A Stop Smoking Success Story

This article appeared in the Health & Leisure News Magazine in October 2004. It was written by a lady following her Stopping Smoking Treatment.

I stopped smoking using a hypnosis-based method in Fuengirola on the 3rd September. When I told my friends my plan to stop smoking using hypnotherapy half of them were full of encouragement, the others thought it would not work, or that I was stupid. Afterwards they were constantly asking me what it was like, what did they say, was it weird, does it work, what did they do.

I found Elite Clinics via an ad in the local press here on the Costa, initially I checked them out via their web site. I felt more comfortable with them as they stated they were registered with the British Institute and American Board of Hypnotherapy. When I phoned them they invited me along for an initial consultation and chat, which they assured me, would place me under no obligation to proceed if I did not feel happy. I turned down the offer and booked a full stop smoking session for the following Monday.

The clinic was situated in the main church square in Fuengirola. It was modern, beautifully decorated and just a very pleasant and relaxing environment: I am sure it was designed that way. The whole thing was very professional. On arrival I was asked to complete and sign a small form about my medical history and I was offered a drink whilst I waited for a few moments for Martin Shirran, my therapist.

He took me through to the treatment room and first explained exactly what was going to happen during the two sessions, and why. Amongst other things he explained a little about the components of their Triple Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, NLP, Neuro Linguistic Programming and Hypnotherapy. I asked him a few questions especially about the hypnotherapy part, he explained that when you are hypnotised you are in a state of very deep relaxation, on the verge of sleep. To enable him to monitor my level of relaxation he would connect me to a pulse monitor machine, which would show him just how relaxed I was. I must admit I found the whole thing very interesting.

The session started off by Martin talking for ten minutes or so about Nicotine addiction and how and why it can appear so powerful, quoting a few examples. He answered all my questions and then we started to complete a very detailed questionnaire that seemed to cover everything from my childhood to my drinking habits. Next he talked to me for about ten minutes about habits and proven ways of changing them. Then he used a machine called a Smokerlyzer that was connected to a computer; it analysed my ‘end expired air’ and showed on the screen the amount of carbon monoxide in my lungs and how much was attached to the haemoglobin in my blood.

Then it was time to be hypnotised; I do not really know what I expected, it was a first for me, but I do not remember being over concerned. The chair reclined, the lights went down and I became aware of some kind of music in the background. I was told to relax and think of nothing, I remember going on a little journey and seeing myself in the future, then I woke up, if I was ever asleep, and it was all over, in what I thought was maybe five minutes. I was amazed to find that I was "out" for over 25 minutes. Friends have asked me if I was awake or asleep, I was neither. The whole thing was just a very pleasant, totally relaxing experience. When I now think back to the session, I must admit that I am not sure when the therapy actually started - I thought we were just having a chat at the beginning now I am not so sure; I think my view of cigarettes and smoking had changed before we even got to the hypnotherapy part.

Afterwards I met up with my husband and he asked me how did it go, and I knew, I don't know how or why, but I knew instantly that I would and could never, ever smoke again. A month ago I had a 20-year smoking history, it all seems a bit like a miracle to me. I don't seem to be putting on weight; it just seems right somehow.



Click here to go back to the Stop Smoking page