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Find quit smoking tips here from clinical hypnotist Joseph Giove. Call his San Francisco office at 925-215-4017 to begin your road to recovery now.

  • How Long Does It Take to Quit Smoking

    How Long Does It Take to Quit Smoking

    There are many factors in determining how long it takes for a person to quit smoking. The actual quitting part takes no time at all: simply, stop smoking cigarettes. The hard part is to not start smoking again. Many people fail at their first attempt at quitting, and some people never actually manage to. This being said, there is a general guideline to how long these withdrawal symptoms will last, and as long as you can get through this initial timeframe quitting will become much easier.
    In this article we will discuss this timeline as well as quitting cold turkey and the ways to fight anxiety and cravings that come with quitting smoking.

    Quitting Cold Turkey

    Quitting cold turkey simply means setting a date where a person will have their last cigarette and then sticking to that plan, hopefully forever. This method is one of the most popular quitting methods and of the people who do end up quitting for life, 80{cb12661b2b7fd86e618703ac3a1bf5df9897d897450d7668a57e7745cc225577} used the cold turkey method. Despite this success rate, this method also carries with it the burden of having to experience all of the nicotine withdrawal symptoms upfront, the timeline of which we will discuss in detail later on.

    These withdrawal symptoms can include:

    • Anxiety
    • Cravings
    • Fatigue
    • Hunger
    • Irritability
    • Trouble with sleep
    • Depression
    • Inability to concentrate
    • Hunger

    The cold turkey method may be effective to some degree but it does have drawbacks. These withdrawal symptoms can be mild for a lucky few, but most describe them as somewhere from unpleasant to unbearable.

    Ways to Fight Anxiety

    Anxiety is one of the first symptoms experienced after someone quits smoking. The overwhelming feeling that they might never smoke again can seem like a frightening prospect. They may feel like they will relapse and be a failure to those around them, or that quitting is such a daunting task they may as well give up now. Most people are too hard on themselves and the anxiety that comes with quitting smoking does not help matters. Anxiety causes stress and stress is one of the reasons people often revert back to smoking.

    Here are some ways to combat these stressful feelings:

    • Signs of Stress – Recognizing certain signs of stress such as headaches, sleeplessness, depression, and anger is key so that people can react accordingly to help combat such feelings
    • Enjoyment – Doing things a person enjoys can greatly reduce anxiety
    • Physical Activity – When many people, not just smokers trying to quit, feel anxiety and stress they do physical activity to relieve it
    • Relaxation Techniques – Yoga, deep breathing, and meditation are ways people can teach themselves to learn to relax more in times of stress
    • Caffeine – Reducing a person’s caffeine intake is a good way to reduce anxiety
    • Life Problems – Resolving short-term problems before quitting can be beneficial so there will be one less thing to worry about when quitting. After quitting, not worrying about long-term problems for the time being will also help

    Using these techniques can help combat one of the first and most powerful symptoms of nicotine withdrawals; anxiety. If a person gives themselves a break, realizes that the road is going to be tough, and uses some of these techniques they will have a better chance of quitting.

    How to Fight Cigarette Cravings

    Another of the most common symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are cravings. A person’s brain gets used to the nicotine and other chemicals it absorbs from years of smoking cigarettes. When these chemicals are cut off, the brain goes into withdrawals. One of strongest withdrawal symptoms is nicotine cravings.
    Many people revert back to smoking because the nicotine cravings are too much to handle. There are many ways to fight these cravings, and they typically only last 5-10 minutes, so here are some tips to get through that time:

    • Support – Having a support system is very helpful to managing cravings. A friend or family member, a help line, a counsellor, or even an app can be the difference between a cigarette and another smoke-free day
    • Environment – Ensuring that the first 2-4 weeks of quitting are spent in as many smoke-free places as possible will help keep the mind off of wanting a cigarette
    • Keep Your Mouth and Hands Busy – Chewing gum or lozenges will keep the mouth busy, while knitting, physical activity, or even puzzles can keep the hands busy.
    • Use NRT’s – Nicotine Replacement Therapies such as patches, gums, or pharmaceutical aids can help subdue the cravings gradually

    How to Fight Cravings when you Quite Cigarettes

    Quitting Timeline

    While the exact timeline will obviously be different for each individual, there is a general guideline for what happens to the body and mind when a person has their last cigarette.

