Is Vaping Actually "Better" Than Smoking? The Mental Trap
The "Safe Alternative"
That Became a Prison We were sold a lie. When vaping first arrived, it was marketed as the ultimate tool to quit smoking. AAnd for many, it worked—they stopped smoking cigarettes. But if you are here looking to quit vaping, you know the truth: you didn't stop the addiction."
But they didn't stop the addiction. They simply upgraded the delivery system.
The Frequency Trap
While vapes lack the tar of cigarettes, they possess a different danger:
Convenience. You can’t smoke a cigarette in your bed, in the office toilet, or discretely in a cinema. But you can vape almost anywhere.
This means the "hand-to-mouth" cycle—the physical habit—happens hundreds of times more per day than it ever did with smoking. You are no longer waiting 2 hours for a "nicotine break"; you are grazing on nicotine 24/7.
The Anxiety Spike
Most vapers report higher levels of background anxiety than smokers. Why? Because the "dopamine drip-feed" is constant. As soon as the device leaves your hand, the brain starts sending mild panic signals. You aren't relaxing; you are just temporarily silencing the withdrawal.
This is why my Stop Vaping Hypnotherapy session focuses so heavily on lowering these baseline stress levels.
Break the Loop
If you find yourself panicking when you lose your device, it’s time to regain control.
Book a free discovery call with Paul Matthews (online via Google Meet).
Next Steps
20+ Years Experience | Fully Insured | Online Worldwide
About the author
Paul Matthews is a Clinical Hypnotherapist specialising in PTSD/CPTSD, anxiety, and performance. With 20+ years’ frontline & clinical experience, Paul works online only across Ireland, the UK & Europe.
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Based in Dublin, providing confidential online hypnotherapy worldwide via Google Meet.
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Clinical Hypnotherapist & Nutritional
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Therapist specialising in PTSD, anxiety, addictions, and medical hypnotherapy for pain & IBS.
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Mission: help 20,000 people reclaim calm, confidence, and control with structured, outcome-tracked programmes.
Paul Matthews Hypnotherapy
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