How much does hypnosis cost to quit smoking. What is the success rate of hypnosis for quitting smoking. Is hypnotherapy covered by insurance for smoking cessation. How many hypnosis sessions are needed to quit smoking. What are the pros and cons of using hypnosis to stop smoking.

The History and Recognition of Hypnotherapy in Medicine

Hypnotherapy has been a part of psychological treatment since the 1950s, when psychiatrist Milton H. Erickson demonstrated its potential as an adjunct to traditional therapy. In 1958, both the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association recognized hypnotherapy as a valid medical procedure, marking a significant milestone in its acceptance within the medical community.

The application of hypnotherapy specifically for smoking cessation was first described by Dr. Herbert Spiegel in a 1970 journal article. His approach, known as the “Spiegel technique,” focuses on three main ideas:

• Smoking is poisonous to your body
• You need your body to live
• If you want to live, you must respect and protect your body

This foundational work paved the way for modern hypnotherapy techniques used in smoking cessation programs today.

Understanding the Hypnotherapy Process for Quitting Smoking

When you decide to try hypnotherapy to quit smoking, it’s essential to understand what the process entails. A typical hypnotherapy session for smoking cessation involves several key components:

1. Initial consultation: The hypnotherapist will ask about your medical history and smoking habits.
2. Explanation of hypnosis: You’ll receive an overview of how hypnosis works and what to expect.
3. Guided trance induction: The therapist will help you enter a state of deep relaxation.
4. Suggestive therapy: During the trance state, the therapist will provide suggestions to help you quit smoking.
5. Self-hypnosis training: You’ll learn techniques to reinforce the therapy on your own.

How long does a hypnotherapy session typically last? Most sessions are about an hour in duration. However, the number of sessions required can vary depending on individual needs and responsiveness to the treatment.

Techniques Used in Hypnotherapy for Smoking Cessation

Hypnotherapists employ various techniques to help smokers quit. These may include:

• Associating cigarettes with unpleasant sensations (e.g., bad taste or smell)
• Suggesting that the desire to smoke has diminished
• Reinforcing the ability to cope with nicotine withdrawal symptoms
• Enhancing motivation to quit and stay smoke-free

Can hypnotherapy create a permanent aversion to smoking? While the goal is to create lasting change, the effectiveness can vary among individuals. Some may find that additional sessions or self-hypnosis practice are necessary to maintain the effects over time.

The Cost of Hypnotherapy for Smoking Cessation

One of the primary concerns for those considering hypnotherapy is the cost. How much should you expect to pay for hypnosis to quit smoking? The national average cost for a hypnotherapy session is approximately $85. However, prices can vary significantly depending on your location and the therapist’s experience.

In major metropolitan areas, particularly on the East and West coasts of the United States, rates can reach up to $125 per session. It’s important to note that multiple sessions are often recommended for optimal results, typically with most people beginning to show progress after four sessions.

Factors Affecting Hypnotherapy Costs

Several factors can influence the cost of hypnotherapy for smoking cessation:

• Therapist’s qualifications and experience
• Geographic location
• Duration of each session
• Number of sessions required
• Additional resources or materials provided

Is hypnotherapy for smoking cessation covered by insurance? While some insurance plans may cover hypnotherapy for certain conditions, coverage for smoking cessation can be limited. It’s best to check with your insurance provider to understand your specific coverage options.

Effectiveness of Hypnotherapy in Smoking Cessation

The effectiveness of hypnotherapy for quitting smoking is a topic of ongoing debate within the scientific community. While some individuals report success with hypnosis, research has not consistently supported its efficacy compared to other smoking cessation methods.

A scientific review of existing studies found no conclusive evidence to suggest that hypnotherapy worked better than other smoking cessation aids or no treatment at all. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that hypnotherapy is ineffective; rather, it indicates that more rigorous research may be needed to fully understand its potential benefits.

Factors Influencing Hypnotherapy Success

For hypnosis to be successful in helping someone quit smoking, several factors come into play:

• The individual’s belief in the therapy
• Willingness to enter a relaxed and receptive state of mind
• The therapist’s skill and approach
• Consistency in applying self-hypnosis techniques
• Overall motivation to quit smoking

What percentage of people successfully quit smoking through hypnotherapy? Success rates can vary widely, and reliable statistics are difficult to obtain due to the subjective nature of hypnotherapy and the lack of standardized measurement across studies. Some practitioners report success rates as high as 80%, while more conservative estimates suggest rates closer to 25-30%.

Pros and Cons of Using Hypnotherapy for Smoking Cessation

As with any smoking cessation method, hypnotherapy has its advantages and disadvantages. Understanding these can help you make an informed decision about whether it’s the right approach for you.

Advantages of Hypnotherapy

• Non-pharmacological approach: No medications or nicotine replacement products required
• Potential for addressing underlying psychological factors
• Can be combined with other cessation methods
• May help with stress reduction and relaxation
• No physical side effects typically associated with quitting smoking

Disadvantages of Hypnotherapy

• Lack of consistent scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness
• Cost may be higher than some other cessation methods
• Results can vary significantly between individuals
• May require multiple sessions for optimal results
• Not suitable for individuals with certain mental health conditions

Are there any risks associated with hypnotherapy for smoking cessation? Hypnotherapy is generally considered safe when performed by a trained professional. The most significant risk is typically the unintended creation of false memories based on therapist suggestions. However, this risk is minimal when working with a qualified and experienced hypnotherapist.

Finding a Qualified Hypnotherapist for Smoking Cessation

If you’re considering hypnotherapy to quit smoking, it’s crucial to find a qualified and reputable practitioner. A hypnotherapist should be a licensed mental health professional with specialized training in hypnosis techniques.

Where can you find accredited hypnotherapists? Several professional organizations can help you locate certified practitioners in your area:

• American Society of Clinical Hypnosis
• National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists
• American Association of Professional Hypnotherapists

Additionally, your primary care physician may be able to recommend a trusted hypnotherapist with experience in smoking cessation.

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Hypnotherapist

Before committing to hypnotherapy, consider asking potential therapists the following questions:

1. What is your professional background and training in hypnotherapy?
2. How much experience do you have with smoking cessation specifically?
3. What is your success rate with clients trying to quit smoking?
4. How many sessions do you typically recommend?
5. What is your approach to hypnotherapy for smoking cessation?
6. Are there any risks or side effects I should be aware of?
7. What is the cost per session, and do you offer any package deals?

How can you prepare for your first hypnotherapy session? It’s important to approach hypnotherapy with an open mind and a genuine desire to quit smoking. Before your session, consider writing down your reasons for wanting to quit and any concerns you have about the process. This can help guide the conversation with your therapist and enhance the effectiveness of the treatment.

Combining Hypnotherapy with Other Smoking Cessation Methods

While some individuals may find success with hypnotherapy alone, many experts recommend combining it with other smoking cessation strategies for optimal results. This multi-faceted approach can address both the physical and psychological aspects of nicotine addiction.

Complementary Smoking Cessation Techniques

Consider integrating the following methods alongside hypnotherapy:

• Nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum, lozenges)
• Prescription medications (e.g., Varenicline, Bupropion)
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Support groups or counseling
• Lifestyle changes (e.g., increased physical activity, stress management techniques)

How can hypnotherapy enhance other quit-smoking methods? Hypnosis may help reinforce positive behaviors and attitudes towards quitting, potentially making other cessation techniques more effective. For example, it might increase your motivation to use nicotine replacement products consistently or help you cope with cravings more effectively.

Alternative Holistic Approaches to Smoking Cessation

For those interested in holistic or alternative methods of quitting smoking, hypnotherapy is just one of several options available. Other approaches that some individuals find helpful include:

• Acupuncture
• Meditation and mindfulness practices
• Herbal supplements (e.g., St. John’s Wort, though efficacy is not well-established)
• Essential oils for craving management
• Yoga or tai chi for stress reduction

It’s important to note that while these methods may provide support and relief for some individuals, their effectiveness in smoking cessation is not consistently supported by scientific research. As with hypnotherapy, results can vary significantly from person to person.

Integrating Holistic Methods with Traditional Cessation Techniques

Many smokers find that a combination of traditional and holistic approaches works best for them. This integrated approach might include:

1. Consulting with a healthcare provider for medical support
2. Using nicotine replacement therapy or prescription medications
3. Attending counseling or support group sessions
4. Practicing relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga
5. Exploring hypnotherapy or acupuncture as complementary treatments

How can you determine the best combination of methods for your quit-smoking journey? The most effective approach is often personalized to your individual needs, preferences, and smoking history. Consider discussing your options with a healthcare provider who can help you develop a comprehensive cessation plan.

The Importance of Motivation and Support in Quitting Smoking

Regardless of the method you choose, including hypnotherapy, motivation and support play crucial roles in successfully quitting smoking. Even the most effective techniques can fall short if you’re not fully committed to the process or lack adequate support.

Building and Maintaining Motivation

To strengthen your resolve to quit smoking, consider the following strategies:

• List your reasons for quitting and review them regularly
• Set a specific quit date and prepare for it
• Visualize yourself as a non-smoker and the benefits it will bring
• Celebrate small milestones in your quit journey
• Use positive affirmations to reinforce your commitment

How can hypnotherapy help boost motivation to quit smoking? During hypnosis sessions, a therapist can work with you to strengthen your resolve, address any subconscious barriers to quitting, and reinforce positive motivations for becoming smoke-free.

Creating a Support Network

Having a strong support system can significantly increase your chances of successfully quitting smoking. Consider these options for building your support network:

1. Inform friends and family of your decision to quit and ask for their support
2. Join a smoking cessation support group (in-person or online)
3. Work with a quit-smoking coach or counselor
4. Use smartphone apps designed to provide motivation and track progress
5. Connect with former smokers who can share their experiences and advice

Can hypnotherapy sessions provide ongoing support for quitting smoking? While hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool in your quit-smoking arsenal, it’s typically not designed to provide continuous support. However, learning self-hypnosis techniques during your sessions can give you a method for reinforcing your commitment and managing cravings on your own.

In conclusion, hypnotherapy for smoking cessation offers a unique approach that may be beneficial for some individuals, particularly when combined with other quit-smoking methods. While scientific evidence regarding its effectiveness is mixed, many people report positive experiences with hypnosis in their journey to become smoke-free. By understanding the process, costs, and potential benefits of hypnotherapy, you can make an informed decision about whether it’s the right choice for your smoking cessation efforts. Remember that quitting smoking is a personal journey, and what works best may vary from person to person. Consult with healthcare professionals and consider a comprehensive approach that addresses both the physical and psychological aspects of nicotine addiction for the best chances of success.

Will Hypnotherapy Help You Stop Smoking? – Smoking Cessation Center

There are so many ways to quit smoking, and in their quest to stop, many smokers try everything from quitting cold turkey to one-on-one counseling to nicotine patches and gums — or combinations of all of the above. If these stop smoking methods haven’t worked for you, or you just want to take a more holistic approach, you may want to try hypnotherapy.

Research does not support hypnotherapy as a proven means to help people stop smoking. A scientific review of existing studies found no evidence to suggest that hypnotherapy worked better than other smoking cessation aids or no treatment at all.

However, some individuals have reported success in quitting smoking with the help of hypnotherapy. For hypnosis to be successful as a way to stop smoking, the person has to have faith in the therapist and be okay with being in a passive and susceptible state of mind.

A History of Hypnotherapy as Treatment

Hypnotherapy has been used in psychological treatment since the 1950s, when psychiatrist Milton H. Erickson showed the potential of hypnosis as an aid to traditional therapy. The American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association recognized hypnotherapy as a valid medical procedure in 1958.

The first use of hypnotherapy to help people stop smoking was described by Dr. Herbert Spiegel in a 1970 journal article. His hypnotic strategy has become known as the “Spiegel technique” and involves concentration on three main ideas:

• Smoking is poisonous to your body.
• You need your body if you want to live.
• If you want to live, you need to respect and protect your body.

