Hypnotherapy for Quitting Smoking

Is nicotine addictive? In February 2000, the Royal College of Physicians published a report on nicotine addiction which concluded that Cigarettes are highly efficient nicotine delivery devices and are as addictive as drugs such as heroin or cocaine. Two years earlier, the report of the Governments Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health stated that: Over the past decade there has been increasing recognition that underlying smoking behaviour and its remarkable intractability to change is addiction to the drug nicotine. Nicotine has been shown to have effects on brain dopamine systems similar to those of drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Both the RCP and SCOTH reports confirmed the findings of the landmark review by the US Surgeon General in 1988 on nicotine which also concluded that cigarettes and other forms of tobacco are addicting and that nicotine is the drug in tobacco that causes addiction Despite these authoritative reviews, there has been some debate about the extent to which the smoking habit is controlled by physiological addiction. The debate has arisen because there is no universally accepted definition of addiction although the World Health Organization has defined addiction as: A state, psychic and sometimes also physical, resulting in the interaction between a living organism and a drug, characterised by behavioural and other responses that always include a compulsion to take the drug on a continuous or periodic basis in order to experience its psychic effects, and sometimes to avoid the discomfort of its absences. Tolerance may or may not be present. On the basis of this definition, it is possible to demonstrate a scientific basis for defining nicotine as an addictive substance. Properties of nicotine Nicotine is a stimulant drug, but paradoxically effects of both stimulation and relaxation may be felt. The mental and physical state of the smoker, and the situation in which smoking occurs, can influence the way in which a particular cigarette will affect psychological perceptions. The addictive effect of nicotine is linked to its capacity to trigger the release of dopamine - a chemical in the brain that is associated with feelings of pleasure. However, recent research has suggested that in the long term, nicotine depresses the ability of the brain to experience pleasure. Thus, smokers need greater amounts of the drug to achieve the same levels of satisfaction. Smoking is therefore a form of self-medication: further smoking alleviates the withdrawal symptoms which set in soon after the effects of nicotine wear off. Difficulty in quitting Possibly one of the strongest indicators of the effect of nicotine is the discrepancy between the desire to quit and quitting success rates. Surveys have shown that the majority of smokers (around 70 per cent) want to stop smoking yet the successful quit rate remains very low. Twenty per cent or less of those who embark on a course of treatment succeed in abstaining for as long as a year, while only around 3 per cent succeed in quitting using

willpower alone. Most smokers take several attempts to quit before they finally succeed. The power of addiction is also demonstrated by the fact that some smokers are reluctant to stop smoking even after undergoing surgery for smoking-induced diseases. Around forty per cent of those who have had a laryngectomy try smoking soon afterwards, while about 50 per cent of lung cancer patients resume smoking after undergoing surgery. Other measures of dependence There are a number of markers which can measure dependence on a substance. A key factor is the degree of compulsion to take the drug experienced by the user. Most smokers smoke on a daily basis. In Britain, the average self-reported consumption of cigarettes is 14 per day. Fewer than 1 in 20 smokers smoke less frequently than daily. Other indicators of dependence include the time from waking to first cigarette. Among smokers of all ages, 15 per cent light up within five minutes of waking, while almost half of all smokers (46 per cent) smoke within the first half hour of the day. Few smokers believe that they could manage to go without smoking for a whole day, with only 16 per cent believing that it would be very easy while 33 per cent think that it would be very difficult to do so. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms Another marker for addiction is the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms following cessation of drug use. For smokers, typical physical symptoms following cessation or reduction of nicotine intake include craving for nicotine, irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, restlessness, sleep disturbances, decreased heart rate, and increased appetite or weight gain. The fact that these symptoms can be attributed to nicotine, rather than behavioural aspects of tobacco use is shown by the finding that withdrawal symptoms are relieved by nicotine replacement therapy (gum, patches, etc.) but not by a placebo (i.e. products that do not contain nicotine). Genetic Influence Recent research suggests that certain smokers may be predisposed to nicotine addiction through the effects of a gene responsible for metabolising nicotine. Scientists have found that non-smokers are twice as likely to carry a mutation in a gene that helps to rid the body of nicotine. In addition, smokers who carry mutations in the gene, (known as CYP2A6) are likely to smoke less because nicotine is not rapidly removed from the brain and bloodstream. By contrast, smokers with the efficient version of the gene will tend to smoke more heavily to compensate for nicotine being removed more rapidly. Tobacco industry recognition of the importance of nicotine Tobacco industry documents dating from the 1960s have shown that tobacco companies recognised that the main reason that people continue smoking is nicotine addiction. A lawyer acting for Brown & Williamson said: Nicotine is addictive. We are, then, in the business of selling nicotine, an addictive drug. Publicly, however, tobacco companies denied that nicotine was addictive, because such an admission would have undermined their stance that smoking is a matter of personal choice. As the US Tobacco Institute put it

