Only a few of the thousands of hypnosis clients that I have worked with since 1988 for stopping smoking have said that they had gotten a buzz from every cigarette that they smoked. They all liked the buzz. All of them mistakenly thought that they would have to give it up to become nonsmokers.
When I asked one of my clients who enjoyed his cigarette buzz when the buzz started, he replied, “When I reach for the cigarette.” Obviously, this was before he had put any nicotine into his system. And, it gives us a clue about how a smoker could learn to have the buzz without smoking.
A basic technique from NLP is called anchoring. Simply put, any emotion or mental state can be anchored to a cue, either a visual cue, a sound or word, and /or a physical sensation. After the state is anchored, repeating the cue will cause the person to go back into the state automatically. A good example of an anchor is the feelings we always get from listening to a favorite song. Another is our response to our mother saying our name with that tone of voice, the one that means we are in trouble.
So how does a hypnotherapist get a smoking client into the buzz state so that it can be anchored? The NLP technique “drug of choice” teaches the client to recreate previously experienced drug states at will without the person actually taking any drugs.
The drug of choice technique is based on a basic principle of hypnosis. The body cannot tell the difference between imagination and reality. If someone imagines very first sensations of a drug starting to take effect, then the next sensations, and the next, the body will start reproducing all the effects of the drug state. It only takes a few repetitions to bring on a profound drugless high.
I teach my clients to reproduce the buzz for themselves. It only takes a few minutes. Most of the time my clients actually make the buzz stronger than they ever got from smoking. So with a little help from hypnosis and NLP, it becomes much easier to stop smoking for good.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Stop Smoking Tip – It is Not The Nicotine That Stops the Stopping
After practicing hypnosis and NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) in Atlanta since 1988, I've come to wonder just how helpful or accurate it is to compare nicotine to such addicting drugs as heroin, alcohol and cocaine.
If you give a detoxing heroin addict some heroin, the cravings and withdrawals stop. If you give a smoker who is quitting a nicotine patch or nicotine gum they may well experience little or no reduction in the craving to light up.
This illustrates that the power that smoking has over people is more psychological than physical. Of course, the nicotine plays a necessary role in starting and maintaining the hook that keeps smokers smoking. But, the fact that removing the physical nicotine cravings does not eliminate the desire to smoke is a key to understanding the reasons that hypnosis can be so effective in helping smokers rid themselves of the desire and habit.
Some reasons that smokers give for not stopping
“Cigarettes are my friend” This notion was addressed in my first entry on this blog. Some smokers become fond of smoking, and imagine cigarettes as “friends”. So stopping smoking is like giving up a good friend. And, that makes stopping much harder.
“I only get a break at work when I smoke” People who believe this feel as if they will lose their work breaks. That seems like an unreasonably high price to pay to eliminate a habit.
“I always smoke when I drink coffee and/or alcoholic beverages” These smokers do not want to have to give up their coffee, or evening glass of wine, too!
“I like the buzz I get from smoking” This is one of he most fun and easy issues to address with hypnosis and NLP. I simply teach them to make the buzz themselves without tobacco.
“Smoking helps me relax, calm down, etc” This is actually incorrect. Smoking and nicotine actually causes more stress. It is usually enough to remedy this belief with an NLP technique called reframing, and a few metaphors.
“Smoking gives me something to do when I'm bored” Again, a little reframing and a metaphor or two counteracts this belief easily.
“I can not imagine not smoking for the rest of my life” People who say this are frequently scared of the thought of becoming nonsmokers. The solution to this belief is simply to have the smokers change the time frame of the way that they imagine the process of stopping.
You may have noticed that most of the beliefs above have nothing to do with the drug effects of nicotine. That is why hypnosis and NLP can be so effective in helping a smoker stop. Once the obstructing beliefs are eliminated, it is easy to be a nonsmoker.
If you give a detoxing heroin addict some heroin, the cravings and withdrawals stop. If you give a smoker who is quitting a nicotine patch or nicotine gum they may well experience little or no reduction in the craving to light up.
