Please Note: I wrote this as a teaching aid for other Hypnotists. It was published in a couple of professional Hypnosis Journals I regularly write for, however on reflection, I think it might also be of interest to the general public too.
As a professional hypnotist I get calls from people who want to stop vaping. Most clients begin vaping in hopes it will help them quit smoking. Therefore, I usually have to address both “stop vaping” and “stop smoking” when using hypnotic techniques.
What is Vaping? The umbrella term, “vaping”, is used for multiple electronic systems to deliver nicotine, and other substances, by way of inhaling it, including vape pens, pods, tanks, mods and e-cigarettes just as one would smoke a cigarette. The technical name is ENDS or electric nicotine delivery system. The systems vaporize a liquid made of either propylene, glycol, glycerin, nicotine and/or flavorings.
E-cigarettes have a rechargeable base and disposable cartridges. The unit can look like a pen or flash drive and although vape devices have a heating element; no real smoke is involved. The amount of nicotine in the unit can vary between brands and delivery methods and the labeling isn’t always true to what the consumer gets.
In 2020 over 3 million middle and high school students in the USA used e-cigarettes, and there are 82 million vapers according to the world health organization. Also important, there are loads of data on the negative effects of vaping. For instance, the Cleveland clinic reports that vaping can cause breathing problems, organ damage and other conditions.
I am also a hypnosis instructor. Here are some questions, posed by up-and-coming hypnotist, Susannah XXXXXX on the subject, along with some proposed answers:
Is vaping an unconscious/subconscious habit? Yes, and clients who engage in habits often do them without realizing it. So, when clients catch themselves vaping and then are surprised by the fact that they are doing it, that behavior is a subconscious reaction that makes up their habit, but don’t let this scare you away from tackling this issue with clients. If you are well trained, you have everything you need.
Is the urge to vape caused by a nicotine craving? If there is nicotine in the e-cigarette and they are using it to stop smoking, the more important thing is, they will likely think it is. Since I am not a scientist, I don’t really care about the hold nicotine has on my clients. I don’t even think about that when I work with any nicotine or tobacco user unless they bring it up. I am far more interested in what clients believe and the feeling preceding their partaking of the habit.
You know what to do with feelings by now, I hope, but if vaping clients seem to have a very strong belief in nicotine having a powerful grip on them, normal direct suggestion for stopping smoking/vaping will usually be all that is needed to let go of that belief. The reason direct suggestion works so powerfully in a hypnosis session, with beliefs such as these, is because their belief is an accepted self-suggestion. The way to counter these suggestions is with an opposing suggestion that they can find more acceptable. This does not mean there won’t be more work to do to help someone stop vaping, but with the right suggestions you will be off to a good start.
Is the urge caused by anxiety or boredom? Possibly one, the other or both and likely even more. There are three basic urges that cause habitual behaviors. 1- Painful feelings that, to your clients, seem to be resolved, if they could only distract from them with a “hit”. 2- Belief in any additional ways they will benefit from the behavior, and 3- as mentioned earlier, the automatic habit, which comes to life through repetition and belief.
Will it help to ask her to take some time to record her thoughts, feelings and emotions just before she vapes. so, we can learn how often she is vaping and what preceded the urge? Not a bad idea, but a better one is to ask her to put the vape far away, and then notice these things. Her ability to observe will be enhanced if she cannot automatically use the mechanism. To assist her in her journey of self-awareness, have her read a book on feelings such as The Secret Language of Feelings by Cal Banyan, so she can act as a detective and discover what makes up the urges to use. Your job is to make the urge go away completely once she knows. Sometimes the urge to vape comes from several sources, so you may have to uncover and resolve each source.
Do any hypnotists work with people who Vape? Of course. I am hearing more and more from people who are vaping and I have found it very satisfying to help them quit. Any experienced hypnotist worth their salt, is helping people with this problem.
Is it any different from helping someone stop smoking? Somewhat. Clients can act in a more unaware way, more often, with vaping, and indulgence can be more frequent. This is because of the easier access to their e-cigarette, due to it usually being in a nearby pocket. In addition, it is easier to hide because the vapor coming from the e-cigarette is not smoke, but a quickly disappearing aerosol. In addition, overall, vapers are younger than smokers, making them slightly better hypnotic subjects. Also due to their younger age, you may find there is less necessary work to be done on such things as emotions or trauma.
To sum up, vaping is a lot like smoking with a few caveats and during a personal consultation, I’ll be able to provide more detailed answers when it comes to your particular needs.
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