VIDEO: My Clients - In Their Own Words

Study: People continue smoking in bad economy

There's a brief little article from the Associated Press about smoking today.



Looks like some smokers out there are subscribing to the belief that smoking actually relieves stress... when in actuality, at best - smoking temporarily distracts you from the stress you're experiencing. Once the cigarette is put out, the problems (economic and otherwise) remain and you're right where you were before... only less healthy and wealthy.



The truth is that those of you who quit smoking will not only have more cash in your pockets, you'll also be less stressed out. You see, once you no longer have to worry about cigarettes and the effect smoking has on your health, you achieve peace of mind.

Also, if you choose to use hypnosis to quit, you'll learn how to relax yourself and eliminate stress in an easy and practical way. You just won't allow things to bother you as much.

Oh, and you'll save about $2,000 every single year you remain a non-smoker.

Here's the article from the AP:

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OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Financial stress doesn't push people away from smoking. A study shows people are more likely to smoke than quit during an economic downturn.

A survey from the American Legacy Foundation found that 77 percent of current smokers are stressed by the national economy. This stress is causing some people to delay their attempt to quit smoking, and some are smoking more cigarettes than before.

Washington Secretary of Health Mary Selecky says the expense of smoking is a good reason to quit during bad economic times. The state's free tobacco quit line offers free coaching and a supply of nicotine patches or gum.

Since the average cost of a pack of cigarettes is $5.38, Selecky says pack-a-day smokers could save nearly $2,000 by quitting.

L.A. Times: Obama and Smoking - Now's Not the Time to Quit?

An amusing editorial from the Los Angeles Times advises Barack Obama NOT to quit smoking now... that he should wait until after he's served as President before giving it up.

Why?

Because the author - Amy Goldman Koss - quit smoking 10 years ago and suffered through the cravings, the mind-battles, the associations and all the other difficulties people encounter when quitting without the right guidance.



I encourage you to read the article, then return to this page and view the youtube videos below. They are interviews I conducted with two ex-smokers who used hypnosis to quit... without experiencing withdrawal, cravings, irritability or weight gain.

Barack Obama is perfectly capable, not only of quitting for good, but also of keeping his composure, sanity and his recently publicized svelte physique.

So read the article for a perspective from someone who did it the wrong way, and then watch the videos below for a perspective from some people who did it the right way - with hypnosis.

World Hypnotism Day Event... Details Coming SOON

Just a quick update for you here.

The big World Hypnotism Day (WHD) event is coming more into focus by the day. The venue should be decided very, very soon.



It will definitely be somewhere in the southern tip of Marietta, likely Windy Hill Rd... not too far from my home office.

As of this moment, here's what we DO know about this FREE Stop Smoking Hypnosis Event:

Date: Sunday, January 4th
Time: 4:00pm
Location: TBD (Marietta/Smyrna area)
Cost: FREE

This event will include information about hypnosis and how it can benefit YOU... all presented in a very entertaining and non-boring fashion (hey, I'm a comedian at heart). The main event will be the finale - a group hypnosis session that will help the Lucky 88 guests to become non-smokers for life.

I will also be giving away more FREE goodies... including 1-on-1 sessions in my office, hypnosis CD's and more. Basically, if you're a smoker who wants to quit, you have absolutely NOTHING to lose, and EVERYTHING to gain.

So tell all your smoker friends to save the date. Better yet, sign yourselves up at the Meetup.com site we've set up: http://www.meetup.com/Metro-Atlanta-s-Stop-Smoking-Solution/calendar/9279995/.

For more info about World Hypnotism Day: http://www.worldhypnotismday.com/

Check back soon for more updates!

Top 10 Biggest Medical Stories of 2008

This list was compiled by attorneyatlaw.com. My belief is that if anyone knows where legal problems (and the potential for lawsuits) reside, it's a bunch of lawyers!

In any case, #4 on this list should be of special importance to readers of this blog:

4) ANTI-SMOKING DRUG CHANTIX’S DEADLY SIDE EFFECTS

People who took the stop-smoking drug Chantix complained of psychotic, irrational behavior. The negative side effects of the anti-smoking drug Chantix caught the attention of federal drug safety officials. Reports of psychotic dreams and irrational, suicidal behavior in people taking Chantix started pouring in after the former guitarist for Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians was shot and killed while trying to break into the house of a friend. The family of Jeffrey Albrecht blamed his bizarre behavior that night on Chantix, which he had started taking to stop smoking just a few months earlier.