This illustrates that the power that smoking has over people is more psychological than physical. Of course, the nicotine plays a necessary role in starting and maintaining the hook that keeps smokers smoking. But, the fact that removing the physical nicotine cravings does not eliminate the desire to smoke is a key to understanding the reasons that hypnosis can be so effective in helping smokers rid themselves of the desire and habit.
Some reasons that smokers give for not stopping
“Cigarettes are my friend” This notion was addressed in my first entry on this blog. Some smokers become fond of smoking, and imagine cigarettes as “friends”. So stopping smoking is like giving up a good friend. And, that makes stopping much harder.
“I only get a break at work when I smoke” People who believe this feel as if they will lose their work breaks. That seems like an unreasonably high price to pay to eliminate a habit.
“I always smoke when I drink coffee and/or alcoholic beverages” These smokers do not want to have to give up their coffee, or evening glass of wine, too!
“I like the buzz I get from smoking” This is one of he most fun and easy issues to address with hypnosis and NLP. I simply teach them to make the buzz themselves without tobacco.
“Smoking helps me relax, calm down, etc” This is actually incorrect. Smoking and nicotine actually causes more stress. It is usually enough to remedy this belief with an NLP technique called reframing, and a few metaphors.
“Smoking gives me something to do when I'm bored” Again, a little reframing and a metaphor or two counteracts this belief easily.
“I can not imagine not smoking for the rest of my life” People who say this are frequently scared of the thought of becoming nonsmokers. The solution to this belief is simply to have the smokers change the time frame of the way that they imagine the process of stopping.
You may have noticed that most of the beliefs above have nothing to do with the drug effects of nicotine. That is why hypnosis and NLP can be so effective in helping a smoker stop. Once the obstructing beliefs are eliminated, it is easy to be a nonsmoker.
Monday, December 21, 2009
What Does It Feel Like to Be Hypnotized?
A great many people see stage shows or movies and come to the conclusion that being hypnotized must include some profound and dramatic sensations. Perhaps they have seen a hypnosis stage show participant become so physically rigid that the hypnotist can put them between two chairs and stand on them with no apparent effort of discomfort to the participant. It certainly seems like it would have to include some very strange feelings.
But, as with many things in life, appearances can be deceiving. The most common sensation reported by hypnotized people is simple relaxation. Everyone has experienced the state of hypnosis thousands of times, at least unofficially. For example, have you ever been so engrossed in a book or movie that someone had to call your name several times to get your attention? Or, have you ever been driving and missed a turn because your mind was somewhere else? At those times, your brainwaves were identical to someone officially in hypnosis.
Research has shown that the brainwaves of a hypnotized person are much closer to the waking state than sleep. It is common for a hypnotized person to be aware of their surroundings, and to be fully aware of what a hypnotist is saying to them. That is particularly true for the first few times someone goes into trance.
As an interesting historical note, the term “hypnosis” was coined by James Braid, a Scottish researcher, in the 1830's. He based it on the name of the Greek god of sleep, because people in hypnosis look as though they are asleep. Their faces relax, and they tend to become very still for extended periods of time. Braid decided later that people in hypnosis were in a state closer to the normal waking state, and renamed the phenomenon “monoideaism”, a term which obviously never caught on.
One way of thinking about going into hypnosis is that it is a learned skill. And, with practice, we can go into more and more profound states of hypnosis over time. Which brings up another interesting point, hypnosis is not an all or nothing experience. It is possible to be anywhere along a continuum from a very light hypnotic state, to the deepest of trances in which the person will develop anesthesia without any suggestions from the hypnotherapist.
The deepest states of hypnosis can be very useful for someone who needs surgery, but who is allergic to chemical anesthesia. However, in such a deep state of hypnosis, the person will tend to be unresponsive to suggestions. So, when it comes to changing behaviors or shifting emotional responses, the deepest states of hypnosis are all but useless.
Someone in a light to medium trance will demonstrate the responses typically associated with hypnosis: following suggestions, and imagining more vividly than they usually do. Those kinds of experiences can open the person to making some amazing changes for the better, such as eliminating a fear, or a habit like smoking.
