Allopathic medicine in Conjunction with Hypnosis
Allopathic medicine
by Mark Barrus
As far as a smoker who is considering hypnosis to stop smoking, I wonder if there is any benefit when Doctors recommend that alternative approaches be tried in conjunction with other quitting methods such as medication, therapy, the patch, or nicotine gum.
The Health.com article basically says that hypnosis “research shows promise”.
The bias is immediately evident when you see an ad for Chantix on the right-hand column of the same page.
Alice Stacionis points out, “It seems as though many of my smoking cessation clients have tried allopathic medications (conventional Western medicine) and had very disturbing reactions. Someone who truly wants to change this behavior will continue looking until they find one that accomplishes this. Quite a while ago Dr. Oz said that the doctors learn from their patients. I encourage my clients to let their doctors know how successful hypnosis is with their smoking habit and any other issue they may have. The more we can teach the doctors about the success of alternatives sooner we will have fewer people taking dangerous drugs and having terrible reactions.”
As the year is coming to a close, we are also seeing an extensive ad campaign, by Pfizer, pushing their much-hyped stop smoking drug that held so much promise for stockholders a few years ago. With over 400 alleged suicides linked to the drug and the rushed clinical trials that did not include certain demographics, let’s all hope that people continue to research the best methods of stopping smoking.
Hypnosis can be described as “assisted cold turkey”, because the soon to be non-smoker must decide to stop smoking before anything will work long term.
Interestingly, the Chantix ads on TV actually recommend a “support program”, and for the drug to be best taken while getting support. This may be true, but smells of legal advice given to Pfizer to avoid any more trouble with people having adverse effects of the drug.
As far as using the patch and the gum while seeing a hypnotist or hypnotherapist, you should not expect hypnosis to do the impossible, which is to remove the desire for nicotine from your body when you stop chewing nicotine gum! I think most people will agree that nicotine is not the only reason people have difficulty stopping smoking, but there is no reason to make it harder on yourself than it needs to be.
by Mark Barrus
Mark Barrus is the Director of Healthy Life Centers. I have been in the Hypnosis industry for over 20 years, and have written many articles about the efficacy and effectiveness of Hypnotherapy to overcome unwanted habits and actions. Twenty years of Case Study research and examination have helped me to inform the industry on the results and be a leader in the field. I originally worked with Dr. Richard Neves, the former head of the American Board of Hypnotherapy, training other Hypnotherapists in Advanced Smoking Cessation protocols. In February 2005, we also started Healthy Life Centers, in Orange County, CA
Jack Rhodes What do you think of the "assisted cold-turkey" description?
I don't consider that to be an accurate description of my approach and techniques. I have found that smoking is an emotional addiction and the individual's stress and other negative emotions must be effectively delt with in order for the subject to quit the smoking habit. Therefore, hypnosis that neturalizes negative meotions is far more than an assist to a "cold turkey" approach. It takes away the motivation to smoke.
Gothcha, What I was referring to is that the client still needs to decide to stop smoking, and that is something they still need to do to be successful.
Unfortunately, doctors' endorsements and recommendations can no longer be clearly distinguished from pharma's influence. If people can start to become aware that they have more power than they know, they can exercise it to move to healthier places. We hypnotists stand on guard to help them in that movement.
Doctors' biases are further complicated when they accept gifts from the drug reps that come by on a weekly basis. My cardiologist actually admitted that he received a $10 per pill kick back for writing prescriptions for certain brand name drugs.
Paul Ramsay Thanks Paul.
Good post, I always like them.
A friend tried hypnosis to treat his smoking addiction. It’s really an effective cure. He’s been smoke-free for about a year now.