Today, hypnotherapists will suggest that smokers associate cigarettes with unpleasant tastes, odors, or sensations — for instance, that cigarette smoke smells like bus fumes, that the smoke has a nasty taste, or that it will cause you to suffer from dry mouth. They might also suggest that smokers believe that they have lost the desire to smoke and can easily cope with their nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

What To Expect From Hypnotherapy to Stop Smoking

Your hypnotherapist will begin your first session by asking questions about your medical history and the issue that brought you in. He will likely give you an explanation of hypnosis and how it works, and then will guide you into your first trance. The therapist will also probably teach you some self-hypnosis techniques, so you can reinforce the hypnotherapy on your own. Hypnotherapy sessions typically last about an hour.

Multiple sessions to reinforce the suggestions being provided by the hypnotherapist are usually recommended. Most people begin to show progress after four sessions, although hypnotherapy can continue as long as you need to have the suggestions reinforced.

The national average cost for a hypnotherapy session is about $85, but the cost varies widely across the country, with rates on the East and West coasts reaching up to $125.

Pros and Cons of Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy can be successful as a combination therapy, used in conjunction with other treatments for such conditions as stress, anxiety, depression, and pain. Hypnosis also does not involve the use of any medications, which might appeal to smokers who aren’t interested in using drugs or nicotine replacement products.

Keep in mind that hypnotherapy is not dangerous. The hypnotist cannot make you do something you don’t want to do. The greatest risk usually involves the unintended creation of false memories based on suggestions from the hypnotherapist.

As for the drawbacks, the major criticism of hypnotherapy for smoking cessation is that no research to date has proven it works. Also, hypnotherapy is not considered a valid treatment for people who are alcoholics or drug addicts or are dealing with hallucinations and psychotic episodes.

Finding a Hypnotherapist

Hypnotherapy should be performed by a mental health professional who has been licensed and certified and has received special training in hypnosis. Several professional groups can put you in touch with accredited hypnotherapists in your area:

Also ask your doctor, who might be able to recommend a known and trusted hypnotherapist.

Hypnosis to Quit Smoking: Benefits and Risks

Quitting smoking can be a real challenge. But it’s one of the best things you can do for your health. Smoking is a dangerous, even deadly habit. It’s a leading cause of cancer. It also increases your risk for heart attacks, strokes, lung disease, and other health problems, including bone fractures and cataracts.

If nicotine lozenges, patches, chewing gum, counseling, and other smoking cessation methods haven’t helped you kick the habit, don’t give up. Ask your doctor if hypnosis is an option for you. Some studies have shown that hypnosis may help certain people quit smoking.

What Is Hypnosis?

Hypnosis is defined as an altered state of awareness in which you appear to be asleep or in a trance. Clinical hypnosis may be used to treat certain physical or psychological problems. For instance, it is frequently used to help patients control pain. It is also used in a wide range of other conditions such as weight issues, speech disorders, and addiction problems.

There is debate about how hypnosis works. Some people believe that when you are hypnotized, you relax and concentrate more, and are more willing to listen to suggestions — such as giving up smoking, for example.

Even though you appear to be in a trance during hypnosis, you are not unconscious. You are still aware of your surroundings, and — despite what many stage performers may claim during an entertaining show — you cannot be made to do anything against your will. In fact, brain tests performed on patients during hypnotism sessions have shown a high level of neurological activity.

Hypnosis for Smokers

During hypnosis for smoking cessation, a patient is often asked to imagine unpleasant outcomes from smoking. For example, the hypnotherapist might suggest that cigarette smoke smells like truck exhaust, or that smoking will leave the patient’s mouth feeling extremely parched.

Spiegel’s method is one popular smoking cessation hypnosis technique that focuses on three main ideas:

• Smoking poisons the body
• You need your body to live
• You should respect your body and protect it (to the extent you’d like to live)

The hypnotherapist teaches the smoker self-hypnosis, and then asks them to repeat these affirmations anytime the desire to smoke occurs.

Does Hypnosis Work?

Hypnosis, in general, does not work for everyone. About one in four people are not able to be hypnotized. When successful, the intensity of hypnosis can vary from person to person.

How well hypnosis works to help people stop smoking depends on who you ask. Study results have been mixed. In 2010, a systematic review of published studies found that there wasn’t enough evidence to support the use of hypnosis. Another review published in 2012 said that studies do support a possible benefit from the use of hypnosis. In discussing alternative methods for quitting smoking on its web site, the American Cancer Society says that while controlled studies have not supported the effectiveness of hypnosis, there is anecdotal evidence that some people have been helped.

Continued

Despite some web sites and promotional materials that say otherwise, hypnosis is not an approved therapy by the American Medical Association (AMA). The organization does not have an official position on the use of hypnosis. A position statement regarding the use of the technique for medical and psychological purposes was rescinded by the AMA in 1987.

Researchers who have studied hypnosis say more, well-conducted studies are needed to determine if hypnosis really helps smokers kick the habit for good, but add that hypnosis remains a hopeful approach and has many other benefits. However, the best way to quit may be to combine several techniques. Patients often require several different strategies along the way.

How to Find a Hypnotherapist

If you want to try hypnosis to help you quit smoking, ask your health care provider to recommend a good hypnotherapist.

Here are some tips when looking for a qualified hypnotherapist:

• Make sure they are licensed, trained, and credentialed. Hypnosis for smoking cessation and other medical or behavioral reasons should only be done by someone who has a current license in a health care field, such as medicine, psychiatry, psychology, or nursing.
• Ask some tough questions. Ask about their professional training. The American Society for Clinical Hypnosis also suggests asking: “Is this practitioner able to help me without using hypnosis?” If the answer is no, you should look elsewhere.
• Beware of too-good-to-be true claims or guarantees. Hypnosis does not work for everyone.

Remember, it’s never too late to quit smoking. Doing so has immediate health benefits. And, if you quit smoking before you turn 50, you’ll cut the risk of dying in the next 15 years in half, compared to those who keep lighting up.

Hypnosis to Quit Smoking: Examples & Effectiveness

Hypnotherapy is a short-term treatment that works with a person’s conscious and subconscious mind to find solutions to behavioral and emotional problems. It has been shown to be effective in treating issues such as nicotine addiction, eating disorders, traumatic memories, and phobias. A typical program of hypnosis treatment can include weekly 60-90 minute sessions over the course of several weeks.

What Is Hypnosis to Quit Smoking?

A good hypnosis program aims to reinforce a person’s motivation to quit smoking. It anticipates mental blocks and wavering that may occur until the new habit of being smoke-free is established. A typical course of hypnosis treatment for quitting smoking includes a fact-finding consultation, one or more hypnosis sessions, and some kind of follow-up and support.

Central Concepts of Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy involves the clinical use of hypnosis to elicit desired changes. Through positive suggestions and imagery, the hypnotherapist guides the person into a state of physical and mental relaxation known as a ‘hypnotic trance.’ In this state, the person is better able to identify subconscious motivations for their behavior and is more open to suggestions for healthy alternatives.

Hypnosis works best when there is mutual cooperation between the person and the therapist. Willingness to follow the therapist’s benign instructions to relax physically and mentally leads to a more positive and effective session. Motivation to change is one of the key ingredients to a successful therapeutic outcome.

How Can Hypnotherapy Help Someone Quit Smoking?

When a person sees a hypnotherapist for smoking or nicotine addiction, they have often already tried to quit multiple times with other methods.¹ Although nicotine gum, lozenges, patches, counseling and other options can be effective in a person’s effort to quit, hypnosis has also been found to be helpful to some people. In one study, as many as 48% of the participants reported abstinence from smoking after one year.²

Hypnosis treatment also aims at addressing the subconscious motivations for smoking. These are often solutions for boredom, stress, loneliness, or the desire to fit in. While in the trance state the therapist repeats suggestions that offer alternative behaviors to smoking when those needs or situations come up.

Example of Hypnosis to Stop Smoking

In the consultation session, a person may be asked to talk about their nicotine habits. How often do you smoke? When, where, and why do you smoke? Have you tried to quit before? Why do you want to quit now? These are just a few of the questions a hypnotherapist may ask to clarify the person’s goals and personalize their therapeutic plan.

Then comes the actual hypnosis session. The number of sessions will vary with different therapists. Some suggest multiple sessions while others will say that a single session is sufficient. In either case, the session begins with an induction into a hypnotic trance followed by creative visualization and repeated positive suggestions that the person is no longer dependent on nicotine.

Most therapists offer some kind of follow-up support. This can be in the form of additional sessions or hypnosis recordings that can be listened to for some prescribed period of time after the initial in-person session.

Is Hypnotherapy Effective for Quitting Smoking?

Although there is some evidence to suggest that hypnosis is an effective treatment for quitting smoking, there is debate as to whether or not the data is definitive. That being said, there have been numerous studies that show that hypnotherapy-both by itself and in combination with other modalities-can be an effective treatment for nicotine addiction.

Studies that show the effectiveness of hypnotherapy alone or combined with other treatments include:

• A 2014 randomized controlled trial of 164 patients with serious cardio-pulmonary illness compared the efficacy of hypnotherapy alone, hypnotherapy with nicotine replacement therapy, and conventional nicotine replacement therapy alone. The study found that hypnotherapy patients were more likely than nicotine replacement therapy patients to be nonsmokers at 12 weeks and 26 weeks after hospitalization.³
• A 2012 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials concluded that acupuncture and hypnotherapy may help smokers quit. However, they suggest that more evidence is needed to determine if such therapies are as effective as pharmacotherapies.⁴
• A 2005 study showed that 40% of the control group reported abstinence from nicotine 24 weeks after they attended 8 hypnosis sessions over the course of 2 months.⁵

A 2010 Cochrane review evaluated the findings of 14 separate studies on the effectiveness of hypnosis and concluded that hypnotherapy was as effective as other behavioral interventions such as counseling.⁶

How to Find a Hypnotherapist to Help You Stop Smoking

Finding a hypnotherapist is becoming easier as hypnosis gains popularity as an evidence based treatment. Here a few considerations for choosing your therapist.

• Check credentials: Requirements vary from state to state, country to country. Some states in the U.S. allow people to describe themselves as hypnotherapists while others only allow the title “hypnotist” or “clinical hypnotist”. Either way, check the credentials of any prospective therapist and make sure they are qualified to practice in your state or region.
• Schedule a free consultation: Many hypnotherapists offer initial consultations for free. These are great opportunities to shop around and educate yourself before making a final decision.
• Ask questions: For example, what is their experience with your particular issue? What kind of success have they had with your issue? Do they offer additional support before and after your sessions? What do they consider to be an ideal client?

In the end, trust your feelings as well as your head. If you got the impression that the therapist has your best interests in mind and you felt a sense of rapport, then that person is probably going to be a good fit.

Pros and Cons of Hypnotherapy for Quitting Smoking

As with any therapeutic treatment there are pros and cons to weigh before any decision is made. Some things to consider when looking at hypnotherapy for quitting smoking include safety, efficacy, cost, length of treatment, quality of services, and whether or not it will work for a specific individual’s personality or physiology.

Pros of hypnosis to quit smoking include:

• It’s safe: The common fears that hypnosis is somehow dangerous are myths.The person in trance is always aware of their experience and is not in any danger of doing something against their will. A 2016 review of 5 major meta-analyses concluded that hypnotherapy is a safe and effective treatment for a variety of presenting issues.⁷
• It’s all-natural: Hypnotherapy for quitting smoking does not rely on pharmacotherapies to treat addiction to nicotine. Therefore, there are no adverse side effects such as coughing, nausea, increased heart rate, or sleeplessness.
• It’s inexpensive: Compared to other treatments such as counseling and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), hypnosis is relatively inexpensive. A single session can range from $100 to $300 depending on the city and state the therapist operates. Alternatively, smoking clinics can cost $500 or more.
• It’s quick: Because hypnotherapy is a solution-based treatment the course of therapy is usually short. Many people successfully quit smoking after one or two treatments.

