Avoiding a smoking relapse

 

This script is an example of using regression to stop smoking, or rather to stop a client from starting again. The majority of clients need only one session to stop smoking but some habits are more persistent than others. The client had been for one session to stop smoking, along with his wife. He was the subject of the stop smoking script shown here. He and his wife both stopped smoking immediately and with no cravings or side effects, but after four weeks or so he began to think about smoking again, and in fact bought a pack of cigarettes and smoked some, much to his wife's dismay and anger. After four weeks without cigarettes, all the nicotine had left his body, and all of the possible triggers had become extinct, so the only reason he would want to smoke again was because of an unextinguished belief about smoking.

The regression therapy was used to find, identity and then remove the unconscious belief he had about smoking. The regression process was embedded in a long metaphor about scoring goals consistently. The metaphor chosen used rugby because the client was a fan, but any sport could be adapted. The script is broken into sections but was delivered in one continuous session.

 

The script is delivered slowly, with pauses at the ellipses (...) and where specifically indicated. Coloured text does not imply emphasis: it indicates what work the words are doing, or helps to structure the script. The Vector column shows what hypnotic procedure is being used. The Target column identifies the Belief or Cycle Stage being targeted. See the separate table of therapy aiming points for a full explanation.

• Designing a script

 

 

 

Target

Dialogue

L

Vector

 

INDUCTION SECTION

	YOU CAN Relax THE BODY
	Hypnosis is basically a matter of relaxation. Or rather, whenever you go into a state of deep relaxation you automatically go into a state of hypnosis. You can go into hypnosis in other ways as well, but being relaxed is the simplest		Seeding
	So what I would like you to do is to put your hands like that [demonstrates putting the hands palm up on the arms of the chair]. Now that's not very comfortable, is it?
	No.
	If you were to just relax them like that, [demonstrates turning the hands over and dropping them loosely into the lap] that's much more comfortable, isn't it?
	Yes
	I want you to get that feeling of relaxation, that relaxed, that quickly. Just drop into it.
	OK
	What I want you to do is to put your head back as far as you can,... look at the ceiling, find something on the ceiling behind the chair...
	Yep
	Put your hands the way I showed you, and now lift your toes up off the ground. Your heels are on the ground but your toes are pointing up. Now that's a state of tension. What we are going to do is to release the tension, and as we do you're going to go straight into hypnosis....
	Uhuh
	So, take a breath.... and as you breath out.... just allow your eyes to close.... take another breath... and as you breath out... just allow that head to fall forward into a comfortable position... That's good.... Take another breath.... and make those shoulders shrug down and become very loose and relaxed.... Take another breath and just relax those hands like I showed you... that's good.... Take another breath and just let those feet go to rest .... another breath... now let your spine and all the muscles of your upper body go completely relaxed.... relaxed and limp and free.... that's good.... that's excellent....
	your flickering your eyelids is showing that you are ready to go into trance.....		Total elapsed time 2:30!

 

DEEPENER SECTION

	You can relax THE MIND
	And now the body is relaxed...you can relax your mind....
	I wonder if you can imagine a river.... a wide dark silent river...		Dissociation
	and it's night... and the river is flowing through a city....and city is bright with lights... and there's traffic about ... and just imagine...if you can... that you are floating safe and secure on that river.... and with each breath out that river flows a little further... and as it flows past... the lights along the riverbank begin to go out ...		Metaphor
	and the traffic begins to slow down... and with each breath you can sense the river flowing, and more city lights go out... and as the river flows on the darkness slowly spreads across the city... city becoming dark... and the traffic slows and stops...
	and still the river flows on... quiet, gentle, strong... flowing through that city and as it passes more and more lights go out... until the whole city is dark... and the river flows on.... through a darkened countryside.... calm and peaceful.... flowing down to toward a distant sea... far away.... where dark waters merge and mingle... gently carrying you holding you ... and that river spreads out into the warm welcoming darkness and you can just be carried wherever it flows.... .		Pace with breathing
	That's right... and you can just enjoy that feeling of relaxation and just allow your mind to drift off... into a comfortable... dark... warm place..		Dissociation
	that's good, you're doing very well....
	and you can remember this feeling  of relaxation and  ease and comfort ... and any time you want to.... you can go into this state.... by going through those six stages I showed you... and you will be able to go right down into that state immediately ... and that's good isn't it?		Teach the relaxation technique
	Just allow yourself to go deeper and deeper ... and each comfortable breath out....  takes you deeper and deeper.... more relaxed... more at ease....		Pace with breathing
	That's very good [clientname] you're doing very well...		Reassurance