Click here for the complete list.

Chantix Spam Alert

Before we kick this article off, I will get right to the point: Chantix is very dangerous and NOT a safe alternative for people who want to quit smoking. Here's why:

Top 10 Biggest Medical Stories of 2008 (#4: Chantix's Deadly Side Effects)
FDA Official Video: Warning of Chantix and Suicide
Chantix Label Updated To Warn Of Suicide Risk
Chantix an Antidepressant or a Source of Suicidal Thoughts?
Chantix Suicide a Real Possibility
Widow Sues Pfizer Over Chantix Suicide
Chantix: Miracle Drug Or Dangerous Problem?



Now, you are about to discover just how hard Big Pharma (or their minions) is willing to work to get you to take their drugs... in this case the anti-smoking medication Chantix. What follows here is an analysis and description of what can only be viewed as outright deception (as well as what we have come to know as "spamming").



Do a quick Google search for "Chris James" and Chantix, and you'll find the results quite interesting. This seemingly innocuous blogger appears to have made the same exact post about Chantix (occasionally altered slightly) hundreds and hundreds of times.

Here are some examples:

Chantix, is it really a magic pill? (this is a supposed "acne treatment" blog)
Is Chantix all it claims to be?
Chantix, is it really a magic pill? (this one has a prominent link for penis enlargement)
Is Chantix really a wonder drug?
Is Chantix all it claims to be? (this is a "weight loss" blog)
Is Chantix all it claims to be?
Chantix, is it really a magic pill?
Is Chantix all it claims to be?

These, and hundreds of others, are pretty much the exact same story.

Since smoking cessation is the focus of my practice, and I want to stay informed of the most current news developments in the industry, I have taken advantage of what are known as Google Alerts, which allow you to receive regular updates directly from Google via email on any search you choose (ex. "chantix").

As I monitored the alerts, I began to notice the exact same article - written by the mysterious "Chris James" - appearing over and over again, yet always on different sites. Upon closer inspection, I came to notice that not only were these articles nearly word-for-word identical, the websites/blogs that hosted them weren't actually "real"... meaning, if you click on other articles or links on any of the sites, you'll find generic entries filled with misspellings and grammatical errors.

One of these posts caught my attention because it's on a website named "conversationalhypnotherapy.com." One article I clicked begins as such:

"Directed conversation is done to induce hypnosis in people. It is called a conversationally hypnosis."

Huh??

Later in the article...

"He must submit some questions to let the patient more aware of the things. As an example, “If you are a sole human on the Earth, how it will be like?”

These sentences make absolutely no sense whatsoever. Even if the omitted words were replaced, the sentences would have no intellectual value. I could go on and list more examples, but I'll save you the time. It's clear that these articles were never meant to be read.

They list authors who do not exist... when links are clicked for their websites (example below: www.effective-hypnotherapy.com), you are directed to a page like this:


Clearly, this website does not exist.

Now, the sheer magnitude of this gargantuan effort on behalf of Chantix (or whoever) should stop you in your tracks. Here are the facts:

• One very pro-Chantix article is being posted hundreds of times all over the internet.
• The author is attempting to portray himself as an impartial blogger/consumer.
  
• Entire websites are being created to make this one article appear legitimate.
• These websites contain links to other sites that do not exist.
• The authors of the articles appearing on these websites do not actually exist.
• Chantix is being marketed by any means necessary.

Here is the point: Chantix is currently being taken by more than 8 million people worldwide. The profits are in the billions. They market Chantix to you via TV commercials with a cute little turtle.



Now, having realized that internet blogs and articles can reach millions more potential customers, they have resorted to the most hated of all marketing ploys - spamming. They deceptively post the same exact article on hundreds of fake blogs all over the internet in the hopes that someone will click on the article and view it as an honest opinion from an individual.

So, who is "they?" Well, all you have to do is ask "who benefits?" Who benefits from you taking Chantix? Well, Pfizer, of course, as well as others who might make a profit from being middle men.



Here is a company facing lawsuit after lawsuit for the damaging effects of its drugs, now promoting a drug that in 2008 has been linked to seizures, violent accidents, depression and numerous cases of suicide. Heck, these lawsuits are so numerous, a quick internet search will show dozens of law firms that actually specialize in lawsuits for users/victims of Chantix.

