Originally published on the GrimsbyLive website: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/grimsby-news/cleethorpes-hypnotist-helps-fisherman-quit-11154706

Cleethorpes hypnotist helps fisherman quit heavy smoking habit

‘It’s amazing really, I have no idea how it works but I don’t smoke anymore’

A heavy smoker who carried the habit for 37 years has described his joy at having ditched the roll-ups with help from a Cleethorpes hypnotist. Fisherman, Stuart MacDougall, 52, had smoked since he was 15 years-old, and had developed a habit of between 80-100 roll-ups every day.

He was spending about £180 per week on tobacco and “constantly puffing away, night and day” in the wheelhouse of the fishing boat he skippers. But after just one session with hypnotist Pamela Hewstone, Stuart has now kicked the roll-ups and is feeling great.

“I felt it was killing me,” said Stuart, who spends long hours at sea. “It’s amazing really, I have no idea how it works but I don’t smoke anymore.”

Pamela, who operates under the umbrella of the British Society of Clinical Hypnosis, instructed Stuart – under hypnosis – to wear a band on his wrist and to “ping it” any time he felt like smoking. The simple technique has helped him break the thought process.

He said: “I came away from my meeting with Pam feeling strong and positive, I can’t stress how much or how important this band became on my wrist. I only have to look at the band now and that’s enough to curb any bad thoughts.

“And if I look at my band I instantly remember how disgusting they are and how happy I have become now.”

Pamela conducts many of her sessions over Zoom, and other sees other clients in person at her Cleethorpes home. She has spent 18 years as a clinical hypnotherapist – in that time helping people with a myriad of different problems including PTSD, phobias, fears and anxiety.

he described the “absolutely wonderful” feeling of helping others – like Stuart – to overcome those issues. Pamela explained: “Most people try something else before they try hypnosis. And a lots of people are sceptical until they’ve had a session.

“I get people come out of trance and say, “wow, Pam, I’ve never felt like that before, that was amazing”. I’ve never had anybody come out of trance and say they didn’t enjoy it.

“When you’re in trance it’s just simply a pleasant experience. You hear everything but noises go over the top of your head. If you have a window open an a fire engine goes by, people would hear that noise but not taken any notice of it.

“Sometimes you get a tiny bit of sensation to tell you you’ve moved on in to that next stage, sometimes its a tiny tingling at the end of your fingers or a feeling of lightness in your hand, or a heavy feeling sometimes. Or you might not get anything because the unconscious is very protective and it’ll only do what is right for you.”