At 18 years old, heartbroken after a breakup and on a night out in Lincolnshire, Alice Wade was persuaded by a friend to have her first cigarette. Despite finding the experience disgusting—the ashy taste, the smell lingering in her hair—it marked the beginning of an eight-year struggle with nicotine addiction.
The Descent into Addiction
What started as a single, regrettable decision soon spiralled. Eight years later, Alice found herself firmly addicted, chuffing through a pack a week and supplementing with nicotine pouches during the day. She had tried everything to break free: vapes, nicotine gum, and pouches that singed her gums, but nothing provided a lasting solution.
Feeling that enough was enough, she decided to take firm action. An email offering hypnotherapy to overcome cravings presented a new opportunity. For £415, psychotherapist and hypnotherapist Dr Krissie Ivings of Aspire Lifestyle in Buxton promised help through an initial assessment and a quitting session, with optional follow-ups at £95 each.
The Hypnotherapy Process: A Closer Look
Sceptical but willing, Alice embarked on the two-session programme conducted over Zoom. Dr Krissie explained that most people fail to quit because they rely solely on willpower, a 'white knuckle approach' that often leads to relapse. "Successful quitting isn’t just about putting down cigarettes. It’s about changing the way you think about smoking," the expert advised.
Dr Krissie introduced the concept of 'Nitch'—a pesky toddler-like creature representing Nicotine, Irritating, Time-consuming, Controlling, and Horrible habits. The first session involved hypnosis aimed at forming positive beliefs about quitting. Alice, however, found the experience less dramatic than Hollywood depictions, feeling simply relaxed rather than hypnotised.
The Quit Date and The Aftermath
On her designated quit day, a second hypnosis session guided her to visualise a fork in the road: one path leading to 'freedom', the other to 'dependency'. Alice verbally committed to the path of freedom. Despite Dr Krissie's soothing affirmations and techniques to avoid relapse, the results were mixed.
Just a few days later, during a night out with friends, the old habits returned. The urge to smoke, coupled with social pressure, proved too strong. Three weeks on, Alice still smokes after a drink or a hard day, though her consumption may have reduced slightly.
While the experience was motivating and provided a valuable lesson, it did not rewire her brain chemistry or make smoking less appealing. For those seeking a quick fix, hypnosis alone may not be the magic wand. It requires serious willpower and effort, proving that breaking a near-decade-long addiction is a formidable challenge.