So, again what does it feel like to be hypnotized? As was mentioned above, the most common sensations reported in hypnosis are simply relaxation. It is also possible for someone to have some amazing experiences, like sensations of floating, or of heaviness, or a variety of some other very pleasant feelings.
This writer once got into hot water with someone who has had some very unusual experiences in hypnosis, because he wrote that hypnosis, in and of itself, has no special feelings. Because she had had such dramatic experiences, she thought that everyone experiences hypnosis that way. It was necessary to explain that someone may be hypnotized without odd or unusual feelings, although such feelings and experiences may spontaneously arise.
It is certainly possible for someone experiencing official hypnosis for the first few times not recognize that he or she is in trance. The sensations and mental alterations my be too subtle to recognize as different than everyday consciousness, although the hypnotist can see the telltale signs of trance: relaxation of the facial muscles, the slowed breathing, and complete stillness, or reduced and slowed movements of the body, that indicate a light hypnotic state.
The person may also have some preconceptions about “feeling hypnotized” that are mistaken, which can cause him or her to reject the experience as hypnosis. That is why most hypnotherapists offer a brief introduction to hypnosis before beginning a first session. During that introduction the most common misconceptions about hypnosis are addressed. The introduction also includes an explanation and/or demonstration of what it "feels like" to be hypnotized. This allows the client to experience the full benefits of his or her session without needing to wonder, during, or after the session, whether or not he or she was hypnotized.
But, as with many things in life, appearances can be deceiving. The most common sensation reported by hypnotized people is simple relaxation. Everyone has experienced the state of hypnosis thousands of times, at least unofficially. For example, have you ever been so engrossed in a book or movie that someone had to call your name several times to get your attention? Or, have you ever been driving and missed a turn because your mind was somewhere else? At those times, your brainwaves were identical to someone officially in hypnosis.
Research has shown that the brainwaves of a hypnotized person are much closer to the waking state than sleep. It is common for a hypnotized person to be aware of their surroundings, and to be fully aware of what a hypnotist is saying to them. That is particularly true for the first few times someone goes into trance.
As an interesting historical note, the term “hypnosis” was coined by James Braid, a Scottish researcher, in the 1830's. He based it on the name of the Greek god of sleep, because people in hypnosis look as though they are asleep. Their faces relax, and they tend to become very still for extended periods of time. Braid decided later that people in hypnosis were in a state closer to the normal waking state, and renamed the phenomenon “monoideaism”, a term which obviously never caught on.
One way of thinking about going into hypnosis is that it is a learned skill. And, with practice, we can go into more and more profound states of hypnosis over time. Which brings up another interesting point, hypnosis is not an all or nothing experience. It is possible to be anywhere along a continuum from a very light hypnotic state, to the deepest of trances in which the person will develop anesthesia without any suggestions from the hypnotherapist.
The deepest states of hypnosis can be very useful for someone who needs surgery, but who is allergic to chemical anesthesia. However, in such a deep state of hypnosis, the person will tend to be unresponsive to suggestions. So, when it comes to changing behaviors or shifting emotional responses, the deepest states of hypnosis are all but useless.
Someone in a light to medium trance will demonstrate the responses typically associated with hypnosis: following suggestions, and imagining more vividly than they usually do. Those kinds of experiences can open the person to making some amazing changes for the better, such as eliminating a fear, or a habit like smoking.
So, again what does it feel like to be hypnotized? As was mentioned above, the most common sensations reported in hypnosis are simply relaxation. It is also possible for someone to have some amazing experiences, like sensations of floating, or of heaviness, or a variety of some other very pleasant feelings.
This writer once got into hot water with someone who has had some very unusual experiences in hypnosis, because he wrote that hypnosis, in and of itself, has no special feelings. Because she had had such dramatic experiences, she thought that everyone experiences hypnosis that way. It was necessary to explain that someone may be hypnotized without odd or unusual feelings, although such feelings and experiences may spontaneously arise.
It is certainly possible for someone experiencing official hypnosis for the first few times not recognize that he or she is in trance. The sensations and mental alterations my be too subtle to recognize as different than everyday consciousness, although the hypnotist can see the telltale signs of trance: relaxation of the facial muscles, the slowed breathing, and complete stillness, or reduced and slowed movements of the body, that indicate a light hypnotic state.