When deciding what method to use in order to stop smoking, you have to ask yourself - Who is pushing me to use this particular method? What kind of individual is this? Can this person or organization be trusted? Does this person actually exist?

I've always made it clear on this blog that hypnosis is not the answer for everyone, and it in fact is not a magic pill. However, there are no deadly or harmful side-effects to using hypnosis... none whatsoever. Furthermore, the average hypnotherapist doesn't have a fraction of the budget Pfizer has... or the moral ambiguity... that allows it to go to absurd lengths to get anyone and everyone to use its product.

So go do a little search for the mysterious Chris James and see for yourself.

Chantix "The Worst Drug"

Here's another first-hand account of the dangerous psychotic side-effects of the anti-smoking pharmaceutical creation known as Chantix (and Champix in the U.K.).

Click the headline above or the link below for the full story.

Gardena, CA: For some patients, the two words go together all too well: Chantix suicide is not an abstract phenomenon for these people. In fact, it is a very real possibility. Mitchell W. says he was surprised by the Chantix side effects he suffered, especially since he had not experienced any side effects during an earlier round of the anti-smoking drug. While Mitchell did not even attempt to commit suicide, he certainly had thoughts about doing so. Luckily, he recognized what was happening and got help before it was too late. Sadly, some patients do not get help in time, and for their families Chantix and suicide are forever intertwined.



"I actually took Chantix in December 2006, for 3 weeks," Mitchell says. "I guess I didn't take it long enough to notice any problems, but after 3 weeks I was cut off by the government from having it paid for. So then, in 2008—I think I took it in about October—I took Chantix for 5 weeks. By the second week, Chantix made me so tired all day long that all I could do was sit in my recliner with my head back and my eyes closed. Every so often I would try to go to bed and sleep, but it wouldn't let me sleep.

"That went on for weeks and weeks until finally it messed up my sleep cycle so badly that I couldn't sleep at all at night. After 5 weeks of that, I was so depressed I was suicidal. I know all about that because I've been bipolar for 30 years plus, so I made a run into my psychiatrist's office. She took me off Chantix, but because of my HMO, I couldn't check into the psychiatric hospital and keep myself safe until my new meds kicked in."

Mitchell says that it took 3 months until he felt better. "It was 3 months of depression—severe depression. I had thoughts of suicide, of stepping in front of a big rig on the freeway or hanging myself from the bridge. Things like that. I've got 30 years with my illness, so I've learned the triggers and what they mean and how to ignore them."

Click here for the full story.

Chantix Problems in Britain

Found this article yesterday and thought I'd share the most interesting bits with you here. It actually details problems with Chantix all over the world, not only in the UK.

Click the headline above or the link at the bottom for the full article.

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The controversial smoking cessation drug known as Chantix in the U.S., was introduced by Pfizer as Champix nearly two years ago in Great Britain. The drug is known generically as varenicline in both countries and, in Great Britain, about 400,000 prescriptions have been written says BBC News’ online site. Internationally, says the BBC, about nine million prescriptions have been written.

The BBC explains that Chantix is a nicotine-mimicking drug that enables the body to reduce its urge for cigarettes while also reducing its withdrawal symptoms. However, in studies, the drug did not provide increased efficacy over other methods of smoking cessation. Despite this, notes the BBC, Pfizer earned over $883 million from the drug in its first year.

In Britain, according to the piece, over 3,000 people have “complained about adverse reactions to Champix,” with nearly 200 reporting suicidal reactions, 16 attempting suicide and 10 succeeding in committing suicide.

The BBC investigation led to similar findings in the U.S. with one man creating a night-long scene of fighting with his girlfriend and with a handgun, causing an armed, police stand-off. All this occurred after the man, an Iraq vet with post-traumatic stress, had taken Chantix for only a few days.

The BBC also discussed a father of three who killed himself with a shotgun to his mouth, another man who killed himself with a shot to the head, and a mother who hanged herself. All three were on the drug and none had prior psychiatric history.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) said it linked 37 suicides to Chantix.

Meanwhile, MedPageToday.com, also reported that Chantix has been linked with over 1,000 adverse events that include 50 deaths, in the first quarter of this year alone.

