My job has generous incentives to help you quit . One option, they paid for was hypnosis. I was skeptical. I was given three hypnotists to consult. Each guaranteed I would not smoke after first session. Two additional sessions to reinforce quitting. I chose Mark, a psychologist who does hypnosis. He took a long q and a evaluation. I sat in a comfortable chair and did the imagine going down a flight of stairs deeper and deeper. Did I reach trance state? Don’t know. Did experience a sense of being totally relaxed, awake but asleep. Hard to speak . Easy to listen. The reinforcements were strong . I hate broccoli. Every time I wanted to inhale, imagine biting into broccoli. Gross for me. Did it work? Yes and no. I immediately stopped smoking in car. Still don’t. Only cheated outside. I was an anywhere smoker. After dinner cravings gone. How did it fail. Your sent home with a tape taking you through all the steps: going down the stairs, broccoli. It got monotonous, boring and I memorized the tape. Tried a new hypnotist. Eventually same thing . Either I resisted - possible. Got bored and gave up. Probably all of it.
Talking to colleagues who also did hypnosis, they were ashamed to admit it but they started again. Only plus: I never reached the volume of cigarettes I once smoked. Down to one pack from two. I still avoid local store . So some of it worked . In conclusion, if I had done it with NRT perhaps I would have had success. Don’t know. Starting again. Long story but maybe helpful for those thinking about hypnosis. Stay safe.
