Even those of us who have never puffed on a cigarette in our lives have some idea of just how hard kicking the habit can be. Until you've tried yourself it's hard to understand what nicotine withdrawal feels like and how easy it is to slip back into old ways. Understanding your addiction should be the first step towards giving up and without knowing what's making it so hard, you risk being unsuccessful.

Nicotine habits are often hard to kick because people choose just one quit smoking aid and rely solely on that to help them through. Studies have shown that people who combine a range of aids have a much higher success rate and there's no reason why you can't use patches while you're undertaking hypnosis too. The only methods you shouldn't combine are gum and patches as you might exceed the nicotine dosage that you need. Of course, if you match them up properly there is no problem, but bear in mind too much nicotine in your system will cause headaches, nausea and vomiting.

There is a solid reason why people who don't really want to give up smoking, rarely succeed in giving up. While a smoking addiction is a physical one, this physical addiction reinforces and is reinforced by a mental addiction too. We recognize the symptoms of withdrawal and attach a fear of those symptoms to the smoking habit. We know that if we have a cigarette the symptoms go away and getting out of that mindset can be near impossible. This is also why hypnosis often works so well to help people quit smoking; during a session we subconsciously believe that we no longer need cigarettes to keep those symptoms at bay. We believe it so strongly that the mental addiction is removed, leaving us only with the mild physical addiction to kick. Bear in mind that if you go into the session believing that it won't work, then it probably won't. It is your own mind that does the work with this kind of therapy.

The most successful methods for giving up smoking are the ones that focus on attitudes and thoughts towards the addiction: hypnosis and behavioral therapy. People who smoke often have a very set routine, perhaps not hour by hour each day, but they smoke after certain events. Usually meals, with cups of coffee, when leaving work and as a coping response to any stressful situations. As a result it becomes a crutch and learning to go about daily life without cigarettes is like trying to go through daily life without blinking; it all feels very different.

One of the hardest parts of quitting smoking is meeting up with friends and family who are carrying on. Before you start to give up talk to them sincerely and let them know that if you walk away from a conversation then it's because you are craving a cigarette, not because you are offended by their smoking. You are putting your health first and this is something that loved ones should be prepared to help you with.

Stan Tian

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