Since its approval in 2006, Chantix has been associated with 3,325 reported serious injuries in this country that include 112 deaths, the institute said, according to MedPageToday.com. Because the FDA’s post-market surveillance system is voluntary, the report may be underestimating actual figures.

Click here for the full article.

Chantix and Suicide

Here's an article with first-hand information about the dangers of Chantix and how it can affect you psychologically. This, along with the lawsuits currently being brought against the drug in both the US and the UK (marketed there are "Champix," perhaps because it's supposed to turn you into a "Champ"), paints a pretty scary picture of what could happen if you begin taking it.

This is a drug so dangerous that it has been banned by the FAA, as well as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, mainly because it has been linked to seizures that cause a driver (or potentially a pilot) to lose control of his vehicle.



My recommendation, as always, is to find a way to quit smoking that doesn't involve putting more drugs into your system. I know, I know... that seems like a crazy idea in today's world... but there it is.

Taking a dangerous drug to cure an addiction to a dangerous drug simply doesn't make sense.

Here's a portion of the article. The link to the full article follows below.

Chantix Suicide a Real Possibility
November 22, 2008. By Heidi Turner

Mound, MN: Amy M. can tell you that the possibility of a Chantix suicide is very real, especially for people who already experience depression. She was on Chantix for just over a week when she began suffering serious side effects. Amy has since stopped taking Chantix, but says she is worried about other people who may be severely affected by the drug.

"Before I started taking Chantix, I called the doctor. I have borderline personality and anxiety disorder and depression. I am being treated for all of them and I'm doing fine. I see a counselor and the only medication I was on was 50 mg of Zoloft. I read all the side effects of Chantix and told the doctor that it sounded a little risky, but she wanted me to try taking it anyway.

"So, I started on August 21, 2008. On August 29, 2008, I called the Chantix hotline because I had that support system in place. I was a frantic mess. They [the Chantix hotline alerted the health department to Amy's situation and passed along their notes] wrote down that I had irritability, I was screaming and crying, I was out of control and depressed, I felt like killing myself and I was yelling at everyone around me. I was afraid to eat and I could not sleep. There was probably much more than that, but I do know that I wanted to kill myself and I was out of control. I don't remember everything I said because I was so out of it, but I know I was frantic.

"Then, on September 2 [after moving up to 2 Chantix pills a day] I really went out of control. I called my mom and she told me to get to the ER because I told her I wanted to kill myself and I was screaming and crying. I went to the ER and they asked me if I would kill myself. I said that I would not, which was why I had gone to the ER, so they gave me Ativan. The doctor felt it was safe to let me go because I was not psychotic. I was to take one Ativan every 8 hours until the Chantix was out of my system. Two days after the Chantix was out of my system, I was 100 percent back to myself.

"I would not recommend this drug to anybody. I have heard good and bad about and I am very afraid that it will take someone's life. If this can happen to me, it can happen to multiple people. I can't believe how bad it is. It's not good."

Click here for the full article.

Great American Smokeout is Today

Today marks the 33rd Annual Great American Smokeout, an event originally intended to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking, which is a good thing. Unfortunately, the American Cancer Society's website is built to funnel wannabe ex-smokers into NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) and even drugs like Chantix.



There is a brief paragraph on hypnosis on the site, but it's on a secondary page and is mentioned almost as an afterthought... sort of like "well, the results of hypnosis are inconclusive, but hey... if you want to try it go ahead."

Now, it's become sort of a mission of mine to point out the dangers of Chantix, and to an extent, the other prescription drugs created to assist with smoking cessation. In spite of the warnings on the labels and in commercials, the public remains largely unaware of just how serious the side-effects can be.

As you can find elsewhere on this blog as well, Chantix is currently involved in multiple lawsuits related to users who committed suicide shortly after taking it. There have also been cases where seizures have occurred and led to auto accidents, which is why the Federal Aviation Administration banned its pilots from using the drug earlier this year.


Regardless of the outcome of these lawsuits (which, if like other lawsuits brought against Pfizer and the other Big Pharma giants, will likely end in settlements), the plain truth is that it simply isn't worth the risk.

There are just too many other ways to quit smoking that don't involve imbibing chemicals that interact with your psychology.

So, if you want to quit smoking, cross Chantix, Zyban and Wellbutrin off your list. You are strong enough and resourceful enough to quit without them.

