Time Out Dubai - 25 February 2009
Dubai is not an easy place to quit smoking, and I should know. I arrived here three-years-ago having packed in four-months previously and had no plans to start again.
I had what you might call an “enthusiastic” habit. I’d plough through 20 fags a day, easily, sometimes up to 40 on a bad one.
I’d wake up wanting a cigarette and the cravings would continue throughout the day as work coffee breaks allowed me to pursue my habit with gusto.
At the end of last year, a pain in my chest and, I have to admit it, a bit of nagging from friends, pushed me to try to quit. I say “try” because I genuinely never thought it would work.
To be honest, I didn’t really want to stop, but I agreed to give it a go. Knowing that cold turkey might not cut it, I took a friend’s advice and reluctantly decided to have quit smoking hypnosis and agreed to see Alla Tchemodanova, a Dubai-based hypnotherapist.
I trooped up to Alla’s office in Media City hoping for a miracle. To be honest, I have always thought of hypnotherapy as more entertaining than a practical solution. Would I suddenly want to take my clothes off or experience an unbelievable desire to quack like a duck? Who knows?
Well, Alla seemed to. She was all too used to clients turning up with little faith in hypnotherapy as a cure for smoking, overeating, anxiety, and much more.
The science bit…
First, Alla sat me down and enquired about my “relationship” with smoking. When did I start? Why did I start? Did my parents’ smoke? I had to admit to a few links with smoking and delve a little into my relationship with my dad, who, coincidentally was a smoker until a couple of years ago.
Next, came the hypnotherapy bit. It’s a cliché, but I did have to look into Alla’s eyes before she snapped me into a “deep” sleep. Well, that’s what she said, and I pretended to be “under”, but more of that later.
I felt like a bit of a fraud but I lay there, pretending that I was under, for about 20 minutes. I answered all of her questions before she counted me back.
I “awoke” feeling refreshed and a bit hazy. I even pretended that I was never going to smoke again, while fully intending to spark up the minute I got outside. But then, something weird happened. I got back to my car, called my friends to tell them what a load of rubbish this hypnotherapy lark was, but I didn’t light up a fag. In fact I chucked the packet I had in the car away. I figured I may’s well try now that I’d been through the session.
That was four-months ago. I haven’t smoked a cigarette since. I have wanted too. In the first few weeks, I was madly inhaling other people’s passive fumes but I’ve even got over that now - just.
I won’t lie, I loved smoking. I would still be smoking now if I hadn’t had a wake-up call.
Hypnosis to stop smoking is one of the most effective methods beating patches, gum, will power, and other treatments hnads down. Hypnotherapy to quit smoking is a relaxing and pleasant experience, and in just one easy session you could kick the habit for good. All the hypnotherapists at the Harley Street Hypnotherapy Clinic in London are fully certified and experienced in hypnotherapy to stop smoking. Speak to one of the hypnotherapists at the London Hypnotherapy Clinic and change your life with hypnosis.