in 1980: We cant defend continued smoking as free choice if the person was addicted. The industry was also quick to realise that selling an addictive product is good for business: as a BAT memo said in 1979, We also think that consideration should be given to the hypothesis that the high profits additionally associated with the tobacco industry are directly related to the fact that the customer is dependent on the product. In March 1997, Liggett Group, the smallest of the five major US tobacco companies, became the first to admit that smoking is addictive as part of a deal to settle legal claims against the company. More recently the tobacco companies have tried to cast doubt over the meaning of addiction by comparing smoking with other common pursuits such as shopping or eating chocolate. If you need help quitting smoking follow this link: hypnotherapy for smoking Dealing with difficult situations and H.A.L.T. There are many situations that can make staying a non-smoker all that much harder. Learn how to fight the enemies of success! Boredom Boredom is a state of mind. Smoking won't change that, but doing something might! Complacency Many smokers report a danger time at about five or six weeks. Withdrawal symptoms are behind you, you're feeling physically better, mentally more alert and you may have forgotten just how bad you felt when you were still smoking. Beware! Complacency is dangerous. Remind yourself that there is no such thing as one cigarette. There never was before and there won't be this time either. Keep positive and stay focused. Other smokers Remind yourself that smokers are drug addicts who wish they didn't have to smoke (just like you used to). They are not enjoying smoking, simply feeding an addiction. Ask your friends not to offer you a cigarette and remember how much good you are doing yourself by not joining them. Pub If at all possible, it may be better to try and avoid alcohol for the first two or three weeks. Try and break the connection between drinking and smoking. When you have a drink again, make it at home away from smokers and wait until you feel secure enough as a non-smoker before going back to the pub. Try changing your usual drink - it sounds funny, but it really can help!

Routines Certain routines are likely to be inextricably linked with smoking. Many people see smoking as their treat or reward and this association can be hard to break. Break obvious routines. If you always smoked with a cup of coffee in the morning, try herbal tea or even hot water with lemon instead (water and cigarette smoke don't taste good together). Or use this time to do something completely different - take the dog for a walk, meditate or go for a swim. Remind yourself that the pleasure you associated with smoking was an illusion. It only seemed good because you were relieving your withdrawal symptoms. This is the basis of all drug addiction. Stress Many people believe that smoking relieves stress. The reality is that smokers' lives tend to be more stressed than non-smokers. Think of a smoker and a non-smoker caught in a long meeting. Who is more likely to be distracted, fidgeting and longing to get out of the meeting room? Whose stress level is likely to be higher? When you stop smoking, you are removing an enormous cause of stress from your life. If you do feel stressed, how about trying some relaxation exercises, burning aromatherapy oils, having a hot bath or burning off some frustration at the gym. Tiredness Excessive tiredness is normal in the early days of stopping smoking. Exercise is nature's antidote to lethargy and tiredness, and now that you are physically fitter, you'll be surprised at how much easier and more enjoyable exercise is. Do what works best for you - a regular walk in the park is just as good as an irregular workout in the gym - and your energy levels will soon rise. Stay motivated! If any difficult situations or social arrangements are on the horizon, think about how you will deal with them in advance. Give your hands something to do - play with a stress toy, or a pencil. Alternatively, do something that means your hands are busy - such as painting a picture, or writing a letter

Take a moment to remember the reasons why you wanted to give up in the first place. Then feel proud that you have got this far, and determined to carry on Cut a straw into cigarette sized pieces and inhale air Smoking kills around ten times more people in the UK than road traffic accidents (3,184), accidental falls (4,578), murder and manslaughter (306), suicide (4,291) and HIV infection (186) all put together (12,545 in total)

