Hypnosis for smoking cessation
In this latest news roundup, TIME, The US Army and others weigh in on using hypnosis to quit smoking
News from the world of Hypnotherapy
U.S. Army Health Clinic-Vicenza (Italy) incorporates hypnosis in its QuitSmart program
No less an organization than the U.S. Army has invested in hypnosis as part of the QuitSmart smoking cessation program it has adopted in several health clinics worldwide.
In addition to a ‘warm chicken’ (as opposed to ‘cold turkey’) philosophy, QuitSmart includes elements of hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis, and has proven radically more effective than other, similar programs the Army has employed in the past.
Is Hypnosis Real? Here’s What Science Says (TIME Magazine)
“There are many myths about hypnosis, mostly coming from media presentations,” like fictional films and novels, says Irving Kirsch, a lecturer and director of the Program in Placebo Studies at Harvard Medical School. But setting aside pop culture clichés, Kirsch says hypnosis is a well-studied and legitimate form of adjunct treatment for conditions ranging from obesity and pain after surgery to anxiety and stress.
“It is very helpful for smoking cessation,” adds Dr. David Spiegel, a hypnosis expert and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. “Half the people I see once stop [smoking], half of them won’t touch a cigarette for two years.” A 2007 randomized trial of 286 smokers found that 20% of people who received hypnosis managed to quit, compared to 14% of those receiving standard behavioral counseling. The smoking cessation benefits were even more pronounced among smokers with a history of depression — hinting at an additional potential benefit of hypnosis.
Time Magazine delved into the scientific basis for hypnosis in a recent article, which ran the gamut from smoking cessation to PTSD and weight loss, including some evidence that children can especially benefit from hypnosis.
Interestingly, the article referenced a study that indicated that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy combined with hypnosis can be radically more effective, even touching on areas like depression and cognition, in addition to addressing the root issue that required therapeutic work in the first place.
Hypnotherapy: The new approach to kicking smoking for good
Only 4–7% of people who attempt to quit smoking by going cold turkey are successful, and the average smoker will attempt to quit between six and eleven times before they succeed.
This article explores how behavioral modifications (changing habits, switching to patches, keeping your hands and mouth busy with pens or lollipops, etc.) don’t reach to the underlying issues, and are therefore ineffectual.
The article draws from the work of Susan Hepburn, a noted hypnosis expert, who claims to be able to help most smokers she meets in just a single session.
“Hypnotherapy is one of the most powerful tools for personal development and positive change as it can access your true creative potential. It also works to short-circuit — or delete — negative patterns of thought or behaviour. You have all the skills you need to get over addiction or bad habits in your mind: it’s all about tapping into that ‘I can change myself’ mentality. Hypnotherapists are there to help release your power to control and change your habits.”