Cons of hypnosis to quit smoking include:

• It may not work for everyone: Although some hypnotists would disagree, some people find that they just can’t be hypnotized.⁸ This could be because of a lack of rapport between the person and the therapist, or for other reasons. Whatever the case, a professional hypnotherapist will do some sort of hypnosis test session to determine if the treatment is a good fit.
• Quality of service varies: Not all hypnotherapists are created equal. Some may have more or less experience with helping people to quit smoking. Some may not offer additional support materials such as audio recordings that can be helpful in reinforcing positive suggestions. Make sure to research several hypnotherapists before making a decision.
• Shortage of evidence: As mentioned in the section on hypnosis research above, some academics claim that there is not enough evidence and data to prove with certainty that hypnosis helps people quit smoking. Therefore, this might not be the best course for those who feel more comfortable with treatments backed by strong scientific data.
• Insurance: Many insurance companies do not cover hypnosis treatment which can result in out of pocket costs. Check with your insurance company before committing to hypnotherapy as a treatment for nicotine addiction.

At-Home Hypnosis to Stop Smoking

The main reason people seek help quitting smoking is because nicotine is a highly addictive substance⁹ and it’s hard to give it up by oneself. However, if a person doesn’t want to hire a hypnotherapist for whatever reason, there are several hypnosis techniques one can do safely at home.

Visualization/Future Pacing

One of the main techniques employed in hypnosis is creative visualization. Using this method, one gets into a state of relaxation then imagines oneself engaging in all their daily activities without smoking. The person imagines this with as much detail as possible, focusing on all the positive feelings they will experience as a non-smoker. When those future situations actually come about, the person will often remember the previous visualizations and feelings and choose to abstain from cigarettes.

Learn Self Hypnosis

The mechanics of a self-hypnosis session are not that difficult to learn. Books and other resources have scripts for self-hypnosis routines that can be memorized or recorded. Once one has learned how to elicit a trance state for themselves, they can repeat positive suggestions silently or out loud.

These may include positive, affirming statements such as “I am now a non-smoker”, or “I enjoy taking care of my body and my health. ” Whatever suggestions are used, they are most effective when they are clear, without ambiguity, and easy to understand.

Hypnosis Recordings

There are many hypnosis recordings specifically for quitting smoking on the marketplace. These can be effective for increasing motivation and strengthening resolve.

Any of these methods can be part of a successful strategy to quit smoking. However, the most important factor is usually the willingness and resolve of the person who wants to quit.

Additional Resources for Hypnosis to Quit Smoking

For more information about hypnotherapy for quitting smoking and hypnosis in general see these resources:

Cost of Hypnotherapy – 2021 Healthcare Costs

With Health Insurance: Copay or 10-50% of Procedure Cost Without Health Insurance: $50-$275+ Per Session

Hypnosis typically is used for weight loss, smoking cessation, anxiety, phobias, procrastination, low self-esteem, insomnia, sexual performance issues and other problems. Typical costs:

Hypnosis sometimes is covered by health insurance, but it varies by policy and individual case. For example, BlueCross BlueShield of Montana[1] considers hypnosis medically necessary for relief of acute or chronic pain or as an adjunct to psychotherapy. Aetna[2] , however, considers hypnosis experimental. For patients covered by health insurance, the cost of hypnosis typically consists of a doctor visit copay or coinsurance of 10%-50%. For patients not covered by health insurance, hypnosis typically costs $50-$275 or more per session — or a total of $100-$1,375 or more for the two to five sessions typically recommended for most issues. For example, Columbus Ohio Hypnosis charges $50-$100 per session, depending on the provider, with three to five sessions typically required, for a total of $150-$500. Possibilities Hypnosis Centers[3] in Massachusetts and Rhode Island charge $95 per session and recommend two sessions for smoking and three for weight loss — for a total of $190-$285. Lakeside Counseling & Hypnotherapy Center[4] in North Carolina charges $110 per session — with up to three or more sessions recommended, for a total of up to $330 or more. Brennan Smith[5] , a hypnotherapist in California, charges $145 per session, with three to eight sessions recommended, for a total of $435-$1,160. Absolute Peak Hypnosis Center[6] in Ohio charges $275 per session, and requires two session to quit smoking and three to five sessions to lose weight, for a total of $550-$1,375. Related articles: Diet Programs, Acupuncture

What should be included:

In a session, the hypnotherapist typically induces a state of hypnosis — a deep relaxation in which the mind is more open to suggestion — by speaking soothingly. The provider then begins to make suggestions for how the patient can change thinking and behavior to achieve desired goals, and may help the patient visualize the changes in detail. A session typically lasts a half hour to an hour, and most providers recommend one to eight sessions, depending on the patient and the issue being addressed. The Mayo Clinic offers information on hypnosis[7] , and Atlanta West Hypnotherapy offers a list of hypnotherapy myths[8] . Additional costs:

Additional sessions might be required occasionally after treatment has been completed. Discounts:

Some providers offer coupons. For example, Absolute Peak Hypnosis Center[9] in Ohio offers a 50% discount on its website. Shopping for hypnotherapy:

The National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists offers a hypnotherapist finder[10] by state. There is no national regulatory body that oversees hypnotherapy, and few states have any requirements. Only Colorado, Connecticut and Washington require licensing or registration of hypnotherapists. The Hypnotherapist’s Union offers a list of state requirements[11] for hypnotherapists. It is important for consumers to check credentials and experience and, if the provider is a medical or mental health professional, to verify that they are state-licensed in their chosen field. NW Medical Hypnosis offers a guide to choosing a qualified hypnotherapist[12] .

Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.

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What People Are Paying – Recent Comments

Posted by: RobertS.28 in Novi, MI. Posted: July 17th, 2018 10:07AM Reason for Seeking Hypnosis: to quit smoking Hypnotherapist: Milson Hypnotherapy Services Been smoking for since I was in my late 20’s, due to some other issues I finally decided was the time to quit. I made an appointment with the hypnotherapist because a friend recommended them. I was a unsure about it at first but it only took a few sessions and I haven’t smoked since, my urges are gone and I don’t feel like smoking anymore.

Posted by: lilbea in Las Vegas, NV. Posted: February 21st, 2018 03:02AM Reason for Seeking Hypnosis: Tramic and sexual abused childhood Hypnotherapist: Unknown Would my insurance cover it and if so how much and would my insurance deem it necessary?

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How Much Does Hypnotherapy Cost?

If you’re thinking about using hypnosis to treat a condition, you may be wondering, how much does hypnotherapy cost? One size does not fit all. Or in the case of hypnotherapy, one price does not fit all. The cost of hypnotherapy is different and fluctuates from city to city — from one acupuncturist to the next.

In this article, we’ll explore the kinds of costs you can expect when you seek hypnotherapy treatment, the types of discounts you may be eligible for, how to find low cost hypnotherapy, and hypnotherapy costs in some of the major cities.

If you’re considering paying for hypnotherapy treatment through insurance, we’ll uncover which insurance companies will pay for hypnotherapy treatment, And if you’re looking for a specific treatment for smoking, or weight loss, we’ll also give you an idea of what you can expect to pay for those treatments.

Table of Contents

Typical Costs

Discounts

Total Cost

How to Find Low Cost Hypnotherapy

Which Insurance Companies Cover Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy Cost by City

Cost by Treatment Type

Tips for Shopping for Hypnotherapy

Frequently Asked Questions

Typical Costs

Fees for your first session of hypnotherapy may include an initial consultation and hypnotherapy treatment. This will cost between $100 to $300. Additional visits may cost $75 to $300. Some hypnotherapists offer a free 30 minute initial in-person or phone consultation for you to get a feel if you are comfortable working with the hypnotherapist and to aide in you finding the hypnotherapist for both your health and wellness needs.

Discounts

Many acupuncturists offer a discount when you purchase multiple treatments or packages. So for example, if you were to purchase one session at $150 or six sessions at $600, bringing the price down to $100 per session.

Other popular discounts are:

• Referral discounts

• Review discounts

• Student Discounts

• Child Discounts

• Elderly discounts

• Veteran Discounts

• Teacher discounts

Ask your hypnotherapist if they offer any of these discounts to get a better price on your treatments.

Total Cost

The total cost of hypnotherapy will depend on the type and reason you are seeking hypnotherapy. People have spent more than $300 out of pocket over the course of their full treatment for hypnotherapy some people have spent $500 or more.

However, do not fret, hypnotherapy does not have to be financially out of reach.

How to Find Low Cost Hypnotherapy

In addition to asking hypnotherapists if they offer any discounts, one other way to find low cost hypnotherapy treatment is to ask a hypnotherapist if they offer a sliding scale fee schedule. It is a great way to make hypnotherapy a more affordable treatment option for your health needs.

When a hypnotherapist receives their certification or is working on obtaining their certification, they are often required to complete a particular number of hours of hypnotherapy.

One other avenue of locating low cost hypnotherapy sessions is to locate a hypnotherapist who is to find a hypnotherapist who is working towards meeting those required hours of hypnotherapy for their certification and aiming to build their hypnotherapy business. Because they are starting out they may be willing to offer a lower hypnotherapy session hourly rate with the goal of growing their client base and business.

Which Insurance Companies Cover Hypnotherapy?

The following insurance companies may cover your hypnotherapy, depending on your plan. Be sure to check with your insurance provider to verify coverage before seeking treatment. Your hypnotherapist may also be able to assist you.

• Blue Cross/Blue Shield: Will cover hypnotherapy for chronic pain and if it is done along with psychotherapy depending on the plan you have.

• Cigna: Will cover hypnotherapy if hypnosis is being used to treat a covered condition and depends on the plan you are paying for.

• Humana: Openly blogs about hypnosis and depression.

• United Health Care: Different plans may cover may cover hypnosis for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes .

The insurance company Aetna considers hypnosis and hypnotherapy to be experimental and investigational and consequently will not cover it.

Hypnotherapy Cost by City

Methodology

These prices estimate the costs you may expect to pay for hypnotherapy without insurance. To determine these prices, we sampled hypnotherapists listed in the Google business directory in each area.

Cost by City

Cost by Treatment Type

For Smoking

Hypnotherapy for smoking is often sold in packages of three to six sessions. Prices range from $269 in North Carolina to $349 in Washington state. In large metro cities like Los Angeles, you may find yourself with a price range of $500-$1500 depending on the hypnotherapist and what their hypnotherapy for smoking program provides — some offer extra phone support, CD recordings, books, and other supplemental material. For information on the success of hypnotherapy for smoking and how it could also help you, read: Hypnotherapy for Smoking Cessation.

For Weight Loss

If you need to lose some weight, hypnotherapy could help. Again packages for weight loss are commonly offered by hypnotherapists. Weight loss hypnotherapy packages usually come with MP3 recordings of sessions and supplemental recording that are meant to be used in between hypnotherapy sessions. As well as, books and workbooks. The weight loss packages often come with five to twelve sessions. In Washington state, you can expect to pay an average of $549 in smaller cities, to $1550 in Seattle, Washington. For detailed information on how hypnotherapy can be beneficial for your weight loss goals read: Hypnotherapy for Weight Loss.

1. Friends: Ask your friends for a recommendation for a hypnotherapist.

2. Research: Research online to find a hypnotherapist that may be the right fit for you.

3. Read: Read online reviews. Other peoples experiences can give in insight on what you may expect when being treated by a particular hypnotherapist.

4. Training and specialties: Ask and find out about each hypnotherapists’ training and specializations. For example, if you’re looking to lose weight or stop smoking, you’ll want to find a hypnotherapist who specializes in treating those conditions.

