For some admitting addiction is like admitting defeat. It is to admit something has control over you, over your will and you are powerless to stop it. At the very least, it can feel embarrassing. At the very worst, it can kill you.
Addiction, dependence on something, is a chronic disease of the brain’s reward system. And one of the biggest addictions many people face today is tobacco smoking. Decades ago, it was valued for its flavor, the high, its perceived use as a status symbol. Today, it is seen as one of the biggest causes of cancer in America and all over the world. In addition, it causes other illnesses including heart disease,
stroke, emphysema, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, age-related macular degeneration and cataracts, and makes asthma symptoms worse. The smell alone left on the person’s body, in their car or home or, worse, their mouth is repulsive to most to say the least.
With so many reasons to quit, it is a wonder more do not do so. Even the most devoted smoker knows the above facts and live with there everyday. It is not uncommon either to find someone with one of these ailments still smoking even though it is clearly obvious what smoking is doing to them. Addiction is a disease in the brain and the cause of this disease, the reason for this addiction is the nicotine, the powerful drug which causes a person to remain smoking even as they deteriorate further.
The addiction to nicotine is very similar to the addiction found with heroine and cocaine. There may be some hope, though, another tool in the arsenal of health care providers all over the world. A new study from North Shore Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital is proving hypnotherapy, when administered by a trained professional, may be more likely to get someone to quit smoking for good.
Hypnotherapy is a form of complementary or alternative form of medicine where the patient’s own mind is used primarily to improve their physical well-being. The study showed patients who received the treatment, one session with a hypnotherapist, were more likely to be a nonsmoker six months later.
This is compared to those who received nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or patients who tried to simply quit, that is to go cold turkey. Additionally, this study found patients admitted with a cardiac diagnosis were three times more likely to quit than patients who had developed a pulmonary disease.
Hypnosis could finally free you from the shackles of cigarette addiction.
Researchers looked at 67 patients, all who were approached about quitting smoking and all who expressed a desire to do so. Doctors have said talking to a patient about quitting smoking in the hospital is a very good time to do so. Patients were divided up into four groups based on their preferred method of quitting. Fourteen choose hypnotherapy, nineteen choose NRT, 18 choose NRT and hypnotherapy and 16 choose to go cold turkey.
The cold turkey group would be the control group. All patients were provided with self help brochures and the cold turkey group also received some brief counseling. The other groups received more intense counseling, a free supply of NRT and/or a free hypnotherapy session within 7 days of release. These other groups also received follow up phone calls at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 26 weeks after discharge. The patients who were taking the hypnotherapy were taught to do self-hypnosis and were given tapes to play at the end of each session. The results were pretty amazing.
Fifty percent of patients treated with hypnotherapy alone were nonsmokers 26 weeks after discharge. 50 percent of the NRT/hypnotherapy group were also nonsmokers. Meanwhile, only 15.78 percent of the NRT group were nonsmokers. The cold turkey group, the control group’s rate was a little better at 25 percent.
Doctor Robert Galarowicz, ND is a licensed and professional hypnotherapist and he can help you stop this terrible, destructive habit. No drugs, no gimmicks, just his training, your mind and your will to stop.
For years, Dr. Rob watching smoking ravage and destroy loved ones, loved ones who said over and over they wanted to quit but they couldn’t. They tried everything and anything to get rid of the habit, but the habit just would not go. They could not make it go. On a vacation, however, help came from a very unlikely source. On a cruise, a comedian who also did hypnosis as part of his routine was offer free sessions for anyone who wanted to quit smoking. Dr. Rob’s own father jumped at the opportunity and had the session the next day.
What happened next astounded everyone who knew the man: for the rest of the cruise he did not pick up another cigarette. Everyone was certain, even if he made it through the cruise, he would go back to smoking later. This is not what happened. The man even tried to smoke once and he could not do it. He took one drag and tossed it out! To top it all off, Dr. Rob’s father experienced no symptoms of withdrawal. In the past, if he tried to smoke and dropped something as small as a pen, he would lose his temper and explode.
That simply did not happen here, however. Dr. Rob offers the same hope for anyone who wants to quit smoking. The research above showed one session was all many people needed to kick the habit once and for all. Make that first session with Dr. Rob and take control of your life once more!
Robert Galarowicz, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinical Nutritionist
Hypnosis and Biofeedback Counselor
Office 1
501 North Ave
Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075
Office 2
900C Lake Street
Suite 1
Ramsey NJ 07446
201.618.3534
Rob@DrRobertG.com