    Here is a timeline for how long it takes to quit smoking:

    • 20 minutes – Blood pressure and heart rate return to normal levels
    • 12 hours – Blood oxygen and carbon monoxide levels return to normal
    • 24 hours – Anxiety levels are at their peak
    • 48 hours – Nerve endings have regrown and sense of smell and taste have returned
    • 72 hours – Withdrawal symptoms and cravings have peaked because the body is now nicotine free. Lungs are healing and breathing is easier
    • 5-10 days – The time that cravings last reduces from 5 minutes to 3 and the regularity of cravings also decrease
    • 2-4 weeks – Most, if not all, withdrawal symptoms have ceased and lung and heart function will return to that of a non-smoker

    For all intents and purposes, it takes the average person 2-4 weeks to get rid of the nicotine that has built up in the body and to no longer experience nicotine withdrawal symptoms. After this period the risk of coronary disease, lung cancer, heart attack, and stroke all will return to normal.

    Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

    The length of time to quit smoking does vary with each person, but that is a secondary factor compared to the initial, life-changing decision to quit smoking. There are many methods to quitting smoking including Nicotine Replacement Therapies such as gums and patches, the cold turkey method, and even medical treatments. These all have about the same percentage of effectiveness and can often involve significant nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy is an option that uses no chemicals or carcinogens, and also helps with the relaxation of the mind and body when experiencing nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

    Joseph R Giove is a certified Clinical Hypnotist with over 30 years of experience at his clinic practising Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy. His techniques involve gently altering the brain patterns in order to make cigarettes unwanted and eventually disliked.

  • How to Quit Smoking Cold Turkey

    How to Quit Smoking Cold Turkey

    Smoking nicotine is very dangerous to a person’s health in a variety of ways. Cigarettes can cause emphysema, bronchitis, stroke, heart disease, many types of cancer, and other fatal diseases. They are also extremely addictive, comparable to being addicted to heroin. This makes quitting smoking very difficult, but it can be done.

    This article will discuss the origins of the phrase “cold turkey,” the side effects, tricks and tips for quitting, and how Joseph R. Giove and Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy is the best option to assist in quitting smoking cold turkey.

    Quitting Cold Turkey and Other Options

    There are many different options to quitting smoking. Most involve a means of slowly weaning the smoker off nicotine in incremental doses over a period of time. These products include patches, gums, lozenges, and prescribed pills. All of these products have a marginal success rates and are dependant on the individual and how hard they are willing to work. If a person believes they have this work ethic and strong will they might try a method called the ‘cold turkey’ method.

    The official definition of cold turkey is “the abrupt and complete cessation of taking a drug to which one is addicted.”

    This is one of the more popular methods of quitting smoking, at least for the first time quitters, because it is free and many people are certain they are able to simply stop.

    The Origin of “Cold Turkey”

    There have been a couple of people throughout history who have been credited with coining the phrase “cold turkey”.

    According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary and the Thesaurus, the first use of the phrase ‘cold turkey’ was in 1921 in the Daily Columnist in British Columbia, Canada referring to ‘pitiful’ patients who voluntarily surrendered themselves to a doctor for an ailment and then “are given what is called the ‘cold turkey’ treatment.”

    Another reference to “cold turkey” comes from from a book published in 1978 called ‘Cop Speak: The Lingo of Law Enforcement and Crime’, using it to describe when a person goes through withdrawals their skin becomes cold and clammy like that of a refrigerated turkey.

    Whatever the actual etymology of the phrase, it has come to be known in the smoking and drug world as stopping a habit immediately and facing whatever consequences may come.

    Side Effects of Quitting Cold Turkey

    The cold turkey method is one of the most popular for quitting smoking. However, it can also be the most uncomfortable in terms of withdrawal symptoms. People give their brains a certain amount of nicotine when they smoke and if they decide to quit cold turkey, the sudden drop causes nicotine withdrawals. Depending on the person, these withdrawals can be mild to quite severe. Some of these symptoms include:

    • Depression
    • Fatigue
    • Headaches
    • Irritability
    • Constipation
    • Sweating
    • Coughing
    • Increased Appetite
    • Intense Tobacco Cravings

    Tips and Tricks to Quitting Cold Turkey

    While quitting smoking is hard using any method, the cold turkey method can be one one of the hardest and most uncomfortable in terms of withdrawals. That is the bad news. The good news is that these withdrawal symptoms are usually short lived. Even the longest lasting of all symptoms are shorter than when using other methods such as patches or gum.