 

METAPHOR FOR SUCCESS SECTION

	You are a success
	And now [clientname] I wonder if you can imagine a paddock somewhere.... a big open area of grass.... and near the end of that grassy field is a pair of uprights.... where people can practice rugby....		Visualisation
Capability	I wonder if you can imagine yourself... coming out of a dressing room.... carrying a rugby ball... and you go out in the middle of there and you put the rugby ball down ... and you set it just right.... and take a couple of steps backwards... and you step up to it... and you kick the rugby ball.... and to your surprise, it soars through the air.... tumbling end over end .... right between the uprights.... and you think.... I can do this....
	and you get another ball.... and you put it down.... and you set it just right... and you take a bigger run up.... and you boot it again .... and it sails through the air.... tumbling end over end... and you watch it as it goes through the air.... and there it is.... right between the uprights.... almost perfect and it bounces down on the other side ...
Capability	And you see yourself doing this... day after day... hitting the ball and it goes where you want it to go....
Capability	and then after about four or five weeks .... you kick the ball and it begins to spin off to the side.... and it hits one of the uprights and bounces back .... and you wonder why that has happened... after getting it right for four weeks.... just going up there... not really knowing how you do it.... you get there... you kick it... and it sails between the uprights.... and everyone's happy... you're happy.... surprised maybe....
Capability	And then you pick up the ball again.... you set it just right.... and you kick it and it sails between the uprights the way it should...	=	Equivalence PAST SUCCESS = ABILITY

 

MODEL THE BEHAVIOUR SECTION

	BELIEFS CAN AFFECT YOUR BEHAVIOUR
Belief	And the next day you come along and you doubt ... you wonder whether it is going to go through  or not...
	And you put the ball down carefully.... and you kick it... and this time you watch it..... and you watch it... and it seems to be going straight... but then...it's almost as if you are willing it.... to start deviating.... and as you watch it goes off to the side...and it misses the uprights altogether..... goes right outside.... and the next day you come back ... and again you pick up the ball... and now .... maybe you are not so keen on this... you used to be able to get the ball straight through... and then it missed once, and now you are not sure ... and I wonder if part of you doesn't care?
	I wonder if part of you thinks that that is the way it is supposed to be ... and now when you go out there... you put the ball down every day .. you just swing at it... you used to be so precise... so careful.... so exact... and when you did it that way it was easy it was automatic ... it never failed.... and I wonder what has changed... I wonder if you know what has changed... because you put the ball down and you just stab at it.... and sometimes it goes through and sometimes it misses... and sometimes it bounces off...		Supposition
	And I think, [clientname], that you really want to get back to that position... when you could pick up the ball and run in from the side, place it down centrally... and just gather yourself....take a good look at it.... line up and hit that ball accurately.... automatically... with out thinking about it... like you did over and over and over like you did for four weeks.... and that ball just sails through the air straight and true....
Capability	And I believe that part of you knows that you can continue to do that ... that you still have that skill .. you still have that ability.... you have always had it....
	but there's some sneaky thing.... is giving you doubt.... and so now you can put down that ball...and you can line yourself up and I would like you to ask yourself .... do you really want to do this?... do you really want to succeed?