5. Introductory session: Call and ask for an introductory session. (Don’t forget to ask about what insurance they take)

6. Evaluate: Go to your first appointment and evaluate the hypnotherapist and the office.

7. Decide: Make a decision to return or keep looking for a hypnotherapist you like and meets your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here is a list of frequently asked questions about hypnotherapy and insurance:

Does Medicare Cover Hypnotherapy?

No. Medicare does not cover hypnotherapy.

Does Medicaid Cover Hypnotherapy?

No. Medicaid does not cover hypnotherapy.

Do Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plans Cover Hypnotherapy?

Some Medicare supplemental insurance plans provide coverage for hypnotherapy treatment but most don’t offer coverage.

Will my Insurance Cover Hypnotherapy?

While many insurance companies are beginning to cover hypnotherapy, most plans that do are higher cost plans. If you have had chronic pain for six months and the traditional forms of treatment, like drugs or physical therapy have been ineffective, there’s a higher chance your insurance will cover your hypnotherapy treatments. A good place to start is calling the number on your insurance for meant for members, and asking if hypnotherapy is covered by your plan.

Find a Hypnotherapist near you

There are hundreds of talented Hypnotherapists on DaoCloud:

Atlanta, GA • Austin, TX • Baltimore, MD • Boston, MA • Boulder, CO • Buffalo, NY • Charleston, SC • Charlotte, NC • Chicago, IL • Cincinatti, OH • Cleveland, OH • Columbus, OH • Dallas, TX • Denver, CO • Detroit, MI • Houston, TX • Indianapolis, IN • Kansas City, MO • Las Vegas, NV • Los Angeles, CA • Miami, FL • Minneapolis, MN • New York, NY • Orlando, FL • Philadelphia, PA • Phoenix, AZ • Pittsburg, PA • Portland, OR • Raleigh, NC • Salt Lake City, UT • San Antonio, TX • San Diego, CA • San Francisco, CA • San Jose, CA • Seattle, WA • St. Louis, MO • Tampa, FL • Tucson, AZ • Washington, DC

References

(n.d.). Retrieved January 3, 2019, from https://www.excellusbcbs.com/wps/wcm/connect/72a93967-b2c8-4f85-aac5-775312a05019/hypnosistac18.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=72a93967-b2c8-4f85-aac5-775312a05019

Complementary and Alternative Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved January 3, 2019, from http://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/300_399/0388.html

Hypnosis for anxiety and depression treatment. (n.d.). Retrieved January 3, 2019, from https://www.humana.com/prevention-and-care/managing-conditions/behavioral-health/hypnosis-for-anxiety-and-depression-treatment

What kinds of behavioral health services are covered? (n.d.). Retrieved January 3, 2019, from https://apps.cignabehavioral.com/web/consumer.do#/whatIsCoveredFaqs

Hypnotherapy for Smoking Cessation | DaoCloud.com

If you’re a tobacco user, you may be interested in quitting smoking. While there are many ways to approach a smoking cessation program, one addition to such a program could include hypnotherapy. We’ll discuss how it works, success rates, statistics, and cost so you’re prepared to make a decision on whether hypnotherapy will be effective in helping you to stop smoking.

Table of Contents

Does Hypnotherapy Work for Smoking?

How Does Hypnotherapy Work for Quitting Smoking?

Success Rates and Statistics

How Many Sessions Will I Need to Stop Smoking?

Cost

Will My Insurance Pay?

Will Medicaid Pay?

Medicare Reimbursement

Books and CDs

Free Hypnosis Sessions Online

Does Hypnotherapy Work for Smoking?

You may be wondering if hypnotherapy is effective for smoking cessation. While there are success stories to be heard, research indicates that hypnosis may be effective, but has not definitely proved it. While more research will certainly need to be done, after seeing some of the statistics below, you may decide hypnosis is worth a try.

How Does Hypnotherapy Work for Quitting Smoking?

There are many different approaches a hypnotherapist may take to help you quit smoking. You’ll work with your hypnotherapist to determine the best approach for you and to personalize the hypnotic statements and images used to help you quit smoking.

One approach is to weaken your desire to smoke. Hypnotic suggestions here may include statements like, “You are free from the desire to smoke,” or “Your desire to smoke will lessen as I count backward from 10 to 1.”

Other methods may seek to strengthen their will to quit. Hypnotic suggestions here may include statements like “You are strong in your ability to resist smoking,” or “Your will power increases as I could from 1 to 10.”

Success Rates and Statistics

According to this study, 50 percent of patients treated with hypnotherapy alone were nonsmokers, compared with 50 percent in the NRT/hypnotherapy group, 25 percent in the control group, and 15.78 percent in the nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) group.

In addition, research suggests that hypnosis:

How Many Sessions Will I Need to Stop Smoking?

You may be able to stop smoking in as few as six sessions. However, if you feel the urge to smoke after you stop smoking, additional sessions may prove useful in curbing the desire.

Cost

A hypnotherapy session ranges from $75 to $150 according to the National Association of Professional Hypnotherapists. Many hypnotherapists offer smoking cessation packages which include a certain number of sessions at a fixed cost.

Will My Insurance Pay?

Some insurance companies will cover the cost of your smoking cessation hypnotherapy sessions. However, you’ll likely need to see a therapist who is covered under your insurance.

For example, according to Cigna, “Many behavioral health professionals use hypnotherapy as part of their treatment services. If the therapist you see uses hypnotherapy for the treatment of a covered disorder, it may be covered.”

Will Medicaid Pay?

Many state medicaid programs will cover the full cost of your smoking cessation hypnotherapy sessions. However, some states, like North Carolina, exclude hypnosis and smoking cessation.

Medicare Reimbursement

By seeing a Medicare provider, Original Medicare will cover the cost of your smoking cessation hypnotherapy at 100% of the Medicare-approved amount. Medicare Part B can provide you up to eight sessions to help you quit smoking. Sessions are provided in sets of four face-to-face sessions.

Books and CDs

Here are some recommended books for hypnotherapy and smoking cessation.

Free Hypnosis Sessions Online

Here are some free online hypnosis sessions on YouTube that may help you stop smoking.

Find a Hypnotherapist near you

There are hundreds of talented Hypnotherapists on DaoCloud:

Atlanta, GA • Austin, TX • Baltimore, MD • Boston, MA • Boulder, CO • Buffalo, NY • Charleston, SC • Charlotte, NC • Chicago, IL • Cincinatti, OH • Cleveland, OH • Columbus, OH • Dallas, TX • Denver, CO • Detroit, MI • Houston, TX • Indianapolis, IN • Kansas City, MO • Las Vegas, NV • Los Angeles, CA • Miami, FL • Minneapolis, MN • New York, NY • Orlando, FL • Philadelphia, PA • Phoenix, AZ • Pittsburg, PA • Portland, OR • Raleigh, NC • Salt Lake City, UT • San Antonio, TX • San Diego, CA • San Francisco, CA • San Jose, CA • Seattle, WA • St. Louis, MO • Tampa, FL • Tucson, AZ • Washington, DC

References

American College of Chest Physicians. “Hypnotherapy For Smoking Cessation Sees Strong Results.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 24 October 2007.

Dare S, Mackay DF, Pell JP. Relationship between smoking and obesity: a cross-sectional study of 499,504 middle-aged adults in the UK general population. PLoS One. 2015;10(4):e0123579. Published 2015 Apr 17. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0123579.

Hasan FM, Zagarins SE, Pischke KM, et al. Hypnotherapy is more effective than nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation: results of a randomized controlled trial. Complement Ther Med. 2014;22(1):1-8.

Joseph P. Green & Steven Jay Lynn (2000) Hypnosis and suggestion-based approaches to smoking cessation: An examination of the evidence, International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 48:2, 195-224, DOI: 10.1080/00207140008410048.

Tashkin, Donald P. et al. Smoking cessation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Respiratory Medicine , Volume 103 , Issue 7 , 963 – 974.

I Went To Hypnotherapy To Try To Quit Smoking

“Have you ever been hypnotised before?” she asked while scribbling on a clipboard. No I hadn’t. “…It’s not like TV at all. It’s not going to be like that.”

I stopped looking around the room for a stack of pendulums or giant black and white vortex coins.

“Well I guess you’ve done a lot of reading about it?”

No. I hadn’t done that either. I feel that hypnotism works if you want it to work and I wasn’t about to do a stack of research that might turn me into a sceptic. I really wanted this to work.

I sit back on a long black recliner lounge. The type you imagine in a stereotypical therapist’s office. I notice a waste paper bin next to me filled with half-full packets of cigarettes. Most of them were my favourite brand. What a waste, I couldn’t help but think…

“So you’re here because you’re a smoker?”

Like most smokers, I’ve always thought about quitting and always wanted to. I’ve tried to give up several times with varying levels of success. Once I managed to kick the habit for four months. The last time I tried, I lasted a painful 26 hours. I’ve tried the unpleasant nicotine gum and the absolutely foul nicotine mints. I’ve tried switching to fancy electronic cigarettes. I’ve tried gritting my teeth and going cold turkey. Nothing has worked.

Then I heard that being hypnotised might help to axe the addiction. A friend had told me that his uncle tried it and went from being a pack-a-day smoker to a non-smoker overnight. Another friend told me his room-mate tried it and it made no difference.

At this point, hypnotism was the only thing I could see that I hadn’t tried. So despite the mixed reviews and the $500 (Australian!) price tag, I booked an appointment. I found a practice that has a load of success stories and also has a lifetime guarantee — meaning that if I ever start smoking again I can go back for free. That inspired a bit of confidence.

My hypnotist had the type of strong but soothing voice you’d expect from someone who works in hypnotism or neuro-linguistic programming. Right from our preliminary planning and assessment session, her voice was relaxing.

“You’re quite young to have been smoking for 10 years. How did that start?”

I started smoking when I was 14 years old. Sometimes on the weekends I used to hang out in reserves and carparks with my friends and have one or two cigarettes. It seemed grown up and cool but harmless. One or two cigarettes in a week wouldn’t hurt.

But by the time I was 20 I could no longer hide behind comforting labels like “social smoker” or “occasional smoker”. I was smoking five cigarettes a day plus a whole packet on Friday nights and another whole packet on Saturday nights.

“When you smoked your first few cigarettes that probably didn’t feel so good but it was off-set massively by those other good internal feelings that we get. That feeling of belonging and rebellion. They’re very strong feelings in our subconscious and then we want to repeat those feelings.”

I’d never thought of it like that. I’d always assumed cigarette addictions were to do with a chemical dependency on nicotine. I’d never given a thought to the possibility that I was psychologically addicted. It was an insight I hadn’t expected.

“If cigarettes have become positively associated for you, every time you feel a negative your body tries to move away from that. Your brain will ask ‘what can I do to feel good? Oh yeah, smoking.’ That suggestion becomes almost impossible to ignore.”

When it was time for the session to begin, she turned on a soundtrack of soothing music. The kind you hear in elevators.

“Hypnotism just feels like a relaxed state — like when you’re falling asleep at night and your body relaxes and your mind starts to wander.”

The music transitioned into a montage of waves breaking on the shore.

“All I need you to do is two things, the first thing is just relax and the second thing is just agree with the suggestions. You can do that, can’t you?”

I nodded, feeling nervous.

Smoking metaphor image courtesy Shutterstock.

“We’re going to get down here, to the unconscious mind to change your positive associations. We’re going to change the way you feel about smoking.”

We started with breathing exercises. She asked me to take five deep and measured breaths. I already was feeling very relaxed.

She spoke deeply and slowly as she guided me through a series of images and imagery exercises designed to relax the brain. I followed a leaf blowing in the wind. I stood at the top of spiral staircase and walked down it slowly.

“If you have any errant thoughts, just let them drift away.”

I tried to throw away the thought that a cigarette would go down beautifully right about now.

The rest was a little fuzzy. I drifted in and out of consciousness. At times I was very alert and aware of my surroundings. There are also periods of blankness. But I remember feeling very relaxed, almost like I was floating.

