Fortunately, the excessive repetition of sittings can be avoided through a simple device of auto-suggestion. Suppose a patient is treated by hypnosis for the habit of excessive smoking. While in the state, he is given a cigarette to smoke and conditioned, say, to the emotion of disgust. In order to re-arouse this feeling at regular intervals, without subjecting him to further treatments, he is given, on being awakened from the trance, a note-book on the cover of which a label is attached, with the following words conspicuously printed:
As the patient receives this note-book, he is instructed as follows: "It is very important that you make a daily report on the progress of your cure, even it it be 'No change'. This note-book will help you a good deal, by reminding you of the suggestion you have now received from me. Every time you take the book to write down your report, read carefully the title. On this date next month, come to see me again." As all suggestion is rooted in the functions of the autonomic nervous system, such use of auto-suggestion can often be properly and advantageously combined with hypnosis.
