Why can’t I quit?
You know the harm they are doing to yourself by smoking, so why do you keep doing it? The answer lies in the way your brain works and how it responds to smoking. There’s a part of our brain that will encourage you to keep repeating patterns of behaviour even when these patterns are not in your best interest. It’s this part of your brain that encourages you to keep smoking by convincing you that smoking helps you deal with stress, helps you cope with life and generally makes life more enjoyable.
However, in this case your brain has it all wrong. Smoking is a leading cause of anxiety and depression and a smoker will become progressively more anxious as they grow older. There’s a reason for that. Smoking inhibits the natural production of our “happy chemicals” such as serotonin and the chemicals inhaled by smoking are used as a substitute. Unfortunately, these chemicals do not make us happy or relaxed. Of the thousands of chemicals found in cigarettes, none are able to reduce stress.
But I’m addicted!
The power of the brain is such that 90% of your smoking habit is in the mind and 10% is due to the physically addictive properties of nicotine. This is why most smokers, even the heaviest, can avoid smoking when they need to. So,
- you can generally sleep through the night without a cigarette.
- almost everybody gives up smoking temporarily when they are admitted to hospital. Many stop for good
- you travel on non-smoking flights – including long haul.
- you can enjoy a movie or visit the theatre without lighting up.
When you’re in situations where you know you can’t smoke, you’re using another part of your brain, allowing you to keep your habit under control.
How does hypnotherapy work?
Your body doesn’t want to smoke. It’s desperate to give up. All that needs to happen is for the message to get through to your subconscious so that you’re back in control. And hypnotherapy helps get that message to your brain. Once you’ve quit, your “happy chemicals” start to flow naturally again and you feel fantastic. All it takes is one session of hypnotherapy. At ONE LIFE, we have had high levels of success at helping people kick the habit. You could be next. Contact us today and start to look forward to a smoke free life!