You don't need NRT, either. There is overwhelming evidence that the majority of the addiction to smoking is mental, not physical. NRT methods only address physical symptoms; they do nothing to address the myriad associations you have with smoking, nor do they address your beliefs and attitudes related to smoking, which are powerful factors in determining your long-term success in becoming a non-smoker.

To put it simply - your body isn't nearly as addicted to cigarettes as is your mind. Once the mind forgets about the habit, whatever physical attachments remain are insignificant. It's just like going to the movies and, while absorbed in the story, forgetting about smoking until the movie is over and you exit the theatre, There is no battle with will power; no cravings or withdrawal.

When you deal with the mental aspect, quitting becomes far easier. For those with a sincere desire to quit, and who are through making excuses or rationalizations, the mental adjustment is enough to get through the stressful situations or other negative emotional experiences that would otherwise lead to relapse.

To be fair, the American Cancer Society's website does recommend counseling sessions for smoking cessation. However, it also says that the greater the length and frequency of the sessions, the greater your chances for success. That's just not true.

Whenever I discuss my clients' experiences, please keep in mind that I am not endorsing hypnosis as a magical cure-all that works 100% of the time. The truth is that what is discussed and covered during a session of hypnotherapy, in combination with the techniques employed, is what determines the individual's success.

That said, the majority of my clients are successful quitting after one session lasting approximately 1.5 hours. This success has been measured over time, with many of them now smoke-free for three, four and five or more years. They haven't had another puff after that initial session.

Remember that when you see another commercial telling you that, because you've been smoking a long time, it should take a long time to quit.

Nonsense.

Your mind is the most powerful tool you have at your disposal. So if you've chosen today as your stopping point, don't give your brain a chemical cocktail of pharmceutical drugs; instead, let it operate at its maximum capacity and lead you to success naturally.

Hypnosis is one of many ways to achieve that outcome. Find one that suits you and you'll be on your way to success.

Quit Smoking, Save a Grand?

Keep in mind that the numbers in the story below are conservative... meaning that they are based on an average for all smokers in a given state. For example, they point out that in Delaware, where residents smoke more than in any other state, the average smoker spends nearly $1000/year on cigarettes.



That number is based on an average of 185 packs in a year. Therefore, if you smoke one pack per day, you're spending roughly twice that amount per year (for those of you without calculators, that's about $2000/year).

For more info on the true cost of smoking, see the results of this study by Duke University that put the cost closer to $40/pack. I commented on this story myself just a short while ago as well.

Here's the story from Forbes.com:

What You'll Save By Quitting Smoking
Francesca Levy, 11.12.08, 04:00 PM EST
A state-by-state look at the dollars kept by kicking the habit.

Most smokers already know that they can help preserve their health, hygiene and personal relationships by kicking the habit, and that holds true across the country. But in strictly financial terms, smokers in Delaware stand to save the most cash by quitting.

That's because in Delaware, where a pack of cigarettes costs about $5.39, residents smoke more than in any other state--just over 185 packs per year. That comes out to $998.23 spent individually on smoking every year.

Click here for the full story at Forbes.com.

Smokers See Decline In Ability To Smell, Rise In Laryngitis

ScienceDaily (Nov. 3, 2008) — As Americans prepare for a day without cigarettes and tobacco products as part of the American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout (R) (November 21), new research gives them more reasons to extend that break to a lifetime, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF).



Among the new research presented at the organization's annual meeting in September 2008 are studies that link cigarette smoking and upper airway symptoms ("smoker's nose"), the loss of smokers' ability to smell common odors, and most alarming, the role second-hand smoke plays in the rise of cases of "environmental laryngitis."

The first study, presented by Norwegian researchers, reveals that among 2,294 patients being evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, or nose-related issues, smokers were 12 to 27 percent higher than non-smokers in 8 of the 13 possible symptoms. The researchers believe that quitting smoking should be a primary therapeutic measure for patients with these upper airway ailments.

Click here for the full story at Science Daily.

What happens when I have a few drinks?

This is a very common question that comes up with more than 50% of my clients seeking to quit smoking. Smoking and drinking have gone hand-in-hand for so long, and having a few drinks tends to loosen the inhibitions so much, that they find it hard to believe they can have a few drinks without lighting up.



