With hypnosis for the nonsmoker

Hypnosis helps smokers

Intent No smoking - still up to date

For many people at the turn of the year, it is necessary to create at least one good resolution, which should be implemented in the coming year. In terms of content, there has been little change in the projects in recent years in this country. The top resolutions could all be headline „Health care and preservation“ and all too often they are taken to the year after next: the loss of weight to form a bikini figure before the start of the summer season, the regular exercise of sporting activities, learning stress-reducing measures as well as the long overdue farewell to the daily smoked cigarettes, which are not only harmful to health but also have a financial burden.

Looking for the right method
In a survey on German prevention behavior in 2008, more than half of the 491 smokers surveyed planned to quit smoking. But how to make the exit? Just stop smoking, as 71% of the men and women interviewed did it? The rest of the smoker did not dare to go it alone. They relied on external support, whether in the form of medicines, seminars or other methods. One of these methods has (again) attracted special attention due to a rather high success rate in recent years: Smoking cessation in a state of hypnosis. Despite stubborn prejudices, serious hypnotherapy was able to slowly free itself from the hype of show hypnotists, which in 2006 resulted in the scientific recognition of the process by the Scientific Advisory Council on Psychotherapy.

Therapy in hypnosis: more scientific than her reputation !
The corresponding application was written on behalf of the German Society for Hypnosis (DGH) and the Milton Erickson Society for Clinical Hypnosis (MEG) by a working group headed by Prof. Dr. med. Dirk Revenstorf already in 2003. Under the direction of the psychologist, the department of the Milton Erickson Society for Clinical Hypnosis has been researching the effects of hypnotherapeutic methods on various disorders of health and behavior for years, as well as the studies of other research teams for the development of treatment concepts used. The empirical efficacy in phobias, stress disorders, obesity, sleep disorders, psychosomatics, sexual dysfunctions, acute and chronic pain, childish wetting and tobacco abuse was proven in more than 200 studies.

„Hypnosis Non smoking“ clearly abstinent longer
The superiority of smoking cessation with hypnosis compared to the experiments on their own is shown in studies from the years 1998 (Heumann and Schmidt, www.meg-tuebingen.de/1-hypnose-hypnoseforschung.htm#rauchen) and 2006 (Revenstorf, ebda): Four-week, three-month, and one-year surveys always showed a significantly higher abstinence rate among those who had used hypnosis for smoking cessation. And in many cases after just three sessions. While in Revenstorf's study, after one year, 48.1% of the hypnosis group still remained away from cigarettes, only 22.6% of the control group could be considered as „Non smoking“ describe.

Modern hypnotherapy requires medical and psychological knowledge
Modern hypnotherapy uses the hypnotic trance and the associated intense perception of inner images, memories and feelings to focus the client's attention specifically on finding solutions. New (or forgotten / overlooked) information should initiate processes that can resolve old blockages, lead to alternative perspectives and activate beneficial behaviors. Measurable positive effects such as relaxation and immune activation lead by the way to more well-being and health.

Even if smokers are basically healthy people, Prof. Revenstorf, before committing to quit smoking with hypnosis to medical laymen, v.a. because in a state of trance there is a relationship of dependency and unpredictable reactions can occur. The application of hypnosis requires medical, neurobiological and psychological knowledge as well as therapeutic experience. A practitioner with a license to practice a medical profession (doctors, psychotherapists, non-medical practitioners) and appropriate training is then best suited to deal competently and responsibly with the client and his reactions in hypnosis. (Dipl.Päd. Jeanette Viñals Stein, non-medical practitioner, 06.01.2010)

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