So You Think You’re Addicted..
Are you a self-proclaimed addict? Have you claimed to be addicted to chocolate or carbs? How many times have you told others that you are addicted to cigarettes or junk food? Why do some people quit smoking cold turkey and never miss it, and others eliminate all junk when they realize the harm to their physical and mental health? The word “addiction” is used casually, but actually refers to a condition that results when a person uses a substance or engages in an activity that can be pleasurable, but continued use becomes compulsive and can interfere with their life or their health.
There are different kinds of addiction. Physical addiction is easily understood. What begins as pleasure turns into cravings and physical discomfort that feels unbearable. You can overcome physical addiction; people do it every day!
Psychological addiction is a belief that you can only feel good with a substance or activity. Emotional addiction is when you feel a need or craving for another person or become obsessed with the idea of something. Addiction can be mistaken for love when you are in an unhealthy relationship and stay regardless of the consequences. These examples demonstrate how your mind can create beliefs that keep you stuck in a harmful behavior. Hypnosis can help you change those beliefs.
Hypnosis is very effective in eliminating addiction by addressing the issues that caused the addictive behavior. Rather than defining a person by their addiction, they are led through a process that allows them to create a new perspective based on the positive aspects of their lives. Because of the way your mind works, whatever you repeatedly tell yourself becomes true. There is a kind of placebo effect that happens when you repetitively tell yourself that you’re ‘addicted’ to something or “can’t live without it”.
PBS aired a special called “The Brain Fitness Program” about the discoveries in the field of neuro-science that show the brain is capable of learning new ways to think and perceive the world all throughout our lives. We are not stuck in one frame of mind, we can continue to learn and grow, creating the life we want.
A client came to me who was “addicted” to chocolate. Although many people like chocolate, she kept bags of chocolate in her desk at work, various places at home and in her car. She felt out of control and powerless over chocolate because it provided her a feeling she could not get anywhere else. In hypnosis we revealed a deep emotional connection between her dad, who left the family, and candy. Dad always brought her chocolate as a treat and that made her feel special and loved. She felt helpless and out of control when Dad left and unconsciously, candy provided that emotional connection, even into adulthood. Through hypnosis, her “addiction” was eliminated completely.
Nicotine has been identified as an addictive substance but most of my clients who stop smoking have no withdrawal, unless they “believe” there is a physical addiction. The placebo effect can create feelings of withdrawal. The psychological addiction of smoking is reversed when you start telling yourself something different. You have to be willing to change your beliefs and eliminate negative self-talk!
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