By Jennifer A. Gage PhD, CHt
If you’re a smoker you already know the health risks associated with smoking. In fact, you’re may be tired of hearing just how bad cigarettes are from doctors, friends and family. You may also be tired of the smell, the hassles and the cost of cigarettes but you find it impossible to quit. Sure, it’s easy to give up cigarettes for a day or a week or even a month but then something really stressful happens and WHAM! …before you even know it, you’re at the counter of a convenience store buying another pack. What’s going on here?
The latest research leads us to believe that nicotine isn’t addictive. It’s simply called that so many professionals will be able to bill the insurance plans for treatment. (They can’t bill for a habit.) If you’re still not convinced just think about this…most stop-smoking meds, such as patches and gum, contain nicotine yet no one gets addicted to them. The truth is that smoking cigarettes is just a very strong habit and luckily, EVERY habit can be changed.
The reason smoking is such a strong habit is that you reinforce the habit every time you light a cigarette. That’s twenty to sixty times every day. Any habit, positive or negative, that you reinforce that often will quickly become a strong habit.
Think about driving a car. The first time you tried to stop at a stoplight you were totally confused. Now, after years of reinforcement, your subconscious mind is so programmed that it will MAKE your body do certain things to bring your car to a stop even if you are adjusting the radio or looking at the scenery.
It’s impossible for most people to drive through a red light even if they wanted to because the logical part of the mind, or the will power, cannot over ride the subconscious program. It’s the very same with smoking. Your logical mind or will power cannot over ride your subconscious drive to reach for a cigarette.
Not being able to stop smoking on your own doesn’t mean that you are lazy, unintelligent or lack will power. The smoking habit is an emotional issue and most people try to address this issue with intelligence or logic. Unfortunately, it just can’t be solved that way.
In order to walk away from cigarettes for good, for your good, your subconscious mind must adopt new thoughts and feelings about smoking. Using hypnosis we can harness the tremendous power of your subconscious mind, that same power that has been FORCING you to smoke, and direct it to FORCE you to be a nonsmoker. It really is that simple.
Dr. Gage is a wellness coach and certified hypnotist. Dr. Gage’s specialties include weight loss, stress management and smoking cessation. If you are truly serious about quitting cigarettes, we encourage you to contact our office and set up an appointment. 704-708-4404