The very first client I helped to quit smoking, more than five years ago, had that very same concern. He was successful immediately following his first session, and when he came back for his follow-up a week later, he said he was doing great. However, he was worried because some old college friends were coming to town for the weekend and they were going to be out drinking. Some of them were smokers, so he wondered, in spite of how great he was doing, what would happen once the drinks were flowing and the smoke was in the air.

We incorporated that possibility and prepared him for it during the session. He emailed the next week that all went well, and a while after that he sent me this message:

"Sean,

I want to thank you so much for helping me quit smoking. I smoked cigarettes for 14 years, and was beginning to believe that I would never be able to quit. I had tried everything from quitting cold turkey, to the patch, to gum, to nicotine lozenges... EVERYTHING! To make it even more difficult, I was an "all-day smoker," averaging a pack or more a day. So, I associated smoking with all facets of my life.

As much of a skeptic as I can be, I was very reluctant to try hypnosis. However, having now gone through your program, I am reaching my 4-month anniversary without so much as a single puff. I have no desire to start the habit again, and in fact, have recommended you to many of my friends so they can quit, too.

Thanks again, Sean, for helping me breathe freely again!

Here's to a healthy future!!

Cheers!"

-L.M.
Atlanta, GA

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I've stayed in touch with him through the years, and I'm proud to say that he still hasn't had a puff in what has now been more than 5 and a half years.

When you quit smoking with my program, I don't just tell you to close your eyes and suggest that cigarettes will taste bad, I have to get to know you first. Once I understand the nature of your habit and your most important concerns, we incorporate them into the work we do.

Because of that, the message is personal, meaningful and motivating for you as an individual. You are like no one else, and because of that, you have your own reasons and motivations for making this choice.

When you're finished with this program, you're prepared for anything and everything... even a few drinks.

"It's harder to have cancer than it is to quit smoking"

As you may or may not know, November is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month. I found a story over at About.com that will be of massive interest to anyone, especially those of you who are struggling to stop smoking.



Here's a brief excerpt. I highly encourage you to click the link below to continue reading the full story.

Hi Everyone,

My name is Cheryl, and I have been here before in one of my many attempts to stop smoking. I believe I lasted 3 months that time.

This is a very good site for great information and support. This site, and the good people I knew here, did not fail me. I failed myself. It just wasn't enough for me. I went back out to smoke yet again.

Of course I had reasons why my quit attempts did not work. They were many and varied, but the bottom line was this: I didn't try hard enough.

...Nicotine withdrawal was too hard.
...I figured I could always try again.
...I had plenty of time.
...People in my family never had cancer, and they all smoked, so I was safe.

I was diagnosed with limited small cell lung cancer and squamous third stage B, on November 19, 2003. It's inoperable and incurable. I had finally pushed my luck as far as my body could handle.

Full story: http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/ourstories/a/cheryl.htm

Doctors Lack Smoking Cessation Training

Here's a new story I found yesterday at Forbes.com (click the headline above for the full story). This is no surprise. Doctors have been trained to do many things with a high degree of skill, but helping people quit smoking is not one of them.

"It found that 87 percent to 93 percent of doctors and other health-care workers receive less than five hours of training on tobacco dependence," says a study at the North Shore-LIJ Health System Center for Tobacco Control in Great Neck, N.Y.



This is especially important to recognize, as many people put the utmost faith and trust in their doctors when it comes to anything related to their health. As for their "training," the less than five hours could be anything from 0.0 hours up to 4.99. It means that many of them receive absolutely no training at all.

"They surveyed 322 prescribers (physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants) and 278 nonprescribers (pharmacists, registered nurses, social workers, counselors, respiratory therapists, and students)."

The best luck a person will likely have in seeking assistance from one's doctor is that he will prescribe a form of nicotine replacement like the patch, gum or lozenges... or perhaps he'll prescribe a drug like wellbutrin.

This is what doctors are trained to do.

To their credit, many doctors continually recommend that their patients quit smoking, lose weight and exercise more. The understand that taking a proactive approach is the most effective way to stay healthy. "An apple a day," as the saying goes.



However, there's a big difference between making recommendations and actually teaching someone how to make such significant changes. I can recommend you go to the dentist, but I can't do the root canal myself. I'm not trained for it. Likewise, doctors can recommend you quit smoking, but they can't help you quit.

Many people lack faith in practitioners of alternative therapies because they lack the fancy credentials awarded by esteemed institutions. It's important to consider the background and training of anyone in whom you're going to place your trust, especially with regard to your health.

