Using Hypnosis to Kick a Smoking Habit
My wife and I are considering hypnosis to quit smoking. What do you think?
Dear Dr. Bill:
Do you think hypnosis can be used by Christians as a tool to overcome things? My wife and I are both trying to quit smoking because she's pregnant and we don't want to harm the baby. But we're really struggling with this habit. What do you suggest we do?
— Orlando
Dear Orlando:
You and your wife are right to be concerned about the impact of smoking on your child's health. Smoking is linked to lower birth weight among infants. Also, if you and your wife don't quit smoking, the negative health effects of "second hand smoke" on your child could be significant.
There are a variety of views on hypnosis in the Christian world. My own perspective is that it can be a helpful tool when it is used by a trained, experienced Christian therapist for discrete problems such as nicotine addiction.
However, hypnosis can also be misused, and some Christian leaders have expressed concern that those involved in the occult have used hypnosis for evil purposes.
If you have concerns about hypnosis from a spiritual perspective, or the hypnotherapist you've found is not a committed Christian who incorporates faith into their practice, I would recommend the following.
Consult with a behavioral psychologist who specializes in treating addictions. He or she can develop a treatment plan to help you quit smoking. Working with your family physician or a psychiatrist, the psychologist may also recommend one of the newer medications that have been found to be helpful in the treatment of nicotine addiction.
Our counseling department at Focus on the Family can refer you to licensed Christian therapists in your local area. You can reach our counseling department Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Mountain Time) at 1-800-A-FAMILY (1-800-232-6459).
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