The first group acknowledges the hazards of smoking, yet they continue to
smoke because of the danger.  These smokers mistake the risks of smoking
for bravado.  They derive a distorted sense of excitement from smoking in spite
of the admitted danger.  They resist treatment.  These people may pay lip service
to quitting, but usually lack serious commitment.

The second group has faced the facts of smoking, and because of their respect
for their bodies and in the interest of their health, they stop poisoning themselves.
This group often stops smoking on their own without outside treatment.

The third group is made up of smokers who want to quit, but need something
besides harsh words from their doctors or other scare tactics. These smokers have
a high motivation and recognize their need and desire to stop smoking. They are
looking for a method to direct and convert their desire to quit smoking into successful
action. Smokers in this group can quit and are good candidates for a Hypnosis
Smoking Cessation Program.

The positive intent for many people who started smoking at a young age was to bond
or identify with friends or someone they loved and admired.

People who started smoking for these reasons had an unconscious belief that smoking
would make them more lovable, more acceptable, or more attractive.

Other people begin smoking as a way to cope with feelings such as fear or a set of
circumstances and later use smoking as their way of relaxing. These people may
replace eating and/or emotional expression with smoking.

These smokers have an unconscious belief that smoking relieves their buried feelings
and creates a sense of peace. "Smoking calms my nerves", they may say.

The idea that smoking will provide the positive effects that smokers are looking for has
been imprinted in the subconscious minds of smokers, largely, by media advertising.

Tobacco ads have used every persuasive trick including powerful visual images, catchy
songs and subversive subliminal methods to influence people to smoke – convincing
(especially young) minds that they will receive positive benefits from smoking cigarettes.

Most identification smokers come to realize that smoking cigarettes does not make
anyone more attractive. They eventually experience more wrinkles, odors, stained teeth,
bad breath, etc.

Most replacement smokers come to realize that cigarettes do not truly relax the body.
They learn that the blood vessel constriction and reduced oxygen in the blood actually
weakens the nervous system and decreases their ability to cope with stress.

At some point, most smokers will acknowledge that smoking produces the opposite of
the desired effects and that their positive intention has been misdirected into a behavior
that does not work. It’s a bad joke – but they feel hooked.

Through hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), the subconscious can
realize that smoking is no longer needed, and that smoking never did work in the first
place - as evidenced by the fact that the soothing effects of smoking a cigarette are very
temporary.

The reason that hypnosis can do this is that it is a patterned communication process by
which we can access states of the mind that allow us to "hear" and be "heard" better.
Receptivity is enhanced.

In these more receptive states, (the same state we are in when we are listening to
engaging speakers), the hypnotherapist offers suggestions designed to replace the
erroneous beliefs in the subconscious mind with newer realizations which are closer to
the current truth of the individual. The subconscious mind can then begin to act on the
new information and run a new behavior.

NLP, a tool for creating new images of ourselves, is used together with hypnosis to
bring about the changed behavior pattern making it possible to release resistance to
achieving the success we desire.

· No willpower is required ... only a strong and sincere desire to quit.

· The fears associated with giving up smoking such as weight gain are addressed and
alleviated.

· Relaxation and comfort are promoted.

· One may choose to quit in one two hour session or taper off gradually

· Hypnosis compliments other healing modalities such as acupuncture or medical
treatment.

· Withdrawal symptoms are reduced or eliminated and the stress usually associated
with smoking cessation is commonly alleviated.

· Healthy lifestyle habits are promoted to help cleanse smoking residues and help
reverse smoking damage.

USING THE POWER OF YOUR MIND TO

Smoking Cessation Through Hypnosis
and Neuro-Linguistic Programming