Bianca Balti and the hypnosis path to stop smoking: what to know about this method

Supermodel from Lodi who has been living permanently in Los Angeles for years, Bianca Balti has decided to put a stop to smokingThe two-time mom let her Instagram followers know that don’t touch cigarettes for 3 weeks. Thanks to the hypnosis sessions which, as soon as she returned to California from her summer holidays, she decided to undergo. «I haven’t smoked (or touched alcohol or drugs) for 3 weeks and I’m so incredibly proud of myself. I love life so much… Smoking doesn’t suit me,” Bianca Balti commented on her Instagram story, posting a photo with a cigarette in her mouth, obviously dating back to the pre-hypnosis period.

But how does hypnosis help those who, like the top model, want to say enough to an addiction? Here’s what you need to know about this method.

Hypnosis, the origins and development of this method

Before understanding how hypnosis can help those who, specifically, want to quit smoking, it is worth spending a few words on the method in general, as well as on its origins. An ancient healing technique, hypnosis has distant roots, but It was in the 19th century that it began to be studied systematically by the fathers of so-called modern psychology.. Among the pioneers of this discipline stands out Jean Martin Charcotfamous French neurologist who in 1800 explored hypnosis as a tool for the treatment of various forms of neurosis. Sigmund Freud himself was initially attracted to it, although he later turned towards psychoanalysis. Even Carl Gustav Junga student of Freud, used hypnosis in the early years of his careerin order to facilitate access to the patients’ unconscious. As time goes by, Hypnosis has also found space in behavioral medicinedemonstrating its effectiveness in treating disorders such as anxiety, phobias and addictions. In recent decades, Its use to help people quit smoking has become one of the most popular applications.

Hypnosis as a method to quit smoking

Hypnosis works on the subconscious mindthat is, that part of the brain that governs automatic habits and behaviorshence the demonstrated effectiveness in interrupting a vice (and a habit) such as smoking. During a hypnosis session to stop smoking, the specialist leads the patient to a deep state of relaxationwhich however remains highly receptive.

In this condition, the hypnotist suggests new associations about smoking to the subconsciousaimed at making people internalize the concept of smoking as something unpleasant and harmful or that of cigarettes as something unattractive. People who use hypnosis to stop smoking often report a significant improvement in their ability to manage temptations and cravingsHypnosis sessions are generally short (maximum 30 minutes), and Many people stop smoking after just a few sessionsalthough some require more sessions to achieve lasting results.

On the research side, it is worth mentioning the study «Hypnosis for Smoking Cessation: A Randomized Trial»: published on Journal of Clinical Psychology in 2008, involved 286 smokers in a randomized controlled trial, highlighting that 29% of participants in the hypnosis group quit smoking after 6 months. Certainly the success of the method in this research did not concern an overwhelming majority of the subjects involved, but not even a percentage so small as to leave indifferent. It is no coincidence hypnosis continues to be studied by psychologists and scientists.

SCIENTIFIC SOURCES CITED IN THIS ARTICLE:

Journal of Clinical Psychology

Source: Vanity Fair

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