Smoking Cessation

Stories of success against this powerful,
difficult to overcome addiction

In the space of one week, three different people consulted me about nicotine addiction. One person smoked and was ready to get cigarettes out of his life. Another had stopped smoking after an operation and health scare, but could not wean himself off of the nicorette gum he had used to quit smoking. A third had been hooked on chewing tobacco since his teens.

In all three cases, we reduced the cravings for cigarettes, gum or chewing tobacco using EFT. We addressed the attachments to the nicotine sources, the favorite times of day and locations and used EFT to break up the old programming. EFT was also useful to loosen the emotional attachments. Then through hypnotherapy, a personalized vision of motivation and success was created for each client. Each then had a hypnotherapy tape to continue supporting the process.

Follow-through calls revealed that all three had been successful in conquering their nicotine addictions. I checked in with the former smoker several months later. In his words:

"I think you have to make up your mind. You can't do that for me. But once I did, the session really cemented the deal. Everything worked. Everybody's made hard decisions somewhere in life. So you have to make the decision, then the hypnosis really helps. I stopped everything and only had a couple of 5-second twinges those first three days. Then it was done. I can even be around smokers and it doesn't bother me a bit. I haven't smoked for almost four months and I feel good. And I'm going to feel even better in two months when my life insurance rates go down!"

E-mails from Cora, Smoking Cessation Class Participant - March, 2002

Hello, Betty. Well, this is the beginning of Week #4 smoke-free for me (not counting the few cigarettes I cheated on, because they were there!) I am still very enthused over not having to smoke anymore, and expect this to be a 100% cure for me. Any time I feel like I want a cigarette, I repeat Allan Carr's mantra: "Yippee! I'm so glad I don't need to smoke anymore!"

I believe that the Allan Carr book had a great "intellectual" impact on me--with the tapes for night time reinforcement--and the tapping technique there for craving emergencies...although I must say I have experienced very few of the latter. For me, once I learned that the cigarette chain was strictly feeding an addiction--and that smoking was no actual source of pleasure or "relaxation"-- it was much easier for me to resist the occasional craving.

Also, over the past few days I have been breathing much deeper and easier...which has been a rare treat for me after all those years of clogged bronchial tubes! This in and of itself is a real pleasure!

The hardest part is trying to resist telling my smoker friends about these combined techniques. They don't really want to hear about it, just as I didn't until I was ready.

Thank you for entering my life about the time the flu of '02 did, to help me out of this lifelong leg-hold trap!

Cora belongs to a "daily Miracle group" and she sent me this message that she posted there:

The Miracle of being tobacco-free for over four weeks now, after 40 years of being an out-of-control cigarette smoker.

The Miracle of being able to identify my true emotions, one by one, and deal with the real issues of the day, instead of interpreting them with a one-brush stroke--"tobacco craving."

Grateful for the four-week Stopping Smoking thru Hypnotherapy & Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) class I enrolled in on a whim, to keep me accountable to others & myself, and provide the tools I needed in this effort.

Am also thankful for the wonderful and inexpensive Miracle of a book, "Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking," printed by and available at Barnes & Noble.

And am especially thankful for the Miracle of this platform, to share these resources with anyone out there who, like the old me, may not realize you are not a weak and/or stupid person, but that you have been in the grip of a powerful addition as long as you have been smoking. that they are suffering from a very real addiction, but that there is an easily accessible way to freedom.

Please feel free to contact me with questions about any of the above.

Cora in Vermont

From Participants in the Individual Program:

From Amy of Burlington, one month after quitting:

"I can't believe how easy it's been - it feels incredible. It's been totally different from the other times I tried to stop. I feel like I have all the right tools. During the first days, it helped to have something to say to a craving in my mind. Now, I hardly think about it. I can hardly believe I was a smoker. When people smoke in front of me, it doesn't bother me a bit. My friends say, 'you must be smoking again, you're so cheerful.' But that's because I'm so happy to be free!"
- Amy, December

From a health care professional, Burlington, 2 months after quitting:

"It was still one of the hardest things I've ever done. I enjoyed smoking and I didn't want to quit. It was difficult to reach the point where I made up my mind that I had to do it. This program really helped me to turn the corner. And I've been successful. As time goes on, it gets easier."
-- J. , November 2001

From S.M. of Burlington, three weeks after his quit date:

"I'm doing great. The first days, I had a lot of cravings, but they were just as short as they were many. I just took a deep breath and they were gone. Now it gets easier and easier. If someone is smoking beside me, I won't really notice it. Something inside me has shut off. I don't want cigarettes anymore. "
- S.M., March 2002

From a client who was successful in freeing himself from chewing tobacco:

"Everything is still going very well. I have had no crises, and only a few "tobacco related" / dangerous thoughts which tapping and positive thinking have taken care of.

I have found that I can drink coffee again without waking the monster!

Still listening to the hypno. and positive thinking tapes on a semi-regular basis. The tapes really help. The internal "alarm" thought from the third tape has been very helpful.

Thanks for all of your support and thanks for your healing!" K., March 2002