    There are some tips and tricks that smokers trying the cold turkey method can use to make the journey less painful:

    • Pick an end date – Set a firm date and smoke up until then, then stop
    • Choosing a date – Try to pick a day such as the last day of work or school, any day before a break in a schedule
    • Avoid any place where people are smoking – The cravings will be starting to get more intense and avoiding smokers will be key
    • Keep the mind positive – Indulging in books, TV shows, etc will keep the mind off of smoking
    • Try to sleep more – Sleeping relaxes the mind and body, while also being a time when smoking is not an option
    • Keep the hands active – The hands are familiar with the action of putting a cigarette to the mouth. Keeping them active will help remove the need make the motion
    • Keep the mouth active – As with the hands, the mouth and lips are used in the repetitive action of smoking. Chewing gum is usually the most effective
    • Keep lots of non-alcoholic drinks around – Thirst is part of the withdrawal process and the more fluids consumed, the faster the nicotine is flushed from the system

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    The reason that an end date for quitting smoking should be close to time off from work or school is that irritability is a large factor for smokers who quit cold turkey. Finding a place of comfort to spend some time away from frustrating situations and people is essential for the first few days.

    Many people find themselves getting upset and irrational at things that they normally would not be and projecting that anger on co-workers, friends, and family is not going to be good for anyone. However, a close friend who understands and that can be yelled at can be beneficial too!

    Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

    The aforementioned tricks and tips act as guidelines to help smokers who quit cold turkey get through the withdrawal symptoms. However, it takes more than just a few things to play with and drinking water to quit smoking for life.

    Cravings will be the most difficult factor going through the first few weeks or months after that last cigarette. Changing behaviors that were used when smoking will also be key to achieve being smoke free. Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy can help with both.

    Joseph R. Giove is a certified Clinical Hypnotist who has more than 30 years of experience helping people quit smoking. Using Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy, the brain patterns are gently altered so that a person no longer craves, and even dislikes cigarettes, which will also change the behaviour towards smoking cigarettes. Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy is the perfect accompaniment to quitting smoking cold turkey and being smoke free forever.

  • Using Hypnosis to Quit Smoking

    Using Hypnosis to Quit Smoking

    With a stronger focus on preventive health trending in our society, it is no wonder that more people are taking the time to examine their lifestyles and make healthier choices. The decision to quit smoking can be a major one, not just because of the health benefits that it represents, but also due to the emotional factors that are also involved. What is unfortunate is that when a person does not reach first time success in quitting, the individuals around that person will often take it as a sign that there is no real commitment to health or change.

    Of course, this could not be further from the truth, but the problem is that while the intent to quit may be fully present, the actual motivation is being internally sabotaged. What outside observers fail to see is that the struggle in quitting has a basis in the initial trigger to pick up the habit. This is also where hypnosis to quit smoking can become a powerful tool to success.

    Understanding The Human Condition

    Although it is appropriate to state that smoking is both a physical and an emotional addiction, it is also important to understand the basis of any addiction. From a holistic perspective, every being gravitates towards that which brings comfort, and shuns that which causes pain. When pain does occur, that which brings comfort can become a crutch that is used to the point of reliance. Once a person has established this reliance, they have also given power to whatever that substance or behavior is.

    This is very similar to the way that children learn as they develop, in that reinforcements of certain behaviors will lead to the continuation of that behavior. If a person has a cigarette every time they take a break, they will also begin to crave a cigarette every time they need a break. In a person’s mind, the relationship is both reciprocal and interchangeable. In this manner, the emotional dependence is initially established.

    The second important point relates back to reactions to pain, as at its core all addictions are a facsimile to fill whatever wound or lack exists as a result of the pain. Of course, while the intent to quit can still be present, the fear of how to manage pain without the crutch can also generate a means of mental sabotage. This concern over the unknown can then create further pain, which simply restarts the cycle of smoking addiction.

