Smoking - conditioning?

[vigo]

I read something interesting today. Can't remember where the article was posted but it was basically postulating that sellers of "stop-smoking" products (think gum, patches, hit-men, whatever) are making it harder for people to stop by conditioning them to think that it is difficult.

They use all the hypnotic tricks. Engaging the imagination (describing symptoms in graphic detail). Proof. And so on. Of course hypnotists do this too, but generally to get the patient to stop smoking with one session!

Comments?

(For the interests of full disclosure my wife quit smoking three years ago with the holy trio: nicorette lozenges, chocolate and nagging!)

[John Guanzon]

I recently quit, I had been smoking for 5 years. I used the pacth for two days then decided I would be strong! lol, I hated life for a few days, but it has been about 6 months and I am feeling great, not looking back now.

[Jay]

[The Fantomaya]

I quit smoking a year ago. I'm pretty proud of myself. You see, I had been smoking since highschool. So, that's around 7 years of smoking. I didn't use any of those quit-smoking substances or drugs or whatever things. Just willpower baby! Hah.

They say you lose an average of 10 minutes per cigarette smoked. I already lost 150 days of my life

[hypno-therapist]

Hi The Fantomaya

Congrats on giving up smoking!!

You might feel glum about the damage that you have done, however you should be really excited that because of your actions it is never going to be 151 or 200 days off! And the other thing is that over the years your body pretty much returns to normal and repairs most of itself - it is even better for you as you are still young.

[lightseeker]

I don't believe in substituting an addiction with an another, no matter how much healthier the alternative is. It's kind of lose-win for me, as compared to learning to fight the urges of addiction altogether (via self-hypnosis, or, I dunno, some religious practice?) which'd be win-win in the long run, because you'd learn and you'd know you can fight any kind of addiction you might develop to anything.

[hypno-therapist]

[Fargo]

Well I believe the product itself is using a hypnosis technique. Most of us, or maybe just me would think 100% positive that the gum or patch would help us quit. Therefore, we will not smoke because the idea of the gum and patch is set in our mind. That is what I think, and that is also what I think sometimes when I purchase a product that would help me in a way.

[TheBooster]

I quite agree with Fargo's thinking. When I go to the doctor, I expect a cure, don't you all? Comparing this to hypnosis techniques in stop smoking products, isn't it similar?

[C.Button196]

[katharina]

[quote="C.Button196"]

[hummingbird42256]

I quit smoking after 35 years. I am amazed that I did it without any aids at all. I did go to a hypnosis session as a group but left early becasue they had a break and everyone including me and my sister went outside to.you guessed it, to smoke!Thats when we decided to leave. I didn't think replaceing smoking with a nicotin replacement would help.I would still be addicted to the replacement ,wouldn't I? I had a book I took form the health department.I read that book several times and it conditioned me just like you said the adds and things do. After I conditioned myself to how easy it will be to quit once you really want to it isn't that hard. If I can quit anyone can. Yes, I do think the ads make you believe that quitting smoking is hard,but guess what?It really isn't,3 days after you quit the nicotin has left your body and all you have is the mental addiction.

[katharina]

[jamesj]

[ashleyc8705]

Ugh my fiance smokes and I hate it! We have tried everything but he just keeps going back to it. It's very frustrating! I told him once we have kids he will never be allowed to smoke again haha!