However, it has been my experience that many people who have been stuck in one form of therapy or another for years (and years), whether with a psychiatrist, psychologist or other state-licensed counselor, have noticed little or no positive change.

After all of these "official" therapies fail, they call a hypnotherapist. Quite often, they notice benefits immediately -- actual changes in thought, feeling and behavior.

If you have a broken arm, see a doctor. If you have a toothache, see a dentist. If you want to stop smoking, lose weight or banish a phobia, see a hypnotherapist.

It's what we're trained to do.

Does Quitting Make You Think Bad Thoughts?

Ever noticed yourself becoming so irritable while trying to quit that you had a desire to become violent? Maybe you were just focusing on some very negative thoughts.

Here's an interview with a client of mine who quit smoking with the assistance of my Stop Smoking hypnosis CD... and thankfully, he didn't listen to those voices in his head just prior to using it (listen just a couple minutes in for the specifics).

This is a man who realized he'd spent over $10,000 on cigarettes in the past eight years, and just decided that it was time to stop. While you're watching this, you may find yourself wondering: "How much have I spent on cigarettes throughout the years?"

Enjoy.

Don't Expect Help Paying for Hypnosis

Many of my prospective clients ask if I accept various forms of insurance as payment, and while I would certainly welcome the support and participation of insurance companies with hypnosis and other alternative forms of therapy, the answer is typically "no."

It's not that I choose not to accept insurance, it's that insurance companies refuse to cover most alternative forms of therapy. Now this is a topic deserving of a lengthy article and discussion in its own right, but for now, I wanted to bring attention to this recent story from the state of Nebraska.

Neb. officials expect 3000+ to take advantage of quit help
Associated Press - October 25, 2008 2:35 PM ET

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - State officials estimate that about 3,130 Nebraskans will take advantage of the new Medicaid coverage for smoking cessation from December through the end of June.

But their chances to quit with help from Medicaid won't be limitless.

During the course of a year, Medicaid will cover two attempts by a person to quit smoking, allowing a maximum of 2, 90-day supplies of drugs. A maximum of 4 counseling sessions per year will be covered, and patients must enroll and participate in the state's Tobacco Free Quitline.

Hypnosis and other alternative treatments will not be covered. [my emphasis]

------------

This is not at all surprising.

Excuse my sarcasm (I'm sure you are aware that hypnotherapists aren't allowed to be cynical), but this is very typical. When it comes to health care, your tax dollars will only be spent on therapy supported by drugs and funneled through to the pharmaceutical industry.

If you think this viewpoint is cynical, consider the facts in the article. Medicaid will cover a 6-month supply of drugs for more than 3,000 Nebraskans, but only 4 counseling sessions. So who is going to receive the majority of these funds?

Hint: it's not your friendly neighborhood counselor.

I feel the need to continually remind the readers of this blog that simply because I'm a hypnotherapist, and thereby interested in generating new business to make a profit, doesn't mean I believe hypnosis will work for everyone, or that wellbutrin or other drugs don't help people to stop smoking.

I do, however, believe in freedom of choice in health care... that you, the individual, should be able to choose whatever form of assistance you desire in your effort to become healthier. If these companies were genuinely interested in your well-being, they would cover any and all forms of therapy, like hypnosis and acupuncture, that have been demonstrated to be effective.

It's unfortunate that an individual who would like to stop putting poisons (nicotine) into his/her body, when asking his insurance company for assistance, is told that they will only pay for him/her to do so by consuming even more drugs (the patch, the gum, wellbutrin, etc.)... all provided, of course, by Big Pharma.



So whether you choose hypnotherapy, acupuncture or any other alternative form of therapy that doesn't require you to continue to put drugs into your body, chances are you'll be paying out of your own pocket. I tell my clients to think of it as an investment, because really... the returns outweigh the expenditures exponentially.

You Don't Have to Become a Jerk!

In all my years of helping people to stop smoking, this roadblock comes up as often as any other. My clients will talk about how, in the past, when they tried to stop smoking, they became moody, irritable and ill-tempered.

Yes, in their own estimation, they simply turned into great big jerks.













Don't make people cry because you're a jerk.

So you want to quit, but you don't want to be in a bad mood, you don't want to put on an extra 20 pounds, and you don't want to feel stressed, nervous or anxious all the time.

