Why stop  smoking?

Smoking increases the risk of developing a wide range of health ailments and diseases. But unfortunately, the habit doesn’t only harm the smoker’s health, it can also have a negative impact on the people around them. If smoking around children and babies, for example, they become vulnerable to many smoking-related health problems, such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and the risk of cot death will increase.

Common smoking-related illnesses include:

• Infertility – Smoking affects the fertility of men and women, making it difficult to conceive.
• Gum disease – As well as staining, smoking can cause premature tooth loss due to gum disease.
• Heart disease – The UK’s ‘biggest killer’. Nearly one in six cases are smoking-related.
• Lung cancer – More than eight in 10 cases of lung cancer are directly related to smoking.
• Other cancers – This includes mouth, throat, nose, blood, cervical and pancreatic cancer.

Can you quit smoking through hypnosis?

Hypnotherapy works by guiding the individual into a deep, relaxed state. During this time, the mind is more open to suggestion and change. At this point, the hypnotherapist makes suggestions, which will help you in changing your thought patterns and behaviours associated with smoking.

Suggestions will be tailored to you, but will be along the lines of “I do not want a cigarette” and “the smell of cigarette smoke makes me feel unwell”. They may also ask you to visualise smoking a cigarette, but imagining an unpleasant taste or smell. This can help build an association – when you think of smoking, the unpleasant thoughts will come as well.