She often pulled me back into consciousness by asking questions I had to answer.

“You see a door. What colour is it Mia?”

Red.

“Does the door open inwards or outwards?”

Outwards.

“Visualise it. Can you do that?”

Yes.

When it was time for me to wake up, she simply counted backwards from ten and told me to open my eyes. I was surprised to feel tears on my face and that a whole hour had passed — it felt like ten minutes. And I didn’t remember crying.

As I sat up, she asked me to open my purse and throw my cigarettes in the waste paper bin with all the other rejected packets. I did.

As I was walking out of the office, I assessed myself and tried to see if I felt any different. I drove home in a sort of trance wondering if it had worked or not. It was too early to tell. Although I later realised that I forgot to have my standard car cigarette. It was a good sign.

~

It’s been a month now. Has it stopped me smoking? Well, no it hasn’t. I had a cigarette the day after my session. I was a little disappointed. The session definitely did not deliver on all of its promises.

The mental shift and positive reassociation that is promised by neuro-linguistic programming doesn’t appear to have worked on me. I still desperately crave cigarettes when I’m bored, hungry or sad. Something that was supposed to have disappeared.

On the upside I do feel a lot more motivated to quit and my attitude has definitely changed. Her explanation and breakdown of the levels of smoking addiction changed my perspective entirely.

Previously, the thought of going a whole day without cigarettes made me feel anxious and shaky but now that thought makes me feel empowered. Every cigarette I don’t have feels like a win instead of feeling like I’m being deprived.

The reason I turned to a hypnotist in the first place is because the mere thought of quitting was just too hard. Every time I pondered quitting, the thought would make me so anxious that I reached for a cigarette to calm my nerves.

I don’t feel like the habit or the addiction is gone. But I’m certainly viewing it in a completely different way. Whether or not that is simply a placebo effect I can’t begin to tell.

This experience has opened my eyes to the fact that my smoking addiction is psychological not just physiological and habitual.

Smoking is a choice I’ve been making. It’s not a compulsion that I have no control over. It’s something I can and will take responsibility for.

Looking to give up smoking?

Contact Quitline for more information on how to get help with quitting cigarettes.

This story has been updated since its original publication.

90,000 Smoking hypnosis

The health and quality of life in the future depends on today’s choices. Experienced professionals can help you cope with smoking addiction. Removal of cravings for tobacco after the first treatment session. Treatment guarantee!

To How to quit smoking and get rid of this bad habit forever? This question worries many people desperate to quit smoking on their own. There are a large number of ways and methods for treating nicotine addiction.Treatment of tobacco smoking with hypnosis according to Dovzhenko A.R. widely used and applied in Russia. However, when choosing a specialist conducting a hypnosis session, one must take into account his professionalism and qualifications, since the result of treatment directly depends on the personality of the doctor. To understand how hypnosis treatment of smoking is carried out, you need to study what nicotine is. Nicotine addiction is the strongest addictive, surpassing drugs such as LSD, cocaine and heroin. The addiction to nicotine occurs after the 3-4th intake.This happens under the influence of two main factors:

There is a physical addiction to smoking

In terms of chemical structure, nicotine is very similar to the substance acetylcholine. Which is one of the mediators of the brain. When a smoker enters the body, nicotine affects the nerve cells in the same way as acetylcholine: it leads them to an excited state. The intake of this substance in large quantities from outside gives a signal to the body to stop its own production.As a result, there is a tolerance of the body’s nerve cells to the incoming acetylcholine. All attempts to quit smoking provoke nicotine withdrawal.

Psychological dependence on smoking develops

Psychological addiction to smoking is as serious a problem as physical. In some cases, it is she who is the main reason standing in the way of quitting smoking. Psychological dependence is characterized by the presence of a mental, figurative or mental-figurative memory, representation, desire to smoke tobacco.The thought of smoking becomes excruciating, prompting the search for tobacco products.

How is the treatment of smoking with hypnosis according to the Dovzhenko method carried out?

A hypnosis tobacco smoking treatment session consists of two stages:

The first stage is psychotherapeutic. On which, by the will of the psychotherapist, the biological fear of self-preservation (negative-emotional phase), and preservation of one’s own health (phase of positive reinforcement) is activated.A strong dominant is laid for the preservation of one’s health, which suppresses nicotine addiction.

The second stage – psychoprogramming. It is an imperative suggestion carried out with the help of physiogenic effects on biologically active points located on the patient’s head.

In it is important to know that the “Dovzhenko coding” method exists as a separate technique approved by the Ministry of Health.Any other treatment for alcoholism, tobacco smoking, excess weight is psychotherapy.

Treatment of smoking with hypnosis, advantages of the Dovzhenko method

Reliability – this method is theoretically and scientifically substantiated, recommended by the USSR Ministry of Health, and later by the RF Ministry of Health. Coding by the Dovzhenko method is recognized by the world’s leading psychotherapists.

Simplicity – treatment of smoking with hypnosis according to the Dovzhenko method in Moscow can be carried out in one day.

The effectiveness of the method is 95%, that is, 95 people out of 100. Safety – treatment of smoking with hypnosis is absolutely painless and non-traumatic method.

Smoking Hypnosis | Tobacco smoking treatment with hypnosis

In the modern world, smoking has long become an integral part in the lives of many people. Unfortunately, being carried away by cigarettes, no one thinks about the harmful effects of nicotine on the body. Starting from 1-2 cigarettes a day, people after a short period of time increase the daily “norm” to 20-30 or more.Getting rid of addiction on your own is quite difficult, so the best solution is to contact a specialist. One of the most effective non-drug ways to quit smoking is through hypnosis.

Basics of smoking treatment with hypnosis

Hypnosis is one of the most ancient practices of influencing a person. Since ancient times, hypnosis has been tried to reduce pain, at the end of the 19th century it was successfully used to get rid of alcoholism and drug addiction. And then – for the treatment of smoking.

Hypnosis implies the introduction of a person into a kind of trance state, in which the protective reactions of consciousness are turned off, and the psychotherapist gets the opportunity to put information into the subconscious – it is this area that is responsible for the formation of reflexes.At the end of the session, the patient begins to follow the received settings, he develops an aversion to cigarette smoke, or the desire to smoke completely disappears.

Today in the arsenal of psychotherapists there are several methods of hypnosis from smoking, therefore, before carrying out the procedure, the doctor must interview the patient, find out his psychotype, experience of abuse, the number of cigarettes smoked daily, the presence of chronic diseases and other points. And only after that determines the most suitable method of exposure.A hypnotizability test – susceptibility to hypnosis – is mandatory. It is necessary because, according to statistics, it is impossible to impose someone else’s will on 25% of people.

During the session, you will not only be indoctrinated with attitudes towards life without cigarettes, but will also carry out additional work with the subconscious, which will help:

• Feel comfortable among smokers;
• Not feeling annoyed or angry about quitting smoking;
• do not gain excess weight.

As practice shows, more than 80% of patients after hypnotherapy do not experience any negative emotions, they simply do not want to smoke. But some of the addicts (especially with a long smoking experience) develop a slight withdrawal syndrome. To alleviate it, a little effort of the will of the person himself or herself or an additional session with a psychotherapist will be required.

Techniques of hypnosis, practiced in the clinic “Ugodie”

To help our patients, we use several methods of hypnosis tobacco smoking treatment:

• Classic method .It implies the impact of someone else’s will (the will of the psychotherapist) on a person’s consciousness. With the help of special techniques, the patient is immersed in a trance – a kind of state between sleep and reality, in which the hypnotherapist instills the mindset to quit smoking. The fact is that, while in a trance, the brain is not able to receive and process information, as in ordinary life. If we are given an order, we will not obey unquestioningly, but first think about whether it is beneficial, what the consequences will be, etc. Under hypnosis, the addict does not have this ability, his will is completely suppressed during the session, and the doctor’s words are perceived as law , which is simply necessary to follow.During a session, a specialist can instill a complete disgust for cigarettes, tobacco smoke will be perceived as something terrible, and the sight of a cigarette can cause a feeling of disgust or horror. Thus, a person will lose the desire not only to smoke, but even to see cigarettes.
• Ericksonian hypnosis. This is a softer method than the classic one. It is even considered by many to be one of the most effective and graceful methods of hypnotherapy. During the exposure, the person is not put into a deep trance, the psychotherapist adapts to the patient and helps him to form in his subconscious mind an aversion to smoking.Every day, without knowing it, we go into a trance, in which our psyche is as open as possible and ready for positive changes. For example, in deep thought or half asleep before falling asleep. In the session, a similar state in the addict is caused by the hypnotist’s leading questions. The doctor begins the conversation with a story, anecdote, parable or fairy tale, in which messages are skillfully hidden for the consciousness of the person sitting opposite. Listening, the patient imagines heroes, scenes of the development of the plot, while remaining fully conscious, he sees, hears and feels everything.The hypnotherapist gently guides the person, sending more and more new images, offering many options for the development of events, until the solution to the problem comes to his ward “from the inside,” in the form of a sudden insight.

Smoking coding with hypnosis can be accomplished using any of the above methods. For it to be successful, the desire of the person himself is necessary. Only in this case, the psychological impact can be effective and long-term.

Contraindications to hypnosis

Hypnotherapy is one of the mildest and safest methods of treatment and has no absolute contraindications.
However, the doctor may require special care in the presence of severe forms of pathologies such as:

• cardiovascular diseases;

90,062 depression;

90,062 severe sleep disorders;

• any serious systemic illness;
• mental disorders.

All restrictions are clarified on a face-to-face consultation with a specialist, during which there is a thorough collection of anamnesis, express diagnostics of the patient’s condition. If necessary, the doctor may prescribe additional instrumental and laboratory tests.

Getting rid of the addiction is real. You should not delay with addiction until such time as persistent physical cravings are formed, and health is shaken. When smoking, the lungs, heart, kidneys and many other organs and systems are affected. The earlier treatment is started, the higher the probability of complete and quick cure.

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Coding against smoking by hypnosis in St. Petersburg

Being encoded from smoking by hypnosis is the fastest and most profound effect on the psyche.The hypnologist puts negative thoughts about smoking directly into the subconscious, when there is no conscious control at all. Under hypnosis, the therapist separates the connections and situations that have shaped the harmful behavior.

In a state of trance, the deep structures of the psyche as they are, come to the fore. Perception becomes more emotional, imaginative and flexible, positive thoughts about health are easily instilled. After that, it will become much easier to quit smoking – the attitude towards the problem changes, all instructions are followed automatically.

Quitting smoking with the help of hypnosis is the path of the least risk for the psyche, will avoid unsuccessful attempts and consequences for the nervous system. Even for those who have quite a long-term experience. During the session, the specialist tries to evoke negative emotions when the patient vividly imagines the smoking situation. Memories associated with the process are subject to new thinking. In the future, the psychotherapist gives several methods with which the patient can achieve complete relaxation without using cigarettes.

The treatment regimen for smoking with hypnosis includes the following items:

• Conversation with a psychologist, during which the degree of addiction and experience of the smoker is determined. A technique is selected, the number of sessions is assigned.
• Further therapy – hypnosis sessions with a leading specialist.

The quality of the result of hypnosis depends not only on the professional abilities of the therapist, but also on the patient’s degree of susceptibility to hypnosis. To achieve the necessary power of suggestion, the patient must want it himself, have a great desire to quit smoking.An appropriate attitude should be formed in advance – not to smoke for several days, not to return to the habit mentally.

Equally important is the patient’s sense of trust in his therapist, it is necessary to fully rely on instructions from an outsider (therapist). Such interaction during sessions will lead to rapid progress in therapy, to smoking cessation.

In the course of attending coding sessions from smoking, a person’s emotional and mental dependence decreases, the general background of mood stabilizes, symptoms of physical craving for smoking disappear:

• headaches;
• nervousness;
• dizziness;
• unpleasant sore throat;
• cold cough;
• weakness.

