NSMC News Releases

Salem, Mass. (May 18, 2011) – Hypnosis is on its way to becoming more widely accepted as an effective treatment for smoking cessation based on research conducted at North Shore Medical Center (NSMC). 

Preliminary results of a study, led by Faysal Hasan, M.D., the principal investigator and medical director of NSMC’s smoking cessation program, showed that patients who participated in one hypnotherapy session were more likely to be non-smokers at six months compared with patients using nicotine replacement therapy alone or patients who quit “cold turkey.” Now NSMC researchers are exploring new aspects of hypnosis for smoking cessation in their new study HYPQUIT, and are in need of North Shore volunteers.

“Our initial results suggest that hypnotherapy can be very useful and that combining it with other treatments is optimal for success,” said Dr. Hasan. “Now we just need to expand our research.”

Clinical hypnotherapist Karen Pischke, R.N., B.S.N., who offers this intervention for the study, says during hypnosis, patients enter a state of “focused concentration” where suggestions are believed to be more readily accepted.

“Part of it is changing their perception of themselves from a smoker to a non-smoker,” she said.

The study is titled “Hypnotherapy for smoking cessation: factors for improving self-motivation and efficacy for smoking cessation,” and is referred to as “HYPQUIT.” Funded by the Norman H. Read Charitable Trust, the study is designed for smokers interested in receiving free hypnosis treatment for smoking cessation. Participation includes an enrollment process, minimum of one hypnotherapy session, listening to that session on CD, up to five on-site visits and follow-up phone call counseling over a 12-month period.

To find out if you’re eligible to participate, or to learn more about HYPQUIT, call study coordinator Joanne Rowley, MS, RN-CS at 978-745-4391 ext. 247.