While many people choose to start vaping as a way to stop smoking, you might have started and now find it difficult to stop vaping. For some time, you were probably happy vaping but now you wish you could let go of the habit. You might not have realised that the nicotine within the e-cigarettes was as addictive as you’ve found it to be.
Although e-cigarettes are thought to be safer than conventional cigarettes, it is early days. E-cigarettes only started to become popular during the 2010s, so there is still some doubt as to how safe they are. There are also illegal vapes, which can contain much higher levels of nicotine than UK laws permit, cannabis, and unsafe levels of other substances. You may have decided you prefer to err on the side of caution and quit vaping, but are struggling. Whether you are an ex-smoker or have never smoked, hypnotherapy can give you the extra push you need to finally stop vaping.
The two-pronged approach used by most hypnotherapists can help you to stop vaping with hypnotherapy. The talking element of the sessions helps you to understand why you continue to vape and this is key to helping you to break the habit. When the talking element is combined with hypnosis it can be a very effective method.
The hypnosis to stop vaping takes you into a lovely relaxing trance state where the hypnotherapist can access the subconscious mind. Usually just one long session is required for hypnotherapy to stop vaping, although some hypnotherapists will carry out 2-4 normal length sessions. The length of sessions will depend on the approach used and can vary from 55 to 120 minutes.
In the early days of e-cigarettes, if you were a vaper you were probably an ex-smoker or current smoker wishing to quit. However, in recent years the wide variety of flavours has encouraged a new generation of vapers. These are often young people who have never smoked before. Although Public Health England says e-cigarettes are less dangerous than traditional cigarettes, the NHS recommends vaping should only be used by adult smokers, to support quitting and to stay quit.
Nicotine is one of the main elements that contribute to a vaping addiction. Nicotine travels through the airways and bloodstream and can take as little as 20 seconds to reach your brain, where it binds with receptors. These receptors cause the release of dopamine, the feel good neurotransmitter.
Over time vaping leads to changes in the wiring of your brain. These changes are encouraged by increases in the production of dopamine. The more frequently you vape, the more entrenched the wiring changes become. This creates more dopamine receptors in your brain, leading to a stronger need for nicotine: the more dopamine you have, the more nicotine the brain wants to get the same buzz. Thankfully, these wiring changes can be reversed when you stop vaping.
There are a few risk factors that contribute towards vaping addiction.
Once you have decided to stop vaping, hypnotherapy can help to boost your motivation to quit. When you engage in repetitive behaviour, it can be easier to just keep doing what you’re doing. Finding the motivation to break free of a habit can be tough as it takes more energy than maintaining the status quo. Hypnotherapy can help you to break free of those old habits and create new, more healthy habits.
If you vape, it’s likely you suffer from an anxiety-related issue. Hypnotherapy has been shown to help with anxiety-related issues[link to anxiety page]. As a vaper, your sleep quality is probably significantly lower than non-vapers. 75% of vapers between 18-25 years suffer from insomnia. Hypnotherapy can also help with sleep issues.
Most hypnotherapists offer a combined approach that incorporates a talking therapy, such as counselling or psychotherapy, with hypnosis. These elements of the session will help you to understand more of why you struggle to quit vaping and what you can do to help. This is supported by hypnosis, which directly accesses the subconscious mind, relaxing you so you can let go of any tension and see things from a different viewpoint. Taking a mental step back from smoking e-cigarettes will help you to see ways to cope better with the challenges of life without resorting to vaping. Through hypnotherapy, your coping strategies will improve along with any associated mental health conditions.
It can be helpful to contact your GP about quitting vaping, particularly if you’re suffering from any side effects. They may be able to refer you to a free smoking cessation service that will work for you
Much will depend on the approach the hypnotherapist uses. Many hypnotherapists use a combined approach of talking therapy plus trance, where just one intensive session should be enough to help you to stop vaping. If other approaches are used you might need more sessions
The cost of hypnotherapy for stopping vaping can vary from one hypnotherapist to another. This will often depend on your location and the qualifications and experience your hypnotherapist has. Prices for a one-off session can vary from £100- £250
Online hypnotherapy is as effective as when it is carried out in-person. Even before lockdown many hypnotherapists were running online hypnotherapy sessions for stopping vaping. The good news is that there is now evidence to support the effectiveness of online hypnotherapy sessions. Although this research isn’t specific to stopping vaping, it does show that there is little difference between online and in-person hypnotherapy generally. All you would need, to take part in an online hypnotherapy session, would be a laptop, tablet or smartphone, possibly some earphones and somewhere quiet where you can relax.
Start out with the basics, Search for “hypnotherapy to stop vaping” in Google or Bing. The results will contain a map with local hypnotherapy businesses. Start looking through their reviews either in the search engine or on their social (Facebook) pages.
The best hypnotherapists will be registered with a professional association and with organisations that are accredited by the professional standards authority. There are only two in the UK and they are the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) and the National Hypnotherapy Society.
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