Smoking coding in Kaluga at an affordable price

Smoking is one of the most persistent addictions and, in some cases, quitting nicotine can be more difficult than quitting alcohol or drugs. At the same time, the harm from smoking is often underestimated even by the patients themselves. The deterioration of the body condition occurs gradually and imperceptibly.Cigarettes are maximally available and sold in every store, which dulls the awareness of how harmful they are. In addition, for several years after the first puff, there is a strong belief that you can quit smoking on your own, and there is no problem at all.

Awareness of addiction appears over the years, often due to chronic diseases provoked by the ingress of nicotine into the body. At this stage, it is almost impossible to quit on your own. Specialists of our clinics can come to the rescue.We offer effective and effective treatment methods. Prices for smoking coding in Kaluga are also at an affordable level, which means there are no barriers to getting treatment and getting rid of the bad habit. We are ready to provide comprehensive assistance.

Methods of coding against smoking

What are the dangers of smoking? In addition to nicotine, tobacco contains various types of tar and carcinogenic substances. When inhaled, they settle on the surface of the lungs and reduce their elasticity.As a result, over time, shortness of breath appears, blood oxygen saturation decreases, which leads to the widest list of concomitant diseases and abnormalities.

In addition, the elasticity of blood vessels decreases, which results in numbness of the arms and legs. When diabetes occurs, smoking and blockage of blood vessels can lead to the most serious consequences, up to the loss of limbs as a result of inflammation. A smoker poisons not only his own body.Passive smoking is no less dangerous, which means that, having a habit of smoking in the house, an addict puts his own relatives and relatives at risk. As a result, a seemingly harmless habit, which is relatively safe at first glance, turns into many negative aspects and health risks. Therefore, every smoker should consider the possibility of getting rid of addiction.

What is the difficulty in quitting smoking? With this bad habit, a person becomes a victim of two factors of addiction:

• Physiological – the body gets used to constant doses of nicotine and, in their absence, a standard case of withdrawal occurs.Nervous agitation increases, insomnia, sweating, irritability appear, in severe cases there may be outbursts of anger and other manifestations of inappropriate behavior;
• Psychological – over the years, a person’s habit of being constantly busy with something becomes stronger. Rituals of smoke breaks are created at regular intervals, social ties are established during the same smoke breaks. As a result, each cigarette is a specific ritual, and if you refuse it, you will need an equally interesting replacement.

Therefore, it is very difficult to overcome nicotine addiction and you cannot do without outside help, especially if in the future you do not want to face a relapse and return to a bad habit.

Some try to quit using nicotine patches. But this is only a half-measure, since there is no refusal to use nicotine, and the discomfort from psychological dependence remains, which not everyone can overcome by their own willpower.Also in medicine, there are many other ways to stop addiction, replace cigarettes with various nicotine drugs with a gradual dose reduction. Treatment takes a long time, brings discomfort to the patient and does not provide guarantees. We offer a completely different approach to refusal, using the technology of suggestion when coding a person. The Dovzhenko coding method and other similar technologies have the highest efficiency. Moreover, just a few sessions are enough for complete failure without discomfort and the risk of relapse.

The technique of coding by suggestion is quite simple. During one or several sessions with a psychologist, the patient is exposed to suggestion while being conscious. The main goal of the procedure is to develop an aversion to nicotine in a person and at the end of the procedure, the patient is no longer attracted to smoking, moreover, he does not like tobacco smoke and the smoking process itself.

The technology is most suitable for suggestible people, has no expiration date when its effectiveness decreases.To increase the effectiveness of smoking, it is necessary to undergo an examination by a specialist to diagnose the condition. We use several original techniques designed for people with different individual characteristics. This approach improves the efficiency of the procedure.

Treatment of tobacco smoking with hypnosis

Another way to treat nicotine addiction in our clinic is hypnosis. This technique is widely used in medicine for the treatment of addictions, relief of mental and psychological disorders, and finds many other applications.

During the therapy, the patient is immersed in a hypnotic state, during which our specialist sets the mind to reject nicotine. The procedure can be repeated several times to consolidate the result. After undergoing the procedure, the patient will be fully confident that giving up addiction has become his own decision. This approach provides significant positive motivation in the future, minimizes the risk of relapse.

For the procedure, the most competent specialists of the clinic are involved, modern methods of immersion in a hypnotic state are used.The whole procedure takes place in a comfortable environment for the patient, which eliminates negative reactions and other problems. The technique is optimal for people with a high and medium inclination to suggestion. But it is suitable even for those who have not previously encountered such a thing and do not believe in the possibility of a hypnotic effect on consciousness and subconsciousness. The technology works regardless of the patient’s faith or disbelief.

What are the benefits of smoking hypnosis treatment:

• Minimum terms of abandonment of addiction – the result is noticeable after the first procedure, and in some cases one session is enough at all, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the patient;
• Coding and hypnosis have no statute of limitations – smoking cessation in most cases occurs for life, the main thing in the future to exclude factors catalysts for relapse;
• The body is not exposed to medications – as a rule, the coding excludes the use of medications.But in some cases, a specialist may prescribe a mild sedative for the first few days to improve sleep and reduce the likelihood of a stressful condition;
• Affordable cost – most therapies involve a long course of inpatient treatment, taking expensive medications, many consultations with a specialist and other work. At the same time, they are not able to guarantee a high-quality result, but they will require large investments.

The technique used by our specialists is suitable for almost all patients.The age and experience of the smoker does not matter. In each specific case, we will be able to organize an individual approach and provide a full range of services necessary to quit addiction.

In a number of cases, in order to improve efficiency or to solve other problems that lead to addiction, we propose to undergo rehabilitation and work with a psychologist. Rehabilitation is aimed at eliminating psychological blocks and negative consequences of refusal. It will help to cope with situations where the patient often has to deal with smokers at work or in everyday life.Individual and group lessons will increase motivation, find like-minded people, and join forces in the fight against addiction. Rehabilitation programs are developed and selected individually for each patient.

It is worth choosing a treatment in our clinic for many reasons. First of all, we use author’s and really working methods to combat addiction. He has hundreds of happy patients who were able to quickly and without suffering give up cigarettes without negative consequences for their health.We can provide an individual approach by attracting competent specialists, correct diagnosis of the degree of addiction.

If you are interested in the conditions offered by the clinic to combat addiction, we invite you to learn more about the therapy and sign up for a consultation. To do this, you can call us or write an appeal describing your own problem.

Appointment

If you need a specialist consultation or want to make an appointment with a doctor – send your name and phone number through this form and we will call you back!

90,000 Treatment of smoking with hypnosis: prices in St. Petersburg for treatment of smoking with hypnosis in the clinic

The psychotherapy department of the AndroMeda clinic provides a service –

Treatment of smoking with hypnosis in St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg)

Today, all over the world, much attention is paid to the problem of tobacco smoking.The interest of all countries in the abandonment of their inhabitants from this addiction has increased due to the fact that states are thinking about the health of nations. Since getting rid of nicotine addiction has a beneficial effect on the health of residents of the whole world, therefore Russians have begun to think about their health. In recent years, the treatment of nicotine addiction has become a popular trend in medicine.

The topic of tobacco smoking has its own myths:

Nicotine addiction is not a disease, but a bad habit;

to be satisfied with a smoked cigarette, and not to smoke the next one, it is enough to show willpower.

In fact, not everything is so simple and harmless:

annually approximately 35,000 inhabitants of Russia die from diseases caused by nicotine addiction;

in most cases it is difficult to quit smoking on your own; it is better to seek professional medical help.

How to get rid of addiction to cigarettes using hypnosis?

Like all addiction treatment, smoking cessation is a process of taking an integrated approach to the disease.For patients who have independently made a decision to quit smoking forever, our clinic offers to cure the disease through hypnotic effects.

The principle of treatment of nicotine addiction with hypnosis is in the application of the method of influencing the very cause of psychological dependence on smoking. At the same time, a hypnologist does not simply form an aversion to cigarettes at the physiological level.

Reasons for nicotine addiction:

protest of a teenage child in conflict with parents;

state of inner loneliness;

people understand that they are not doing their own thing;

insufficient realization of its own capabilities.

It follows that the unwillingness to solve problems and take responsibility for their health results in a certain behavioral pattern, which is expressed in dependence on smoking.

With the help of hypnotherapy, the patient has the opportunity to “rewrite” the model of behavior, getting to the bottom of the true reasons underlying it.

After completing a course of hypnosis and psychocorrectional techniques, a person gets rid of the addiction forever. After that, his life and attitude completely change, his health is restored.All this leads to inner renewal and filling with joy.

You can find out the prices, how much hypnosis treatment for smoking in St. Petersburg costs, how much all the costs of hypnosis treatment for smoking will cost – you can call the clinic or at the first appointment with a specialist doctor of our clinic.

You can sign up for hypnosis smoking treatment in St. Petersburg online right now on the website by filling in the “Make an appointment” or by calling the clinic

How much does it cost to quit smoking

The average smoker spends about 3,000 RUR on cigarettes per month.We calculated how much it costs to quit smoking with pills and acupuncture, gum and hypnosis.

Valeria Geldstein

to ask the price

Before proceeding to active steps towards a healthy lifestyle, we recommend that you consult your doctor.

Willpower

Quitting smoking with willpower alone is difficult. But the chances of success will be greater if you quit smoking with someone – for example, with the guys from the group of smokers anonymous.There are such communities in many large cities.

And applications for a smartphone will help you track your progress, for example “I don’t smoke” will show how much money you managed to save and how your body was cleansed.

Course for two months. Quit smoking on your own – it’s free.

Nicotine replacement therapy

It is difficult to quit smoking when the very same withdrawal syndrome is piling up: you are drawn to a cigarette, everything is annoying, it is impossible to concentrate, and you also constantly want to chew something.To address these symptoms, nicotine from cigarettes is often replaced with nicotine in gum or patches.

A pack of thirty chewing gum costs about 500 R. The daily dose is determined by the degree of nicotine addiction, but usually 8-12 chewing gum is enough.

A pack of seven nicotine patches costs about 800 R. One patch is designed for 16 hours – so one pack should be enough for a week.

How to keep track of your budget

Two-month course .Quit smoking with a patch – 6400 R, with chewing gum – 10 000 R

Pills for smoking

“Tabex” for 800 R promises to get rid of the bad habit within 25 days – during this time you need to drink 100 tablets. The treatment is based on the replacement of nicotine with cytisine, which suppresses the effect of nicotine on receptors, which leads to a decrease and gradual disappearance of tobacco dependence.

Champix works with the active ingredient varenicline according to a similar principle: it blocks the access of nicotine to receptors without causing addiction.The person ceases to feel satisfaction from cigarettes, and the need to continue smoking disappears. A course for 12 weeks will cost about 5,000 R.

Course for two months. Quit smoking with pills – from 800 to 5000 R.

Non-traditional methods

The effectiveness of these methods has not been proven, but some people still believe in their miraculous power – and give a lot of money for them.

Acupuncture. The needles are usually placed in the auricle or on the nose.They promise that one to three sessions will be enough to completely quit smoking. The cost of one procedure starts from 1000 R.

Hypnosis. According to the advertising brochures, you will get rid of the habit immediately after the end of therapy. Only you will have to pay about 5000 R per session – and at least ten sessions may be needed.

Course for two months. To quit smoking with acupuncture – from 3000 R, after a hypnosis session – from 5000 R.

Electronic Cigarettes

It is believed that if you replace conventional cigarettes with electronic counterparts, it will be easier to quit smoking. On the one hand, this statement is quite logical: you can choose the level of nicotine in the smoking liquid and gradually reduce it. But the effectiveness of this method is very doubtful: a person will still continue to smoke, albeit not his usual cigarettes.

You will have to spend at least 1000 R on the electronic device itself, and you also need to buy a special liquid – 60 ml costs about 500 R.

