R.C.
Executive
I've been a smoker for the last 12-15 years. I didn't want people to know I was a smoker, so it was my dirty little secret. I was sneaking cigarettes and couldn't have them at work; I just obsessed about where I could go to get one. I was absorbed with how to get a cigarette for as long as an hour or two at a time. I got up in the morning and didn't feel good. I dreaded my days because I wasn't productive and wasn't getting anything done. I was irritable with my wife and she avoided me because I was crabby when I had to be in situations where I couldn't smoke. I tried to spend time on my own so that I could smoke and avoided going to the gym; I stayed home and smoked when my wife was gone.
I tried the patches and gum, but I was just masking the cravings until I ran out. My wallet got lighter, but I didn't notice a decrease in my smoking. I tried using rubber bands on my wrist and cold turkey to quit. I also tried making plans to be away from any situation where I would be tempted, but that didn't work either. I had no control over my desire to have a cigarette and I was at the mercy of the cravings. It was uncomfortable and depressing for me because I always thought that I could do anything that I set my mind to do, but I couldn't conquer this.
I heard about A New Day Hypnosis when my wife attended a weekend retreat and was referred to Laura. Years ago, I did group hypnosis to quit smoking and I thought it was just bogus and made up. I was skeptical, but I had no other alternatives. I wasn't a big believer in hypnosis, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to try it out.
After the first session, almost right away I noticed the change. I broke down once, but by the second session the cravings were gone and that was it. It was unbelievable for me. I've been tobacco free over a month now and it's been great. I'm running again and I get up in the morning and want to do things. Yesterday, I ran five miles just because I felt like it. Six months ago I would never have done that. I breathe easier and have more energy. I can do a lot more in a day than I thought I could.
I go to the gym and lift weights and I feel a lot more confident. I work out with all the muscle heads and I'm probably as big as one of their biceps, but I'm not embarrassed to be there anymore. I've wanted to gain weight and because of my exercise, I've gained nine pounds in the last ten days. My day doesn't revolve around cigarettes anymore and everything is focused on what I want to do. My focus and concentration have gotten better and my productivity has gone up.
Hypnosis has eliminated the urges, cravings, and desire for the cigarette. I was surprised how quickly the cravings went away. My father in law quit cold turkey thirty years ago and he still has cravings. The most important benefit that I've received from this process has been my relationship with my wife. Things were rocky and I had anxiety all the time because I was sneaking cigarettes. She knew I was sneaking and it put her in an uncomfortable position; there was a lot of frustration around that. My attitude has changed dramatically.
My wife wants to do more with me and our relationship had improved ten-fold, which uplifts the rest of my life. I go right through situations where I would have wanted a cigarette in the past and it doesn't even cross my mind now. Yesterday at work we were talking 7 and 8 figure numbers across the table. Normally, those situations would normally be major chain smoking sessions, this time it never even crossed my mind. I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis because it works. I've tried pretty much everything and this was simple, painless, fast and cost effective. I've restructured my life and changed my lifestyle in a couple of weeks and accomplished what most people do in years or even decades. It's a miracle to me and it's just unbelievable. I have no doubt that I'm a nonsmoker permanently because I don't have a single craving.