 

PARTS THERAPY SECTION

	You can ALTER OLD behaviour
	And I would like you to answer me by allowing your unconscious mind to become aware of your hands.. and if you really want to succeed ... if you are determined to succeed I would like you to signal by raising a finger or a thumb or maybe even a hand...
	[Await signal]
	That's fine.....you are ready to succeed [clientname] and you really have to examine why that ball keeps going off to the side when it is so easy to hit it between the uprights....
	And in a moment I am going to ask to speak to your unconscious mind... your unconscious mind looks after you...  your unconscious mind has been looking after you all your life... whatever it does, it does to your benefit... and it's unconscious mind that is keeping you from starting again.... missing those uprights... and so [clientname] I'd like to ask you... would it be OK if I spoke to your unconscious mind? Would your unconscious mind speak to me?		Parts therapy
	You can say 'Yes' or 'No'....  just allow your unconscious mind to....
	Yeah
	Thank you.... that's good....
	I would like to thank you for looking after [clientname] so well... for being there for him.... 24 hours a day.... for bringing him to where he is now.... and you can either let [clientname] know what we are talking about... or you can choose not to... Is that OK?
	Nods
	OK.
	Now I would like to ask you about this smoking business.... are you willing to speak to me about smoking?
	Nods

 

REGRESSION SECTION

	FIND THE INITIAL SENSITIZING EVENT
	Good. I'd like you to go back to the day... about two weeks ago... something like that... when [clientname] decided he wanted to have that first cigarette... and I would like you to become very aware of the reasons for that....
	.... now [clientname] may not be aware of them himself.... but you know.... and I wonder if you can...  tell me why he decided to take that cigarette? What you thought it was doing for [clientname]? Why did he feel he had to have that cigarette?
	Long silence
	Maybe you can allow him to remember a time in the past when he felt the same way.... and maybe you can bring that memory to mind now... and let it talk about how he felt at that time... when there was something he felt he knew he shouldn't do but he was going to do for whatever reason.... and find another time situation like that one... and when you have found that.... just say 'Yes'.
	Yep
	That's fine.... so... What is happening in that situation? .... describe what is going on...
	I'm enjoying a head rush.... and smoke
	Enjoying the head rush and smoke.... and what else? .... What age are you then?
	Fifteen
	Fifteen. And you are fifteen and enjoying that head rush... and where is this?
	Outside... bedroom.....
	Uhuh.... and why is it so enjoyable....
	It makes you feel light....
	Uhuh... it makes feel light... and what else?
	Dizzy
	Uhuh .... and is that the only reason you want to do it... because it makes you feel light and dizzy?
	Relaxed
	Uhuh... and relaxed..... and what else are you getting from that experience that would make you want to do it again and again?
	Time
	Uhuh... and time... and what else about that time?
	Something to do .... and fill in....		REAL REASON FOR SMOKING
	Something to do and fill in....
	And is having time and something to do to fill in worth all the expense... the money .... and the disapproval.... and feeling stupid...
	no
	.... and  out of control....
	So thinking back to that incident four weeks ago.... do you know now why you bought that pack of cigarettes?
	It's for the head rush and then.... just.... a habit... fill the time...
	It’s for the head rush and a habit to fill the time.... But you are not really happy about that decision are you?
	No
	And was the head rush worth it?
	No
	And what did you learn from the four weeks when you gave it up totally?
	Had more money
	REFRAME THE EXPERIENCE
Memory	And more money.... But I wonder if there wasn't something more important that you learned?		Transderivational Search
Capability	I wonder if maybe you learned that you have the ability... to control yourself... to choose.... that after fifteen years... more or less... you were able to stop instantly.... and you got rid of all those false ideas.... and you realised... that even after all that time ... you have an amazing power ...		Reframe the meaning of the experience
Capability	you have an ability to stop just like that..... you just put your foot on the brake and it stops....		Metaphor
	and I wonder how long you could keep your foot on that brake?   Is it really only four weeks?		Supposition

 