Course for two months. To quit smoking using electronic cigarettes – about 3000 R.

How much does it cost to quit smoking with different methods

With chewing gum

10,000 RUB

With nicotine patch

6400 RUB

With hypnosis

5000 RUB

With pills

5000 RUB

With electronic cigarettes

3000 RUB

With acupuncture

3000 RUB

On my own

0 R

Think about it during the next smoke break:

1. Do you have bad financial habits?
2. How to find a good dentist.
3. Can I smoke in the entrance.

How to quit smoking – Moscow 24, 05.11.2014

Do nicotine patches help? How to learn to breathe again without nicotine? Can you quit smoking with acupuncture? Does coding, magic injections and otherworldly forces get rid of the bad habit? The whole truth about how to quit smoking and at what cost the victory is given – in a special episode of the Moscow Doverie TV channel.

Sticks of Death

There are billions of smokers in the world. Cigarettes kill up to 7 million people every year. Each of them has tried to quit smoking at least once. However, in the exhausting struggle with oneself, not everyone succeeds in defeating addiction. Is it really impossible to get rid of nicotine addiction? Why even proven methods often seem like a simple hoax?

We decided to gather those who are ready to do anything to defeat nicotine. They have two months. Any doctors and clinics are available to them.They will try on themselves all possible ways to understand how addiction works. And most importantly – how to quit smoking forever.

This is not Alcoholics Anonymous. Rather, a military enlistment office for smokers. Each of the 8 people is ready to volunteer to fight their addiction. But in a few minutes there will be only four of them: the most stubborn, most addicts, those who really want to quit smoking.

The mechanism of physiological nicotine addiction is simple: our brain produces dopamine.This substance induces a feeling of pleasure, comfort, well-being. Nicotine increases the level of dopamine, prevents it from being destroyed and thus maintains a good mood and tone. As soon as the body begins to remove nicotine from the body, the smoker wants to inhale again. At the same time, it becomes difficult to get pleasure without a cigarette.

Psychological addiction is much more dangerous. Every smoker is convinced that he smokes for a reason. For some, cigarettes help to concentrate, for others – they fill the semantic pauses in communication.Most smokers understand that cigarettes are a mortal danger, but they can no longer imagine their life without them.

Alexander Tesler – psychiatrist, psychotherapist, narcologist, neurologist, sexologist. For the last 40 years he has been treating addiction, including nicotine addiction.

The task of Alexander Tesler among those who want to quit smoking is to find those who are really ready for this. Only four out of eight volunteers will participate in the experiment.

Photo: M24.ru

Participant # 1: Evgeny Tolkalin, 54 years old. Civil engineer. Smoker’s experience – 37 years. He is married and has a daughter. He believes that nicotine has destroyed and continues to destroy his health. At 54, he feels at 70.

“My legs hurt. Now I say, women are less interested in me. I went to the doctor and he also tells me that this is from smoking,” says Evgeny Tolkalin.

Eugene came to this project after being examined by a pulmonologist. A doctor who deals with lung diseases.The preliminary diagnosis is obstructive pulmonary disease and functional insufficiency of the respiratory system.

In case of insufficiency of breathing, the oxygen saturation of the blood decreases, the whole organism suffers, especially the heart and brain. Eugene runs the risk of getting a heart attack or stroke. In addition, any cold can be fatal.

The harsh truth is this: the sooner Yevgeny quits smoking, the longer he will live. Only now, will Evgeny be able to do overnight what he has not been able to do in 37 years? Or will he continue to play the deadly game with his health?

Participants numbered 2 and 3: Kirill Goncharov, 31 years old and Oksana Grishina, 34 years old.A married couple working in the advertising and restaurant business. Smoking experience – 30 years for two. There is an 8-year-old daughter. Planning to quit smoking out of shame in front of the child.

In the last few months alone, Kirill and Oksana have tried several times to quit smoking. First, they forbade themselves to smoke at home with a child. And in order not to reach for cigarettes, we occupied our hands with the collection of puzzles every night.

They even tried to play sports. But that didn’t help either. The couple managed to smoke, even pedaling.Is there really no way to overcome a bad habit?

Participant # 4: Elena Kozina, 30 years old. Works in a small manufacturing company. Smokes half of her life. Lonely. She wants to have a baby and is ready to quit smoking immediately for this.

Lena thinks that cigarettes are to blame for her loneliness. They spoil her appearance, voice, smile, breath. A week ago, Lena visited a beautician, and he confirmed her fears.

“If you are going to continue this way of life, which is completely ugly for such a young, beautiful, attractive, undoubtedly smart girl like you, then I will not do anything to you, because it is useless,” says cosmetologist Nata Topchiashvili.

The skin of Lena’s face became dull from smoking, dark circles appeared under her eyes. This is due to the fact that nicotine causes spasm of blood vessels and reduces the flow of oxygen into cells.

“A smoking woman’s breasts decrease, stretch marks appear, her appearance changes. Moreover, very quickly, because a decrease in female hormones has a very negative effect on her appearance, her voice becomes coarse, her intellect suffers,” says Nata Topchiashvili.

Lena has quit smoking more than once.Will she be able to get rid of the bad habit now, or is she waiting for another unsuccessful attempt?

Which of the four project participants will get rid of nicotine addiction, and who will never be able to overcome the bad habit? The project participants will meet again exactly 2 months later. We learn about every second of their difficult struggle from personal video blogs.

Photo: M24.ru

The fight against nicotine

Evgeny Tolkalin begins his journey to health in a residential area in the east of Moscow.Like many on July days, the television in his apartment is tuned to broadcast the FIFA World Cup. Looking at the Brazilian fields, Evgeny recalls those distant times when he, the young midfielder of the CSKA school, was predicted a great future. But at the peak of his athletic form, he smoked his first cigarette. For the company, after training.

“Slightly, but slower began to run. Slightly, but more tired. With such indicators, the player – why is he needed?” – Evgeny Tolkalin recalls.

Long ago, having said goodbye to football, Evgeny still could not quit smoking. Alexander Tesler, taking into account Eugene’s health condition, chose the most simple and absolutely harmless way for him to get rid of tobacco addiction: read Allen Carr’s book “An Easy Way to Quit Smoking”. Carr’s main thesis is that in order to quit smoking, it is important to understand that a cigarette is not really enjoyable.

Carr’s fans claim that every second person quits smoking after reading the book.But Eugene began to annoy the book. “Well, it’s all“ blah-blah ”,“ la-la, la-la ”… To be honest, I don’t really understand and trust. Doubts take me that it will help me,” says Eugene.

Allen Carr’s condition – the book must be read in its entirety. In the meantime, our hero smokes exactly as much as before. At this time, in the very center of Moscow, Kirill and Oksana enter the battle with nicotine.

“From today on, Oksana and I will conduct our video blog, in which we will tell how we fight the addiction – smoking,” says Kirill Goncharov.

Our consultant, Alexander Tesler, invited them to use the most popular means: nicotine gum and patches. Gum and patches by themselves will not make you quit smoking. But if you’ve already quit, they should help you survive the so-called nicotine withdrawal.

“Nicotine is exchanged, nicotine addiction arises, and chewing gum with nicotine, patches that allow nicotine to be gradually absorbed into the bloodstream – they reduce the withdrawal phenomenon and it is easier for a person to put off cigarettes,” explains Alexander Tesler.

The nicotine found in gum and patches is too little to be addictive. But it is quite enough so that the body of a person who has given up smoking does not feel discomfort. In addition, there is no mixture of tar, carbon monoxide and other harmful substances found in cigarettes and contributing to the occurrence of cancer.

Gum has its disadvantages: if you use them too often, skin irritation, headaches, nausea, heartburn appear. And they have a specific taste.

Nicotine patch works in the same way as chewing gum, only it is active throughout the day and contains more nicotine. The rules for use are simple: stick it every morning on different parts of the body and remove it before bedtime.

“In the past I can say one thing: the patch helps me. But still sometimes I have to use chewing gum. But the rate of 2 cigarettes a day is already progress for me,” says Kirill Goncharov.

Oksana quickly realized that her addiction to cigarettes is stronger than that of her husband.Even a small decrease in the daily dose of nicotine turns into torment for her.

“Putting on the plaster, I lit a cigarette, wanted to find out if I would feel bad or something would happen to me. Nothing happened to me. I did not feel bad, I did not have any nausea. Accordingly, I continued. And also chewing gum: I chew I smoke chewing gum, but this taste is unpleasant and that’s it, “says Oksana Grishina.

Three weeks passed. Oksana, making sure that the plaster and gum did not work, smoked. Kirill held on with all his might, smoking no more than two cigarettes a day.

“I still glue the plaster, today I have the last one. In the morning I stuck it here. How it feels: well, it helps me, you won’t say anything, but at the same time I don’t think about cigarettes leave “, – says Kirill Goncharov.

Orthodoxy on cigarettes

We will soon find out what will happen when Kirill loses his additional nicotine supplement. In the meantime, let’s fast forward to the other end of Moscow. The fourth participant of our project Elena Kozina is renting a small apartment far in the north of the capital.

Every day she smokes a little less than a pack of cigarettes, claiming that she absolutely cannot resist what is stronger than her – nicotine. In the past, Lena has read Allen Carr, tried acupuncture, applied patches and gum.

In a word, everything except psychotherapeutic methods. For a girl who easily lends itself to suggestion, this method may be more effective than the rest, Alexander Tesler considered and invited her to go to a psychic.

“Who believes in what.Someone believes in the correction of karma and Orthodox prayers, someone believes in walking to holy places. Someone believes in climbing Chomolungma. But each is given according to his faith. If a person believes, if a person believes that this can help him, then it will help him, “- Alexander Tesler believes.

The essence of mystical rituals is usually simple: the smoker needs to be scared properly. The more psychic scared Lena, the more she wanted to smoke more.

Nicotine won.Unfortunately, even magic cannot help a person against his will.

“Recently I was with a psychic, she tried to tell me what she could do for me in her own ways to help me quit smoking. But she didn’t do well because I don’t believe in all this nonsense. I think that at her age one could do more serious things, “says Elena Kozina.

Lena tried to fight with nicotine alone, without the help of specialists. And she went on an anti-smoking diet.“Yesterday I bought a can of ginger and decided to try it. I was told that products containing nicotine can help to quit smoking,” says Elena Kozina.

Ginger really helps in the fight against smoking. However, there is no nicotine in it. It is believed that its tart, pungent taste permanently discourages the urge to inhale. Nicotine is contained in small amounts in tomatoes and eggplants. When consumed regularly, these products can act as nicotine patches and gum. But the vegetables did not help Lena.

“So far nothing is working out, I still smoke 10-15 cigarettes a day. I hope someday this will decrease in the near future,” says Elena Kozina.

She asked for a personal meeting with Alexander Tesler. The psychotherapist decides to resort to extreme measures and sends Lena on real hypnosis to a licensed doctor.

“Hypnosis is a medical procedure: a person is put into a state of trance and suggestibility increases against the background of hypnosis,” explains Alexander Tesler.Lena took time to think and 2 days later she came to the hypnosis session. And she seemed to be full of determination. But 5 minutes of conversation with the doctor was enough for her.

“I have not quit smoking, and in such a situation I am still offered all sorts of nonsense – to do hypnosis, which is not a scientific method at all. I do not even think that this can somehow work or help. I, to put it mildly , unhappy, “- says Elena.

“Our wonderful heroine Lena, she actively participated in the project, actively went through all the techniques, but, for some reason, it turned out that she did not really go through any technique to the end.The techniques that she feared, she generally left aside, abandoned them. And it turned out that rather, maybe her motivation was not to quit smoking this time, but rather to be in the spotlight. And she really was in the spotlight, but since our project is purely thematic, Lena leaves the project, “explains Alexander Tesler.