If you take a look at some of the most popular methods used for smoking cessation, several of them attempt to address those physical feelings that directly cause you to start acting like a jerk (sorry, no scientific data to back up that assertion, nor is any needed).

Here are a few options that can help you feel more relaxed:

• Laser Therapy
• Acupuncture
  
• Wellbutrin (or similar drugs)
• Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy

Now let's talk about how each of these options have been demonstrated to work.

Laser therapy and acupuncture work in similar ways. They cause you to feel more relaxed, which can be of tremendous value to someone who's been smoking for quite a long time. The feelings of stress, anxiousness and irritability are generally what smokers refer to when they talk about having a craving. If these feelings are reduced, the cravings are likely reduced.

However, many of my clients have told me that although they felt more relaxed, they continued to have a desire to smoke after trying these therapies. You see, because most people try hypnosis as a last resort, I get to hear about their failed attempts at using all the other methods.

Wellbutrin has worked for many people, however as with most pharmaceutical drugs, it also has some negative and dangerous side-effects. All one has to do is visit www.askapatient.com to hear it from the horse's mouth. Here's one quote from someone who used wellbutrin and who had experienced some success:

"However, now at the end of 3 months, I am feeling extremely depressed, to the point even of contemplating suicide--very unlike me. I also have bouts of extreme almost uncontrollable anger."

Here are two more from people who recently began using wellbutrin:

"had my first panic attack on this drug. shortly after starting it was diagnosed with high blood pressure (at 28)."

"I can't concentrate on anything, I feel like I can't think. I'm dizzy all the time, and nauseous. I have a constant headache in my temple."

There are literally hundreds of similar responses (just at this one website), with more being added every day. Needless to say, even if you stop smoking (which is nowhere near a guarantee), the side-effects should give you pause.

Laser therapy and acupuncture do some of the same things that hypnotherapy can do -- mainly taking away some of the stress and anxiety that often lead smokers to relapse -- but what they don't provide is what generally leads even those who experience short-term success to eventually pick up the habit again... your thoughts.

No matter how relaxed you feel, there are certain times of day, situations, locations, etc., that remind a smoker that he/she used to smoke. Even when the individual is feeling calm and relaxed, if the thought remains, the likelihood increases that a relapse will occur.

Hypnosis, when performed correctly by a trained professional, is the only available method that adequately addresses all the factors that contribute to smoking.

• Physical feelings (stress, anxiety, etc.)
• Associations (after meals, while driving, etc.)
• Thoughts (self-talk, unconscious visualization)

When you not only feel relaxed, but also understand how to focus your attention in a way that allows you to forget about smoking most of the time, while changing how you think about smoking on the rare occasions when it does enter into your consciousness, well... that's what brings about long-term success.

So, if you want to quit smoking but you don't want to become a big jerk, there are several options available to you. It's up to you to choose which is best for you. Hopefully, the information provided here (although not entirely unbiased) will help you make a decision that will allow you to feel confident that you're investing your money wisely.

Be more like this person when you quit:









Because hey, the world has enough jerks already, right?

"Bark Like a Dog for Me, Baby"

Does it ever confuse you that hypnosis is used to make people cluck like chickens in front of hundreds of strangers, yet at the same time it’s being used around the world by doctors, dentists and therapists alike?

Here I reveal the secrets of stage hypnosis, and why you never need to worry about losing control while hypnotized.

Podcast: The Secrets of Stage Hypnosis - Revealed

In This Economy, Can You Afford to Keep Smoking?

When simply filling up the gas tank and heating your home is busting people's bank accounts, to realize that you could be wasting up to $1200 a month of your hard-earned money on a habit that might one day kill you... yeah, that's rough.

Duke University (right on "Tobacco Road") did a study a few years back that found the real cost of cigarettes is about $40/pack.

Here's an excerpt from the article available at the link:

http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2004/11/costofsmoking_1104.html

In their new book "The Price of Smoking," Duke University health economists calculated this sum by analyzing all the costs of smoking -- personally, to the smoker’s family and to society at large.

Their analysis found that the cost for a 24-year-old smoker over 60 years was $220,000 for a man and $106,000 for a woman, or a total of about $204 billion nationally over 60 years. The figures include expenses for cigarettes and excise taxes, for life and property insurance, medical care for the smoker and for the smoker’s family, and lost earnings due to disability.