| About smoking cessation Can Hypnosis Help People Who Want to Quit Smoking? from Newsday.com BY DR MICHAEL CRAIG MILLER. Harvard College November 11, 2008 I've smoked for 20 years and want to quit. A friend recommended a hypnotist, but it scares me. Does hypnosis work? How can I find out if this hypnotist is qualified and reliable? Hypnosis is one of the oldest forms of psychotherapy in the Western world. It may also be the most misunderstood, given its association with entertainers and charlatans. But, in fact, it is a specialized form of meditation and a relaxation technique. Hypnosis involves... Hypnosis involves focusing attention inward and using your imagination and positive mental images to alter your perceptions. It's similar to what happens when you daydream or meditate and are unaware of what's going on around you. It may seem as if you're in a trance, but hypnosis is actually a heightened state of concentration. This tends to make you more open to suggestions that can help with treatment. Clinicians have proposed many uses, but it is most helpful for treating pain and anxiety. The studies evaluating the effectiveness of hypnosis for smoking cessation show a mixed picture. Some studies suggest that hypnosis might help you stop smoking by reducing cravings, bolstering willpower or increasing motivation to take care of your health. Hypnosis can be used to soothe yourself while you have a craving. But a comprehensive review found that most of the current evidence is based on case reports or poorly designed studies. It concluded that hypnosis is no better than other interventions - or even no treatment at all - for increasing six-month quit rates. I support your desire to find out more about the person who's doing the hypnotism. Many states do not regulate hypnotherapy. To make sure a therapist is qualified, ask if he or she is licensed (not just certified) to practice. Or check for membership in the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis or the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, two nationally recognized organizations for licensed professionals in this field. Remember that the technique of hypnosis is easy to learn. You don't need any specialized training. But a hypnotherapist does need specialized mental health training to understand emotional and behavioral problems, to evaluate them and plan a treatment. Most therapists who practice hypnosis employ it as one tool among many they are trained to use. Hypnosis is not magic. Rather, it's a specialized technique that may help you harness your brainpower to solve problems. And smoking cessation may be one of them. Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc. ----- Here's the link to this newstory: newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/tuesday/health/ny-hscab5921092nov11,0,2625958.story To go back to the Hypnosis News page, click here. |
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