Method

Joanne Fallwater asked:


Are you concerned about your health? If you want to quit smoking, hypnosis is the healthiest method. Just think about it for a minute. A quit smoking hypnosis program will teach your healthy habits that you can use for life. But quit smoking drugs have potentially dangerous side effects.

But just as dangerous can side effects be? After all, a lot of the drugs have to be prescribed by a doctor. Doesn’t a doctor’s supervision automatically make taking drugs to quit smoking safe? And aren’t they worth it if the end result is that you don’t smoke anymore?

First, you have to understand that all drugs have side effects. And some of them are more serious than others. You’re already addicted to nicotine, which is a heavy-duty poison. Did you know nicotine has been used for centuries as an insecticide to kill insects?

Well, when you use a nicotine patch or nasal sprays that are compounded with nicotine, you’re still delivering that poison into your system. True, you’re getting doses small enough that they won’t kill you as long as you follow the directions carefully.

But a long-time smoking habit isn’t just about the physical addiction to nicotine. People who have smoked for a number of years to develop “smoking rituals”. Those are the small actions that get repeated every time you smoke.

They are small things, like the way you hold your hand when you smoke your cigarette. Do you hold your cigarette between your index and middle fingers? Or do you like to hold it between your thumb and index finger?

You keep your lighter in your pants pocket? How many times a day do you reach for your lighter? Do you think it’s a coincidence that when you reach for your keys in your pocket, you suddenly crave a cigarette?

It’s no coincidence. Putting your hand in your pocket has become part of a “smoking ritual” that triggers your urge to smoke. Even if you just finished smoking a cigarette a few minutes ago, when you put your hand in your pocket again, you’ll think about having a cigarette.

That’s where the nicotine replacement drugs, like the patch and the nasal sprays and inhalers, can become dangerous. They take care of the physical cravings, but they don’t address the smoking rituals. So a lot of people end up using the quit smoking drugs, smoking their cigarettes or cigars on top of it.

That puts them in danger of having a nicotine overdose. Just because you don’t drop dead on the spot from smoking a cigarette or cigar, doesn’t mean that you can’t overdose on nicotine. You can. Not only can an overdose of nicotine make you violently ill, it can kill you on the spot. Like a dead bug hit with insecticide.

And what about the quit smoking pills? You can’t get them without a prescription, so you would think that they would be safe. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Even under a doctor’s supervision, some of the drugs themselves are just not safe.

If you take the time to read the list of potential side effects that these drugs can cause, it will make you think twice about taking them. You want to quit smoking because you want to be healthy. But do you really want to risk damage to your heart, liver, kidney and other internal organs while you’re in the process of quitting smoking?

There are other safer methods to quit smoking that don’t have any kind of physical health risk at all. No, you don’t have to quit smoking cold turkey. Hypnosis has the best long-term success rate of any of the methods that people use to quit smoking. And the side effects of using hypnosis, long term are actually good for you.

A good hypnosis program will give you tools to help ease the nicotine cravings. You’ll also learn ways to deactivate those “smoking ritual” triggers. And that’s really important for long-term success.

The Ripple Effect of Stopping Smoking:

Antonio LeMaire asked:


How Bad Habits Run in Packs

Does smoking encourage other addictive behaviors? Here’s the cold, hard truth: a large percentage of smokers engage in other unhealthy habits such as alcohol consumption, drinking too much coffee, overeating, and even gambling.

How many smokers do you know who absolutely must have a cup of java with their morning cigarette? What about that cloud of smoke hanging over the lounge or bar?

Think for a moment about your daily routine and the things you do while smoking. Do you have any other addictive or compulsive habits that seem to go hand in hand?

If you answered yes, don’t fret. By taking the first step towards stopping smoking, you’ll find it easier to eliminate other harmful habits.

One Addiction At A Time

The secret to success is to tackle your first goal of quitting smoking before attempting to work on any other addictive habits.

You’ll also want to avoid adopting any new bad habits or behaviors during the first few weeks you wage battle against nicotine. Many people find themselves unintentionally substituting food as a replacement for cigarettes as they try to quit smoking.

To make matters worse, the types of food or drink they usually crave the most are high calorie sweets and snack foods or sugary soft drinks. Unfortunately the end result is often a noticeable amount of weight gain within a few months. While they may have succeeded in quitting smoking, they now have to deal with excess weight and all the related health problems.