Clean the house and make it a smoke-free zone About half of all regular smokers will eventually be killed by their habit If you're at work, go and make yourself a drink and drag one of your colleagues with you for a chat to keep you distracted from the craving. It will pass Try to tackle the cravings head-on, rather than passively accepting/enduring them - see it as a challenge where you are a winner Keep an old ashtray filled with cigarette butts and smell it. That should put you off Remind yourself that every cigarette-free day will improve your health Work out how much money you've saved since giving up, and how that will accumulate over the next few months if you keep going Light incense, an oil burner or a candle instead of a cigarette. Enjoy the aroma - it's much nicer than stale cigarettes Every month, on the anniversary of your stop date, plan a special treat or celebration for yourself Memorize H.A.L.T. Defeat Triggers with Knowledge -

Quitting tobacco is a process. It doesn't happen overnight, but compared to the amount of time most of us spent smoking, recovery can be very quick indeed. Years of smoking taught us to react to literally everything by lighting a cigarette. When we were happy, we'd celebrate by lighting up. When we got angry, smoking would calm us down, or so we thought. Tired? Smoke a cigarette to stay awake. Hungry? Feed yourself a smoke. This list goes on. Between the physical addiction to nicotine, and the mental associations that tie what seems like all of our activities to cigarettes, it can feel as though we're chained to the habit with links of steel. Successful recovery from this addiction includes learning how to hear the message behind the urge to smoke, and to respond with more appropriate choices, such as a nap or a meal.

Memorize the meaning of this acronym: H.A.L.T . (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired), and you'll have a powerful checklist to help you decode the urges you experience. Nine times out of ten, a craving can be traced to one of these four things. Hungry

Have a snack or a meal. If you are hungry, food is the answer, not a cigarette! If you're concerned about weight gain, try drinking water to help control the between meals eating. Have healthy snacks on hand also, like celery sticks, raw baby carrots and frozen grapes, or fresh fruit salad, all make good low calorie snacks. Normal weight gain due to quitting is about 5-8lbs. Metabolism does slow a bit, so getting some daily exercise is a good idea. The bottom line is this: don't be too hard on yourself. Try to eat in moderation, but until you get your quit program under solid control, don't fret if you gain a few pounds. Quitting tobacco should be in the top slot of your priority list for as long as it takes. Weight can always be lost later.

Angry This is a big trigger for most of us. Find healthy outlets for your feelings of frustration - if at all possible, try to deal with the situation that is bothering you head on, and be done with it. Talk to friends and family about your feelings or write in your journal. The important thing is not to let anger simmer and get the upper hand. Reaching for a cigarette can seem like a quick fix, but it's always a false fix. Smoking will put you back to square one and you'll be disappointed in yourself as well. We may not always be able to choose the events that happen around us, but we will always have the choice of how we let external situations affect us emotionally. This is important! If you're angry, you have the power to change that negative feeling in an instant. Positive self-talk is another way to pull yourself out of the doldrums. Use affirmations to help you create the reality you want for yourself. We have a way of taking actions which are in line with our beliefs, so what you tell yourself matters - a lot. Make affirmations empowering and keep them in the here and now. Instead of saying: "I will be a healthy non-smoker", say it this way: "I AM a healthy non-smoker." Rather than saying, "I have to quit smoking", tell yourself, "I will quit smoking". Minor shifts in attitude can make a world of difference. Education is also a powerful ally - the more you learn about the effects of tobacco,, the less value cigarettes will have for you. Learn to hate the habit, and you'll have leverage to help you become smoke free and stay that way for good. Lonely Another word to describe this could be bored. Early on in cessation, distraction is a useful tool. If you're bored, try redirecting your attention, and see if it helps. Depression also falls under this category, and can affect anyone. People quitting tobacco are sometimes more susceptible, at least early on, because leaving cigarettes behind can

feel like the loss of a friend. If you feel yourself slipping into a depressed state, take action. Change your environment and it will usually change your attitude and mood. Tired Fatigue can be a huge trigger. Instead of lighting up, give yourself time to slow down and relax a little, or even go to bed early if you need to. Sounds so simple, yet people often push themselves too far with all of the demands of life these days. Be aware. Don't let yourself get rundown. Protect your quitting, by protecting your health, both physically, and mentally. It may feel like you'll never be free of cigarettes and thoughts of smoking will always plague you, but have some faith in yourself, and please be patient. We taught ourselves to smoke, and we can teach ourselves to forget it too. Give yourself time to retrain and get some practice at living your life smoke free. Soon enough, it will seem the most natural thing in the world. You'll get to the point where you'll wonder why you didn't quit sooner, because life without cigarettes has become so easy for you. In the meantime, remember H.A.L.T. Visit www.selfhypnosisuk.com for more information about hypnosis.