The person may also have some preconceptions about “feeling hypnotized” that are mistaken, which can cause him or her to reject the experience as hypnosis. That is why most hypnotherapists offer a brief introduction to hypnosis before beginning a first session. During that introduction the most common misconceptions about hypnosis are addressed. The introduction also includes an explanation and/or demonstration of what it "feels like" to be hypnotized. This allows the client to experience the full benefits of his or her session without needing to wonder, during, or after the session, whether or not he or she was hypnotized.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Conversational Belief Change with Hypnosis and NLP: the Power of Yet
It is really common for my hypnosis clients to tell me, with a great deal of conviction, just what they cannot do.
For example many of my clients have said to me, “I just cannot imagine going for the rest of my life without a cigarette.” I usually use a simple and elegant response that I learned from my study of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) that loosens some of their certainty by causing them to re-imagine their future in a positive way.
That response is “yet”.
“It may not be your habit to challenge your friend's unnecessarily limiting beliefs yet.” Is an example of “yet” at work.
The "yet" in this case causes the listener to, however briefly, imagine that they will have the habit of challenging their friends limiting beliefs in the future.
Of course, “yet” can have another meaning. It can also mean “but”.
“You say that you are poor at math, yet you figured out the discounted price of that CD you have been wanting in three seconds flat.” In this case the “yet” negates everything in the sentence that came before it.
Another way to use “yet” requires a little bit of a pause.
Someone once said to me, “I refuse to try anything new that I cannot do perfectly the first time.”
“Yet...you learned to walk, and that required walking imperfectly hundreds of times along the way before you developed your current state of walking perfection. And, that means that you did not always think that way, doesn't it?” was my reply.
In that last example, “yet” could mean both “but” and imply that the person will try something new without the certainty of perfection in the future.
Of course, we can use “yet” to challenge our own limiting beliefs, too. Be careful if you do though.
Please read the warning label carefully:
Side effects of frequently saying “yet”after limiting statements include a loss of limiting beliefs, higher levels of personal and career success, and a more cheerful outlook on life.
By now, you may not have yet imagined just how much fun you can have by turning those discouraging and limiting beliefs of your friends, family, and even yourself, into something more useful. No matter. Just remember that when you do bring “yet” into play, there is no official hypnosis necessary. It is simply a matter of applying a little of the linguistic magic of NLP.
For example many of my clients have said to me, “I just cannot imagine going for the rest of my life without a cigarette.” I usually use a simple and elegant response that I learned from my study of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) that loosens some of their certainty by causing them to re-imagine their future in a positive way.
That response is “yet”.
“It may not be your habit to challenge your friend's unnecessarily limiting beliefs yet.” Is an example of “yet” at work.
The "yet" in this case causes the listener to, however briefly, imagine that they will have the habit of challenging their friends limiting beliefs in the future.
Of course, “yet” can have another meaning. It can also mean “but”.
“You say that you are poor at math, yet you figured out the discounted price of that CD you have been wanting in three seconds flat.” In this case the “yet” negates everything in the sentence that came before it.
Another way to use “yet” requires a little bit of a pause.
Someone once said to me, “I refuse to try anything new that I cannot do perfectly the first time.”
“Yet...you learned to walk, and that required walking imperfectly hundreds of times along the way before you developed your current state of walking perfection. And, that means that you did not always think that way, doesn't it?” was my reply.
In that last example, “yet” could mean both “but” and imply that the person will try something new without the certainty of perfection in the future.
Of course, we can use “yet” to challenge our own limiting beliefs, too. Be careful if you do though.
Please read the warning label carefully:
Side effects of frequently saying “yet”after limiting statements include a loss of limiting beliefs, higher levels of personal and career success, and a more cheerful outlook on life.
By now, you may not have yet imagined just how much fun you can have by turning those discouraging and limiting beliefs of your friends, family, and even yourself, into something more useful. No matter. Just remember that when you do bring “yet” into play, there is no official hypnosis necessary. It is simply a matter of applying a little of the linguistic magic of NLP.
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