Beat The Physical And Psychological Addiction So You Can Stop Smoking

In order to quit smoking, you need to know what causes or contributes to your addictive behaviors. When smokers talk about their inability to stop smoking, they’ll often mention an overpowering nicotine craving.

Although there’s no doubt that smoking causes a physical addiction in the body, smokers experience a psychological dependence too. This mental dependence can be just as challenging to overcome.

Consider the following scenario:

A man who has smoked for twenty years finally decides to quit smoking. He experiences a great deal of frustration and anxiety for the first three weeks as he tries to stop smoking. But gradually, he succeeds in kicking his smoking addiction.

However, several months after this success he learns that his company is downsizing and he is under great pressure to complete additional new tasks while his job is hanging in the balance. As the stress begins to get unbearable, his urge to smoke returns stronger than ever.

Although the nicotine is gone from his bloodstream, his mind still remembers the pleasant, relaxing feeling associated with smoking. He mentally links smoking with relief from stress. Those two things, stress and smoking, are wired together in his emotional fusebox. In order to cope with this new stress, he resorts to old behaviors.

Why Quitting Smoking is Harder For Some People

If you’ve compared notes with other smokers, you know that some of them simply decided to quit smoking and did it. Cold turkey. No regrets. Then there are those who struggle for years, stopping smoking only to resume again. And again.

Why do some people have so much trouble and stress when trying to stop smoking while others seem to sail through it? Many scientists and physicians believe this is strongly related to the individual’s mental well-being and mindset.

People who have trouble trying to stop smoking often have personal beliefs that are self defeating. A person may have every intention of stopping smoking but if they don’t have the correct, positive mindset the task may seem nearly impossible and backsliding inevitable.

Negative Beliefs Make It Harder to Quit Smoking

The following list contains some self defeating thoughts and behaviors that can hinder your goal of stopping smoking. These negative attitudes can make it increasingly difficult to break any type of bad habit or addiction, whether it’s smoking, gambling, drinking, or some other unwanted habit.

So whatever it is you’re trying to give up, try to give up these attitudes first:

1. Misplaced blame. How many times have you heard someone say: “I could stop smoking if I didn’t have to deal with my boss, children, spouse, etc” In order to quit smoking or break any type of negative habit, you first need to accept responsibility for your actions.

2. Inability to cope. Many smokers feel they can’t deal with the pain, stress, or frustration of everyday life. Smoking is a crutch that enables them to function properly. By accepting and dealing with your emotional turmoil, you’ll greatly increase your chances of stopping smoking.

3. Overwhelmed by addiction. Some people may feel that stopping smoking is completely out of their control. Their addiction is such an important part of their life that they feel quitting smoking is unattainable.

4. Denial. Before you can stop smoking, first recognize and acknowledge there is a problem. You’ve probably heard some people say they can quit smoking any time they want to. While this may be true for a few individuals, most often it’s not the case. If you have been smoking for a long time, your body has developed an addiction and you may need help to beat it.

Prescriptions Medication To Help You Stop Smoking

After you’ve developed a positive attitude about quitting smoking, the next step is to choose a method with a high success rate.

Today there are many new drugs on the market that make the physical discomfort of stopping smoking more tolerable. The most notable is a prescription product called Chantix.

Chantix helps you stop smoking by lessening the effects of nicotine on the body and reducing both the cravings and unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Smokers should start taking Chantix a full week before they actually intend to quit smoking. This enables the amount of the active ingredient in Chantix to build up in your system, which will make stopping smoking less stressful and physically less uncomfortable.

Quit Smoking Tips and Medications

Antonio LeMaire asked:


If you’ve been a smoker for any length of time, you already know how difficult it can be to quit smoking. Once addicted, the habit becomes a part of your daily lifestyle and routine.

It’s not just the physical addiction to the nicotine that makes it seem nearly impossible to quit smoking.

There’s also a psychological need to have a smoke at certain times of the day.

For example, many smokers feel compelled to light up after a meal, while chatting on the phone, during rush hour traffic, or after completing a vigorous work-out. Their mind becomes accustomed to linking a specific activity or task to smoking. Even a certain time of day can bring on the urge.

While they may be able to cut back at other times of the day, they just can’t seem to quit smoking when it comes to that particular time or task.