Photo: M24.ru

Respiratory gymnastics

It looks like Lena is deceiving herself. ready to part with a bad habit.And we are returning to the east of Moscow in Izmailovo, where our hero Evgeny Tolkalin is fighting against smoking. Allen Carr’s book did not help him.

“It seems to me that this is complete nonsense. This is my personal opinion,” says Evgeny Tolkalin. Alexander Tesler offers Eugene a way that not only helps to fight nicotine addiction, but also strengthens his health.

“Respiratory gymnastics is a wonderful thing, because when smoking, of course, the respiratory system suffers, the lungs suffer.And breathing exercises helps to breathe, helps to remove all these nasty toxins, which are the resins that accumulate in the lungs, “says Alexander Tesler.

” Today we are starting a treatment session of the famous Strelnikovskaya breathing exercises. Gymnastics, which was invented for actors and singers, but it also turned out that it is useful for everyone, and above all – for patients with respiratory diseases “, – says Mikhail Shchetinin, a physician of remedial gymnastics according to Strelnikova’s method. expands, when you exhale – contracts.When breathing according to the Strelnikova method, everything happens the other way around.

The lungs begin to fill completely with air and oxygen actively enters the brain cells. Including the so-called pleasure center. A person begins to receive positive emotions comparable to enjoying a cigarette, just breathing. And over time, the body’s need for nicotine disappears, say the supporters of this method.

And although Eugene doubted the miraculous power of such physical education, nevertheless, he honestly tried to do breathing exercises at home.

“Although I don’t really like the Strelnikova method, I do it,” admits Evgeny Tolkalin.

With the help of Strelnikova’s gymnastics, many get rid of asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Smokers also tend to throw up cigarettes. Only now it does not happen immediately, but after several months of classes.

The experiment has been going on for a month. During this time, our hero reduced his cigarette consumption to 15 per day. But then problems arose.

“There was such a situation that my daughter broke her leg.It would seem that it’s well broken – young, overgrown and grow. Unfortunately, it has to do with money. With a lot of money, “- explains Evgeny Tolkalin.

For a whole week, Evgeny ran first to his friends in search of money, then to pharmacies in search of the necessary medicines. As a result, he forgot about the fight against smoking. and Oksana has nothing to boast about. Nicotine gum with patches did not work for Oksana at all. Kirill held out for a long time, but as soon as the course of taking patches came to an end, Kirill began to smoke a pack again.

“An elevator is being repaired in our house, I live on the 6th floor, the breathing apparatus works much better, but there is one problem: I have run out of plasters. It happened yesterday and I feel an irresistible desire to smoke. With the band-aid, everything is fine. , and without him everything is somehow dull. Most likely, you have to try something different, “- says Kirill Goncharov.

The new method was not long in coming. Our expert Alexander Tesler suggested replacing the plasters and chewing gum with the acupuncturist’s needles.

“The mechanism of action is an action on the central nervous system, dependence is blocked, cravings are blocked, needles wonderfully drive endorphin, the so-called hormone of happiness, and needles make it possible to break abstinence, needles make it possible to establish vascular tone, since nicotine constricts blood vessels, “says Alexander Tesler.

It is no coincidence that the needles are put in the ear: the reflexologist essentially acts on the brain, removing withdrawal symptoms. The reflex therapist decided to apply different methods to the spouses. Cyril will have tsubotherapy.

“Tsubotherapy is an effect on certain zones with the help of any magnet, ball, grain – any object without penetration into the skin. That is, not transdermal, but dermal,” explains Alexander Tesler.

In our case, the seeds of a Chinese plant are used. It was no coincidence that the doctor chose this method for Kirill.A man will easily carry seeds on his ear for several days, no matter how annoying they may be. Women have less patience.

Will the habit of smoking remain in place – Kirill and Oksana will find out after 2-3 sessions. In between procedures, spouses try other ways to distract themselves from the cigarette. “We eat nuts brought by Gulya’s friend from Kyrgyzstan. All kinds of cookies, sweets,” says Oksana Grishina.

Seeds, popcorn and nuts are believed to distract from smoking. But you need to closely monitor the calorie content of these distracting foods, as many who quit smoking begin to gain weight.Unfortunately, this is not a myth.

It is estimated that the majority of people who quit smoking gain an average of 4.5 kilograms per year. The fact is that nicotine speeds up metabolism, but not by improving digestion, but by stimulating the nervous system. This is bad for the body.

As soon as a smoker quits cigarettes, different systems of the body, experiencing nicotine starvation, begin to behave inadequately. Pressure can jump, anxiety appears, problems with the production of hormones, including insulin, and a violation of fat and carbohydrate metabolism.

When the body is completely cleansed of the effects of tobacco, all functions will be restored and the weight will become what it should be, experts say. The acupuncture course for Kirill and Oksana is over. But they still smoke.

The last trump card in Tesler’s sleeve is an anti-nicotine injection. If she does not discourage the desire to smoke, then there is only one conclusion: life with nicotine of our heroes absolutely suits. However, Oksana, apparently, throws out the white flag long before the end of the battle.

Oksana refused the injection, and a little later admitted that she was not yet ready to quit smoking. “I just really, can not cope with this problem, that’s all,” – says Oksana.

Every time she refuses a cigarette, she gets nervous. So much so that relations with colleagues and households began to deteriorate. Our heroine is seriously afraid that by giving up nicotine, she will simply ruin her life.

“I don’t have just a month of time to walk and satan.I don’t have such an opportunity, I don’t know, at my daughter, at my employees, yelling and saying, “You know, wait a month, now it will shake me up.” They are people “, – says Oksana Grishina.

” Oksana is a beautiful wonderful purposeful girl. She actively participated in the project. Exactly as much as she could devote time, because she is a very busy person, a person is built only for success. A person succeeds in business, but, unfortunately, smoking is a psychological crutch. And I have a feeling that Oksana was simply afraid to part with smoking, because her entire behavioral structure, coordinate system, crystal lattice could collapse.And for objective reasons Oksana leaves the project “, – says Alexander Tesler.

Photo: M24.ru

Less and less

Only two participants remain in the project: 54-year-old Eugene and 30-year-old Kirill. Which is stronger nicotine – youth or experience? There are a few days left before the denouement

Evgeny Tolkalin spent his last days in a state of severe stress – he collected money for his daughter’s surgery and smoked like a steam locomotive.After the breakdown, Evgeniy reduced his smoking to 7-8 cigarettes a day.

“I would like to quit altogether, without smoking a single cigarette. And now I think about the question: I was offered to be coded,” admits Evgeny Tolkalin.

Coding means hundreds of different methods of treating alcoholism and smoking, but initially the coding was the name of the method that the famous psychotherapist Alexander Dovzhenko invented and patented in 1982.

“Doctor Dovzhenko came up with a treatment when, in opposition to this habit, a code is formed in the brain, as the doctor called it, a more powerful anti-smoking code that suppresses the smoking habit for a certain calendar period,” says psychotherapist, narcologist Alexander Vorontsov.

Smoking can be coded for years or a couple of months. The main thing is not to violate the ban during this period, otherwise the coded one will start having problems, and serious ones.

“If he lights a cigarette – out of curiosity, out of stupidity or, as most often happens, after drinking alcoholic beverages, especially after drinking heavily – then the sleeping need for tobacco wakes up and reacts with the code. There is such a struggle between two opposing principles. the weak link in the body collapses.

That is, if something inside hurts, this something can start hurting more. Stroke or similar conditions may occur. If, for example, the heart ached, there was, say, angina pectoris, for example, and the patient lit a cigarette, then myocardial infarction may occur, “says Alexander Vorontsov.

Evgeniy carefully read about the consequences of coding on the Internet and decided that he would not risk “At my age, it can be pretty serious for my health.I will quit smoking anyway, but not by this method “, – explains Evgeny Tolkalin.

Evgeny is ready for psychotherapy. But he would like the method to be not so tough. Hypnosis comes to the rescue – something that Lena refused, Evgeny thought a worthy method. “I am a psychotherapist, with great experience, I also work with addictions, that is, with addictions,” says psychotherapist Sergei Kulikov. I can’t imagine that I got up in the morning, have a cup of coffee and don’t take a cigarette, ”says Evgeny Tolkalin.

What is hypnosis – the criticality of the personality is slightly reduced. That is, a person, as it were, allows his personal will to fall asleep a little. And in this state, already enter the instructions that we agreed with the hypnotized that this will be done.

You will develop a very strong impenetrable immunity to tobacco. Stinky tobacco grass. To the smell of tobacco. To the taste of tobacco. “A pleasant wave is going through your body. You don’t think about smoking or a cigarette at all in order to get it. Good-naturedness, good.He doesn’t like cigarettes, “says Evgeny Tolkalin.

The effect of such hypnotherapy, according to doctors, is felt immediately. True, it lasts no longer than a year. However, this procedure can always be repeated.

Before hypnosis, Evgeny smoked on 7-8 cigarettes a day. fall asleep.

“Yes, it lasts several hours until a person falls asleep and in the morning he wakes up already vigorous, active, he has no restrictions. The only feature in his awakening will be that he will not have morning cravings, like a non-smoker.” Olga Gulko, the leading specialist of the medical clinic, approves.

Injections, according to doctors, are almost 100% effective.

“Thanks to the drugs that are introduced into the body in our case, withdrawal is excluded, because the receptors, an excess number of receptors, which, in fact, experience nicotine hunger, will be blocked, will be eliminated,” says Olga Gulko.

Injections have contraindications: glaucoma, epilepsy and prostate adenoma. But, as the examination shows, Kirill is completely healthy and ready for an injection.

On the way home from the clinic, Kirill is recording another video blog. “Here I am going home. The sensations so far are quite peculiar, there is no strong drowsiness, coordination is not disturbed. But according to the sensations, it is definitely impossible to get behind the wheel,” says Kirill Goncharov.

The last heroes

Exactly two months have passed since the beginning of the experiment.Of the eight volunteers who came to our studio to gain access to any ways to quit smoking, after the first selection, only four remained: Alexander Tesler immediately dismissed those who doubted their strength.

A month later, there were three of them: Elena Kozina could not overcome her skepticism and suspiciousness. A few weeks later, Oksana Grishina also dropped out of the project: unlike her husband Kirill, she could not suppress her irritability after giving up cigarettes. Only two participants reached the finish line: Kirill and Eugene.

A week ago, Kirill received an anti-nicotine injection. Today he looks cheerful and confident. But, as it turns out, only because he smoked before entering the TV studio.

The injection destroyed the physical dependence, but could not do anything with the psychological dependence. The only thing that Kirill had enough willpower for was to reduce the dose of nicotine.

“I don’t see that, you know, that“ Okay, I’m doomed. ”In no case,” says Kirill Goncharov. “No, if you are doomed, then only success.The fact that you reduce the number of cigarettes suggests that you have gone a more thorny path, longer, but also quite effective, “- believes Alexander Tesler.

While Kirill is not ready to part with cigarettes. And without strong motivation, even the most effective method

“If a person has a motive to part with a bad habit, doctors, psychotherapists, psychologists can support, they can be team members, but no one will ever do anything for you,” says Alexander Tesler.

And what about Eugene? At the beginning of the project, he had the most modest chances of quitting smoking. Beating almost 40 years of addiction is very difficult. The book and breathing exercises did not help. The last chance is a hypnosis session.

Since then, after this course, I do not smoke. I am very pleased with the results. Great. I began to feel that my legs began to hurt less, and my breathing. Little by little, but it’s getting better, “says Evgeny Tolkalin. Hypnosis only helped Evgeny to believe in himself. He did the rest himself.

There are many ways to quit smoking. Why are these methods effective for some, but not for others? The answer is simple: patches, gum, needles help to survive nicotine starvation. Psychotherapy – for a while forget about the habit of holding a cigarette in your hands.

But without a tremendous desire to quit, nothing will work. And for those who are seriously thinking about continuing to live without nicotine, absolutely any method is often good.