As an American psychologist and certified hypnotherapist, I advocate the use of clinical hypnosis for smoking cessation, one of the least expensive and most effective approaches to becoming smoke-free. Since the American Medical Association approved its use, in the 1950's, hundreds of thousands of people have found hypnosis to be an effective way to stop smoking, lose weight, and otherwise improve their lives.

Since 1992, according to New Scientist magazine, it has been known that "Hypnosis is the most effective way of giving up smoking." Its quote was based upon a study cited within the Journal of Applied Psychology, earlier that same year. These findings appear to hold true, even in today's healthcare environment that seemingly demonstrates an overemphasis upon pharmacological approaches.

Over 80% of smokers admit that they desire to be smoke-free. Nonetheless, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nicotine dependence causes more annual premature deaths than HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides and murders combined. Smoking robs lifetime smokers of an average of seven years of their lives, with their final years often characterized as painfully debilitating. Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the World Health Organization's (WHO's) Former Director-General, stated it most succinctly, when she said "A cigarette is the only consumer product which when used as directed kills its consumer."

The insidious truth, about this profit-driven problem, is that the annual American health care costs of smoking reaches over $50 billion. It is responsible for more than 7% of all deaths, throughout the world. According to the WHO, within about a decade, this same estimate will likely increase to nearly 18% of worldwide deaths. Yearly, an average of over 3,000 American children and adults, will experience disease and premature death, from second-hand smoke. Worldwide, careless cigarette smoking is the number one cause of deaths from residential fires.

Although combining hypnosis with other forms of treatment, which can be recommended by your family physician or pharmacist, can increase its efficacy, it is not a necessity. If you know where to look, the Internet actually offers a place wherein you can download FREE self-hypnosis MP3 audio smoking cessation programs and even FREE ebook copies of best-selling smoking cessation books, like Allen Carr's popular "The Illustrated Easy Way to Stop Smoking."

Not surprisingly, clinical hypnosis is an often-misunderstood treatment that is basically an exercise in deep meditation. Once in a deeply relaxed state, one's mind simply develops a natural, heightened focus. It is this fixed concentration that affords one the unique ability to incorporate the hypnotist's smoke-free suggestions into everyday life.

Any behavior can be instantly changed, if there exist enough emotional pain associated with the old behavior, and enough motivating pleasure associated with the new behavior. On a subconscious level, in order to create lasting behavioral change, hypnosis can help to reinforce these real positive / negative consequences, like manipulating a dream, but more absorbing. The healthy result is often described as a nearly effortless, permanent change.

Most people are actually quite susceptible to the phenomenon of hypnotic suggestion, if it is consistent with something desired. In fact, it is not uncommon for many two-pack a day, twenty-plus years smokers to quit, after their first treatment. Nonetheless, I recommend reinforcing the hypnotic suggestions, with a self-hypnosis audio program for smoking cessation. Daily listening to your recording, for at least two weeks, should help to ensure a more positive treatment outcome.

Although most smokers attempt to quit using "willpower," it is the least effective approach, requiring numerous, successive attempts, in order to finally become successful. Most prescription and over-the-counter quit smoking aids are only about 25% effective. The best indicators of success, with using the effectiveness of hypnosis to quit, are one's prior ability to have successfully quit for at least one month; and one's desire today to be smoke-free.