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You know you want to quit smoking, and you also know it will be tough. Perhaps you have already tried everything: you have gone cold turkey, only to hightail it to the corner store in the middle of the night when your nerves were shot and your could not sleep for the third night in a row. Perhaps if you have tried the nicotine replacement products, such as the gum, patch or spray, and while your arm was all patched up, you were still lighting up. Maybe you tried the herbal supplements only to have a queasy stomach and a craving to smoke that was unabashed. Possibly you have tried acupuncture only to find the results too short-lived to even be worth a continued effort. On the flip side, maybe you have been smoke-free for a while but the temptation to relapse has become frighteningly strong and you are looking for some way to combat the urge to simply give in, throw caution to the wind, and once again fill your lungs with the poisons of the smoke. There is, however, one method you have not yet attempted: hypnosis. Of course, much has been said and written about this method and you wonder if hypnosis to quit smoking really does work.

Hypnosis has forever become associated with the slapstick routines of old, the sideshow, or the carnival. People were made to act like chickens or dogs ? much to the amusement of the on-looking audience. In reality, hypnosis is a recognized psychotherapy tool that uses a form of directed relaxation in addition to a directed suggestion to your subconscious mind. Have you ever driven your car and suddenly jerked yourself out of an apparent lull? This may very well have been a very rudimentary method of self-hypnosis. You are still functioning on a conscious level, but your subconscious mind has wandered to something else and your body has relaxed. In a therapeutic setting, a hypnotist will seek to aid you in reaching this state of relaxation. Many who have gone to a hypnotist to quit smoking will swear by this method. Of course, there are always some who will continue on smoking and for whom this method will not work. It is important to remember that each person is an individual and as such has individual needs, problems, and habits to overcome. Each method will not work for each individual, but if you have tried multiple methods, there really is no harm in also attempting hypnosis.

If you do decide to give hypnosis a try, it is important to keep a few things in mind:

If you choose to check out hypnotherapies, make sure that the therapist is actually certified in her or his chosen field. Anyone can hang up a shingle and call themselves a hypnotherapist, but the certifying authorities, such as the National Board for Certified Hypnotherapists, are quite picky in their requirements. These requirements are educational as well as experiential. Many times a psychologist or psychiatrist will also be experienced in hypnotherapy, and are quit possibly able to help you.

Find out about the hypnosis. Does the hypnotherapist only recommend one session, or will she or he provide a number of sessions? What will be accomplished in these sessions? Usually it will take more than one session to affect a behavior modification on a permanent basis. Remember: hypnosis is not a cure-all; it simply helps you to accomplish your goal.

There are many products on the market now that seek to train eager soon to be non-smokers to self-hypnotize. While some folks may most certainly have a knack for learning how to do this at home, it is not as easy as it sounds. In addition to the foregoing, if you are fighting to overcome your cravings, this may not be a good time to attempt to learn how to do this, but instead a professional will be able to offer much input and guidance.

Hypnotherapy is only one method. The most effective road to a smoke-free life encompasses a variety of methods as well as realistic and lasting behavior modifications. You will still need to avoid tempting situations and deal with your physical cravings while you are weaning yourself away from your addiction.

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