Smoking: The Myth of ‘One cigarette won’t hurt’

Myths can be harmful, and a single cigarette can lead to a full relapse

Hypnosis can be a great way to stop smoking if you are really ready to quit. Some of the reasons people smoke are lodged in the subconscious. This is why it can be so difficult to quit “cold turkey” (although some people are capable of that). A skilled hypnotist can help reframe those subconscious reasons and allow the client a new start as a nonsmoker. And so the client happily leaves cigarettes behind for a period of time, improving his or her health, saving money and feeling great about the transition.

However, some pitfalls can lurk ahead for the nonsmoker, causing him or her to fall right back into the pernicious habit. Perhaps the worst is “one cigarette won’t hurt.” Actually, it can, and it can make you into a full-on smoker again. According to an article on iquitmonday.org, nine out of 10 former smokers who smoke one cigarette after quitting end up fully relapsing and returning to smoking again. If they quit with hypnosis, that means that they are right back in the hypnotist’s office, spending more of their hard-earned cash once again to quit.

So how do you avoid this trap after you’ve successfully quit? The best way is just to be aware that “just one won’t hurt” is a myth and it can make you into a smoker again. Second, be careful when you are consuming alcohol. Alcohol lowers inhibitions and it can lower your inhibition to avoid smoking, as well. Occasionally you will run into a smoking friend who is a little insistent about offering you cigarettes. Talk to him or her: tell them you are a nonsmoker and ask them to stop offering you cigarettes. Also remember that smoking is a lot like alcohol to an alcoholic: an addiction. Just as an alcoholic can’t just walk into a bar and order “just one” shot without risking relapse, it’s the same for smokers. Keeping these things in mind can help you avoid a relapse, and help you be a happy, healthy, awesome nonsmoker for life!

For more information on my 3-session smoking cessation program click here.

Originally published at greaterhoustonhypnosis.com on March 18, 2018.