GESTALT INTERVENTION SECTION

	You CAN CHANGE the past
	And ask yourself [clientname].... do you really want to go back to smoking? Because... you know... you don't have to....	D
	I think that you have had a little experiment.... You wanted to see whether you would still get the same feeling.... that you had when you started smoking all those years ago at fifteen....		Reframing
	if you'd get that... and now I think you realise that you don't.	D
	Because if you rally think about those cigarettes.... they were not satisfactory.... you got a head rush.... so what? There are other ways of getting that... Sure it fills some time in.... but your life is not so empty that that's the only thing you can do to fill in time.... you know better ways to fill in time, don't you? And you know that that head rush ... is just a head rush.... So what? What does it do for you? It doesn't do anything for you really. And you have memories associated with that that you wanted to bring back.... you can have those memories.... you can have that wonderful feeling you used to have.... you don't need cigarettes.. you don't need to smoke.... you can just think about it... it's there for you... and deep down inside you know that...	D
	And I'd like you to go back to that fifteen year old.... and the head rush... and I wonder if you can see that fifteen year old outside the bedroom?  I wonder if you can imaging yourself as you are now.... at thirty years old... walking up to that boy.... explaining to him.... that that's what children do... I wonder if you can explain to him... that he wanted to grow up... that he wanted to feel... different.... and he told himself that the head rush was a great thing.... I'd like you to spend some time now... with that boy... I'd like you to wrap your arms round him... to enter that body... to bring that wisdom that you have from your thirty years or so.....		Gestalt Visualisation
	And in whatever way seems comfortable to you... whatever way you'd like to do it... see yourself... explaining to that boy... see the boy looking at you with respect.... and interest... and maybe not quite sure... but you can persuade that boy... that it's really not what he wants to do... that all things he thinks of it... are in fact.... just because he's fifteen.... that he doesn't really know how the world works.... or even how his own body works... how his own mind works.... and you can explain to him ... you can really make him understand....that smoking is a mistake.... that he doesn't ever have to have another cigarette.... that he can find ways to stop feeling like it... that he has all the pleasure... of going back to that age... and  enjoying being fifteen and the power ... and the feeling of being in control.... having something to do that makes you look grown up ... get you accepted... fits in... that all those feelings can still be there.... and he doesn't need to smoke...
	And so I'd like you to spend some time with that boy.... use your experience... talk to him the way you would ...I dunno.... maybe your own kid... or an employee.... a friend's kid.... really use those powers to explain to him... that you don't need it any more... that it was a mistake... he thought he was doing well... and there were some benefits... but the health benefit now.... overweighs that... and the money is too important now... at this stage in your life... that it has to stop.... and the appearance... and the attitude of the people who love you... are too important now...and it has to stop...
	So you can spend whatever time you need in whatever way you want and talk to that boy... get him to see get him to truly understand at a deep level ... that it is over.... that the little experiment of the last couple of weeks hasn't worked....

 

CLIENT CONVINCER SECTION

	You acknowledge and commit to change
	Tell me when it's time to go back... and be ready to place that ball in the park... and line up the uprights... and from now on... kick straight and true.... every day ....day after day.... explain to him that that....  is a much better.... goal.... than anything he ever thought at fifteen...
Identity	And being able to walk away... clean... wealthy... respected... healthy... is much more important... so take you time to explain to that boy... and when you are ready... your unconscious mind will select.... maybe the left side ... maybe the right side.... and you'll feel that hand just moving on its own ... and that will let you know that you have made a decision to finish...  so take that time now... and allow you own body.... your mind... to indicate when you are ready to go on...		Get unconscious commitment
	Yes [hand moves]

 

ACTION METAPHOR SECTION

	You have defused the bomb
memory	Now [clientname] you've gone back in time... and it's like someone in the bomb squad going back and defusing a situation... that fuse has been burning for fifteen years...		visualisation
Capability	and you stamped it out once.... and it started up again... and now you can just yank it right out.... and throw into a bucket of water.... and it goes out forever...	D	action metaphor
Identity	and you can just brush your hands together... and realise that that's another job over... and you can walk out...

 

DOUBLE DISSOCIATION SECTION

	You can experience the benefits of your new life
	and imagine yourself in that football ground.... imagine yourself sitting in the grandstand... and there... there's a fifteen year old boy... going out there.... addressing the ball... and kicking it straight and true.... again and again and again.... and as watch that boy grows older... and gets better and better.... until now that boy is your age and you can see yourself coming out everyday... lining it up... automatically... effortlessly... lofting it over... straight and true... and knowing how good you feel about that.... and you can become aware of a crowd behind you cheering each goal... each daily success.... that you were not aware of before...		Dissociation
Identity	and as you sit there in that grandstand....  I'd like you to think about your life.... your wife... your parents... your job... the people who work with you... and all those friends who are so surprised ... you've given up totally... and how surprised are they going to be now? Because you have extinguished that... that burning need has gone.... you don't have that smoke in your nose any more... you don't have that spark... you have extinguished it... it's out....		Address specific client concerns
Behaviour	And think of how happy your wife will be.... and think of the respect you will get from your parents... and think of the attitude of your colleagues at work.... and just think of what you could buy with that extra money each week.... I wonder if you'd rather get a new suit.... or a sports car... or something for the house... maybe a nice present for the wife....		Reinforce client desires