    This is also why many people may succeed at quitting for a while, but find that the full severing of ties with cigarettes is not a possibility yet. However, people should also know that the use of hypnosis in quitting smoking works at the heart of these issues and with self perception in order to generate change. Smokers who have the intent to quit can start the journey of healthy transformation by taking the Quit Smoking Vulnerability Quiz.

    Tapping Into Deeper Causality

    Using hypnosis to quit smoking addresses these deeper emotional causes that can generate blockages to change within the personality. Although there can certainly be an attached therapeutic effect that is also positive for other healthy lifestyle choices, hypnosis for quitting smoking is not actual psychotherapy. However, the impact is still that it facilitates the ability to move beyond these internally generated challenges and achieve the success that is desired. This is particularly important in breaking the cycle of addiction, because it helps to break the attachment that a person has to smoking, and this can allow inherent motivation to have a stronger impact.

    This can also be highly applicable since one aspect of attachment is the manner in which people see behaviors and habits as an innate part of the personality. As previously mentioned, individuals will develop perspectives of the self which are based on external feedback or reinforcement. As habits become more deeply ingrained, it is also the result that the person begins to simply accept the habit as who they are.

    Unfortunately, this can also be a part of the challenge to quitting smoking in general, as the “smoker” personality facet becomes more ingrained. This also results in part of the fear of change that can be an obstacle, as people become concerned that they will lose a part of themselves in making this wellness transition.

    Ready To Quit Smoking

    Becoming More Of The Self

    By starting the healthy transformation, smokers can find that they will be able to make this transition, while also discovering that they can be more complete individuals as a result. This is also important to realize, as one of the common mis-conceptions about hypnosis is that it can make people do things against their will. However, the truly powerful aspect of hypnosis in quitting smoking is that it simply supports people in doing something for which they already have the intent.

    What hypnosis can do is to tap into that part of self which is ready to change and desires to quit smoking. By subtly reinforcing this intent, the sessions also help to quiet the obstacles that arise from inner feelings of doubt, fear, and uncertainty of the unknown. By providing the positive reinforcement for beneficial change while also lessening the impact of internal blockages, the person will gain the emotional tools and resources to stay true to their work towards personal change.

    In this manner, it is also important for candidates who are interested in quitting smoking through hypnosis to also understand that the process is collaborative. Both the willingness of the smoker to quit, and the support provided through hypnosis become the basis for actions which are change. This concept also further reinforces the fact that clients are never out of control of themselves, but rather, they are actually learning how to stand more firmly in their own personal power. This makes the use of hypnosis for quitting smoking a powerful resource that makes use of individual motivation and acceptance for change as the foundation for success.

  • Introduction: Videos to Help You Stop Smoking the Easiest Way

    Watch the videos in the order as numbered for the best effect in helping you stop smoking today.

    My name is Joseph Giove, I’m a clinical hypnotist and I have helped thousands of people stop smoking over the last 25 years. My background in biomedical engineering  gives me a deep understanding of the neurophysiology of nicotine addiction and a powerful and very successful solution for those who want to quit smoking now.

    There are many misconceptions, even down written lies, about the process of quitting smoking. Because of this if you’ve tried to quit over and over again and have failed, it’s not your fault.

    The good news is that I’m about to reveal my secrets for helping you become free of the habit and addiction of smoking cigarettes…truly the easiest way.

    The video series that I’ve created and the video shorts that follow address most of the misconceptions, questions, and techniques that most people use to stop smoking: cold turkey; with pills, like Chantix; patches, gums, eCigarettes and other nicotine replacements; and also through hypnosis…truly the most effective way.

    So grab a pen and paper because you want to take notes.

    I help people quit smoking all over the world through phone sessions and through private sessions at my clinic in Northern California. If you need help feel free to call my office at 925-215-4017 or contact me here.

    Get set for your freedom… freedom from the control and domination that cigarettes and nicotine have had over you in the past. Now is the time for your freedom, my friend. Get ready to enjoy it!

    Watch this Video on YouTube

  • Tip 4: Do eCigarettes, Nicotine Patches, Pills or Nicotine Gum Work to Stop Smoking Cigarettes?

    My name is Joseph Giove. I’m a biomedical engineer and a clinical hypnotist. I’ve helped thousands of people stop smoking over the last twenty five years. I created this video series to help you become free of the habit an addiction of smoking cigarettes.

