Quit Smoking Help

Archive for the ‘Quit Smoking’ Category

Hypnosis is a widely used approach to dealing with many stress-related conditions and compulsive habits. It is a state of focused relaxation. In contrast to being asleep or just resting, this state allows one to loosen up, while concentrating on the problem to be solved. When under hypnosis, you lower the guard of your consciousness and unleash the subconscious mind. This releases you from the restraint that the conscious mind creates, and you stop judging and rethinking your thoughts. Once set free, the subconscious creates a world in your head, which is a mixture of fantasy and reality.
The trick is to give yourself in to the illusion that you are not smoking. The subconscious mind takes this as the reality and remembers it after you are out of the hypnosis. Technically, this is like resetting your system in order to alter your behavior. Statistics are in favor of this approach, measuring a 66% success. Even if it does not work hundred percent, hypnosis certainly reduces stress, which has a direct correlation with the urge to light up a cigarette.

You can use either self-hypnosis or a professional hypnotherapy. The former is harder to see the results of, since it requires practice. The idea is to relax and invoke images of your smoking-free future. A hypnotherapist can do that in a single or multiple-session programs. Recently, many people have chosen a combination, that is, a recorded program by a hypnotherapist, which you could listen to at home or while asleep. The biggest upside of this choice is that you can listen to it in the most convenient time, when you feel your mind relaxed.

Another helpful phenomenon is auto-suggestion. It refers to the process one applies to all ideas and perceptions in their subconscious mind. Simply put, you suggest to yourself what to think and how to think about it, thus controlling what goes through the conscious mind. If you train yourself to auto-suggest incentives for quitting, the practice will translate into results more quickly. 

Nicotine inhalers and nasal sprays are nicotine replacement products that have one special advantage over other similar devices, used to quit smoking: they not only release nicotine that abates withdrawal symptoms in the user but create the illusion of actual smoking, which is a very important psychological prop for those who want to give up the bad habit.

The nicotine inhaler usually consists of a mouthpiece and a replaceable canister which contains nicotine. Is use is simple: you just draw on the mouthpiece which will release a small amount of nicotine in your mouth and sate your cravings to smoke.
Similarly simple is the use of the nasal spray: all you have to do is lean your head backwards, place the spray tip in the back of your nostril, and press firmly and quickly; you may want to puff some nicotine in your other nostril as well.
An important feature of these aids is that since you have to hold the devices when applying them, your hands will be busy, too.

How many times per day you should use the products depends on several factors: first, your general health condition; second, the level of your dependency on cigarettes; third, the stage you are in your smoking cessation program (experts usually recommend 12-week programs, with gradual reduction of the nicotine intake); fourth, the specifics of the product you are using which should be listed in its instructions.

One very important fact to remember is that you should not smoke during your therapy or you run the risk of getting some dangerous nicotine overdose. Some of the symptoms associated with nicotine overdosing are nausea, vomiting, headaches, stomach pains, dizziness and cold sweats. Seek medical attention if you have any of them.
And, in general, in order to reduce the risk of any unwanted side effects and make the most of the cessation therapy, it is highly recommended that you consult a pharmacist or your GP before you start using nicotine inhalers or nasal sprays.