 

DIRECT SUGGESTION SECTION

	You are IN CONTROL
	All of that stuff is there now.... and as you sit that grandstand... you can feel that determination again...	I	Sensory
	the same determination you had way back when you last spoke to me.... when you left here... when you knew that you could light up any time... but you also knew you never would...	D	Post Hypnotic Suggestion
Memory	And you can forget all about that boy... and how he felt... and instead I want you to focus on the goal...	D
	I want you to really think about what it is to go through the day every day getting it right.... and how it becomes automatic.... and effortless.... and think about other people's attitudes...  and yourself...and the extra money... and how it is going to affect your career at work... and how it is going to affect your home life....	D	Match breathing
	and every breath reminds you of how wonderful it is to breath clean and fresh air....	D	Match breathing
	and you know you've skill to do this... you know that you can hit that goal every time...	D	Pacing
	you don't ever have to light again... because it's extinguished, isn't it? ... It's gone.....	D
	And so when you open your eyes in a few moments....not now... you will bring with you all that determination you had originally... and that will see you through forever... because that boy and his ideas is not going to bother you again.... You've fixed that.	D
	And just like you succeeded in the first four weeks the next four weeks and the next four months and the next four years... and the next forty years.... you're going to succeed...	>
	and no matter what happens between now and the future you will be able to handle it ....	D
	and if the idea of smoking ever comes into your mind again...you will just laugh.... because you know you could smoke... but you also know you choose not to.... ..	>
Capability	And you know you don't need to... because you've given up for four weeks...and that something you have proved to everybody...and you have proved it to yourself.... because if you can give it up for four weeks, you can give it up for another four weeks.... and another four months and another four years and another forty years..	>
	And from now on [clientname] you'll feel differently about it ...	I
Behaviour	you'll feel more in charge....	D
	because you've been through this little period of... missing... it was just a test..	>	Reframe
Capability	and you can go back to being right on target... every time... every day... every time that ball sails through between those uprights.... you'll feel wonderful... you'll feel... sure of yourself... you know who you are... and you know why you are doing it...	D
	And you might be surprised at just how curious you can be about your change ...		Supposition bind
Capability	about how different things are going to be from now on.... because you can pick up that ball... line it up and hit it every time....	>
Memory	and when it deviated before it was because you were thinking about it... and you don't think about it any more... and it just goes through automatically sailing...		Amnesia
	and you can see it in your mind... that ball .... tumbling through the air ... dead straight.... right on.... and you can see it day after day....dead straight....	D	Visualisation
	and I wonder how good that makes you feel?   I wonder how good it is going to make your wife feel?

 

REORIENTATION SECTION

	You will remember all these changes
Behaviour	So now.... in moment you are going to waken up... and you are going to remember to forget...	D	Amnesia
	and you now have a new skill of being able to drop instantly into relaxation... to really really reinforce this idea...	D
	and you know you've changed ...	I
	so beginning to count now .... I'm going to count from five to one.... when I get to one you will be wide awake feeling great...
	FIVE... FOUR ... feeling coming back into your hands and feet.... THREE getting ready to take a deep breath.. eyelids fluttering.... TWO eyelids beginning to flutter....head beginning to move... getting ready for a big stretch and a yawn.... ONE eyes open back to the present.
	Funny how your hand goes to sleep
	It went to sleep because I told you to.....[smiles]		Reassurance
	Feel like a cigarette now?
Behaviour	No .		Post Hypnotic suggestion
	No. Not at all. You've given me a lot to think about.

 

 

 

David Mason www.hypknowsis.com © 2007

 

 

• Topic: Hypnosis Scripts