    Do eCigarettes, pills like Chantix, nicotine patches, nicotine gum and other forms of nicotine replacement… do they actually work to help people to quit smoking? The short answer is “sometimes” but here is the problem and the challenge with them. If you are looking to reduce the toxicity of smoking then an nicotine replacement can be helpful in that regard, because smoking an eCigarettes obviously you are taking in fewer toxins and same goes with patches and nicotine gum.

    You are taking in fewer toxins so many people will say “well it is better for you than smoking.” I like to say it is not as bad for you as smoking, this is a big difference. Many of people I see are addicted to these other nicotine replacements. In terms of helping quit smoking, the reason it is only partial effective is because the process of smoking is both a habit and an addiction.

    If you are keeping the addictive substance into your brain, into your body then you are perpetuating it because the way neurologically that works is the addicted substance can trigger the habit and the habit can trigger the addiction. So to really become free you have to taper off of the nicotine and that is where the replacements can become very effective, but simultaneously you need to very deliberately change the habit, because as I mentioned they can each trigger the other.

    So really the effective way is to break free of nicotine and the habit together, and that needs to be part of your decision.

    Take action now to be free. If you need assistance, I help people all over the world through phone sessions and private sessions at my clinic in Northern California. Feel free to call my office at 925-215-4017 or contact me here and get ready to enjoy your freedom.

    Watch this Video on YouTube

  • Tip-17: Can I Quit Smoking Cigarettes?

    My name is Joseph Giove. I’m a biomedical engineer and a clinical hypnotist. I’ve helped thousands of people stop smoking over the last twenty five years. I created this video series to help you become free of the habit an addiction of smoking cigarettes.

    Yes. And is not hard when you approach stopping smoking the proper way. I know you have probably tried over and over again to quit smoking and have failed. That is only because you have not approached it the proper way. The proper approach is given in this video series and let me tell you straight up that you have not failed because you lacked will power or you are trying to kill yourself and any of that nonsense. You have not succeeded because you have not approached quitting smoking the right way.

    You have not recognized the power of your sub-conscious mind and habit-contribution to the process of smoking cigarettes. Recognize that belief and expectation are physiological. Your belief about quitting smoking becomes part of the physiological process of quitting. So first, before even you pick your quit day, adjust your belief so that you do believe you can quit smoking. You can do that because not a cell in your body wants another hit of nicotine poison.

    Your body has been trying to make you a non-smoker between every cigarette you have ever smoked. Just get over the fear, get over the fear of losing a so-called friend. That is it. You are not losing a friend. If a cigarette was ever a friend it is the worst kind of friend you could possibly have. One that told you it could do all these good things for you: help you get going in the morning, help you deal with stress and anxiety, help you deal with boredom. All that is the lie of addiction. Those are false associations.

    Just make up your mind to do it, get over the fear, believe you can and do it.

    Take action now to be free. If you need assistance, I help people all over the world through phone sessions and private sessions at my clinic in Northern California.Feel free to call my office at 925-215-4017 or contact me here and get ready to enjoy your freedom.

    Watch this Video on YouTube

  • How 1 in 5 Quit Smoking

    How 1 in 5 Quit Smoking

    31 October 1992 by ROBERT MATTHEWS
    Magazine issue 1845, The New Scientist

    Hypnosis is the most effective way of giving up smoking, according to the largest ever scientific comparison of ways of breaking the habit. Willpower, it turns out, counts for very little.

    Smokers are coming under increasing pressure to quit. Earlier this month the Institute of Actuaries published the results of a study it commissioned which showed that the mortality rate for smokers is twice as high as for nonsmokers, and that, on average, a smoker dies 6 years earlier than a nonsmoker. Surveys suggest that three in four smokers would like to give up, according to the antismoking campaign Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).

    To find the most effective way to give up smoking, Frank Schmidt and research student Chockalingam Viswesvaran of the University of Iowa carried out a meta-analysis, statistically combining the results of more than 600 studies covering almost 72 000 people from America, Scandinavia and elsewhere in Europe. By combining the results from so many separate studies, the meta-analysis enables the real effectiveness of each technique to be picked out from the statistical ‘noise’ that often blights studies involving smaller numbers of subjects.

    (more…)

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