By recognizing what activities trigger your smoking habit, you can learn to better deal with the problem and increase your chances of stopping smoking altogether. If you view certain tasks as unpleasant or stressful, it’s very possible your smoking serves as a relaxation technique for dealing with those situations.

Make a Commitment to Quit Smoking

In order to stop smoking, the first and most important step is to make a personal commitment to end your bad habit.

Although this may seem obvious, many smokers truly do not wish to quit smoking. While their spouse, children, or boss may constantly nag them to quit, stopping smoking is not one of their own top priorities. They may attempt to quit smoking on several occasions, but each attempt is usually short lived.

In Order to Quit Smoking, Examine Your Habits

Once you’ve made an honest commitment to stop smoking, next you need to review your personal situation.

Start by calculating the number of cigarettes you smoke per day. Do you smoke more during the week than on the weekend? If so, make a note of that and all your other smoking routines.

Create a Stop Smoking Checklist

Before making an attempt to quit smoking, you may wish to keep a record of your smoking for one week beforehand.

List each time of day you have a cigarette and tally your numbers at the end of each day. Look for certain patterns in your smoking. Do you smoke twice as much during the evening hours? Are you more likely to light up at social events than when at home alone?

Partner Up With a Friend to Quit Smoking

Some folks may be able to quit smoking cold turkey but they are in the minority. Pair up with a friend who is also trying to kick the habit or seek the encouragement of a former smoker.

While your spouse may offer kind words of support, it’s very difficult for a non-smoker to grasp the willpower and strength needed to successfully quit smoking.

Tips to Curb Your Nicotine Craving:

1. Rid your home and office of all smoking related items. If your ashtray, matches, lighter, etc. aren’t within reach, you’re less likely to give in to the urge.

2. One of the most popular quit smoking tips is to replace cigarettes with another habit. This suggestion works well but make sure you’re replacing your nicotine habit with a healthier alternative. Try exercising, reading a book, or munching on fresh fruit instead.

3. Make sure to get enough sleep while trying to stop smoking. Breaking any bad habit can be stressful. In order to increase your chances of success, your body needs to be well rested.

4. Accept setbacks. When attempting to quit smoking, most people have relapses. Don’t let a small slip crush your plan to stop smoking altogether. Simply pick yourself up, forgive yourself for slipping, and start over again.

5. Most smokers do not realize the relationship between caffeine and nicotine. Smokers are often able to handle a higher concentration of caffeine in the body than non-smokers. The nicotine breaks down the caffeine at a faster rate. When attempting to quit smoking, if you experience an increase in stress and anxiety try cutting back on caffeine consumption as well.

6. Set small goals when trying to quit smoking and focus on stopping smoking on a weekly or daily basis. Instead of saying, “I must stop smoking for good”, make it your goal to not smoke for the entire week. When you reach that milestone, set another goal. As your body becomes less dependent upon nicotine, stopping smoking will seem less overwhelming.

Prescription Medications To Help You Quit Smoking

Over the years, smokers have tried various prescriptions and over the counter remedies to cure their addition. From chewing gum, to patches, to popping pills, there seems to be an endless supply of stop smoking products available.

One could easily spend a fortune trying to quit smoking. It can also be very time-consuming to research products that have the best success rate and try to figure out which one will be the “magic bullet” for your habit.

In the past, most stop smoking aids contained nicotine. These products helped patients stop smoking by gradually decreasing the amount of nicotine released. They were designed to wean smokers gradually from their dependency instead of quitting smoking cold turkey and causing a shock to their system.

That was then, this is now.

New Quit Smoking Medications: Chantix and Zyban

Today there are effective and safe ways for patients to stop smoking. Medications like Chantix and Zyban help smokers break the habit without exposing them to more nicotine. And these stop smoking preparations help eliminate your nicotine craving without producing the withdrawal symptoms common to other types of stop smoking aids.

When starting treatment with Chantix or Zyban, patients are allowed to continue smoking for the first week. This allows the medication time to take effect. By the second week, trying to stop smoking is much easier.

Quit Smoking Without Extra Nicotine

Although Chantix and Zyban do not contain nicotine, they do release dopamine into the brain. It is the dopamine that greatly reduces unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Prescription Zyban also contains bupropion, a drug commonly used to treat depression. Bupropion is believed to be a key factor in helping smokers deal with their addiction without the unbearable side effects and withdrawal symptoms.