I paid a hypnotist £950 to ‘cure' me of my addiction to bad boys – but still ran back to my red flag ex after a 2am text

Scottish Sun

14 hours ago

Find out why she hasn't been in a proper relationship for ten years
UNDER A SPELL I paid a hypnotist £950 to 'cure' me of my addiction to bad boys – but still ran back to my red flag ex after a 2am text
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A DECADE ago, Jana Hocking hit rock bottom.
She woke up with sickening shame at the memory of crying at her ex-boyfriend's front door, begging him to come out and talk to her.
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Heartbroken and humiliated, Jana called her mother after her ex told her to 'f**k off'
Credit: Instagram /@jana_hocking
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In total, she forked out over £900 to 'cure' her addiction to bad boys
Credit: INSTAGRAM/Jana Hocking
They had just broken up - again. Their four-year relationship had been like watching soap opera - explosive arguments galore, passionate reconciliations, cheating, two stints in prison (him, not her), and several family-led interventions begging Jana to leave.
But despite all the anger issues and insane jealousy, she loved him - madly.
However, that night was different, the Daily Mail columnist recently revealed.
Up until them, the couple's ''usual pattern was fight, sulk, then make-up sex''.
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But when she showed up to his house to repeat the same routine - one they had followed so many times - he didn't come to the door.
Instead, she got a muffled ''f**k off'' through the glass, before his mate emerged to break the news that it was officially over.
Heartbroken and humiliated, Jana called her mother, who came over and slept next to her, as she sobbed for hours on end.
While she was relieved the relationship had come to an end, she was worried for her daughter.
''The next morning, she handed me a book on limerence (an unhealthy, involuntary obsession with another person) and gently suggested I see a therapist.''
She read the book and saw the therapist - but the pain didn't go away and she longed to see her ex-partner.
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So when a pal mentioned a hypnotist who had just moved into her office building, Jana didn't think twice.
''Surely this woman could rewire my brain to stop going for bad boys (spoiler alert: this wasn't my first rodeo) and finally make me fall for the elusive 'nice guy'?'' she wondered.
15 Relationship red flags to look out for
Red flags are warning signs that indicate unhealthy or manipulative behaviour. When you encounter relationship red flags, it's a good time to pause and reflect on the dynamic you really share with that person. Overly controlling behaviour Lack of trust Feeling low self-esteem Physical, emotional, or mental abuse Substance abuse Narcissism Anger management issues Codependency Inability to resolve conflict Constant jealousy Gaslighting Lack of emotional intelligence Negatively affecting your relationship with family and friends Inability to communicate openly Lack of social connection or friends
For more advice and support, Relate is available: "Whether it's your relationship with a partner, a child, a family member or anyone else - we help everyone to build better relationships."
In total, the hypnotist reckoned Jana would need four sessions minimum, each one setting her back almost £240.
She was a broke junior producer living off instant noodles, but she was desperate.
Jana raided her savings and paid the hefty £950 upfront.
For the next month, she 'put Jana under' once a week, and dug through childhood memories, whilst reframing thought patterns, and implanting healthy boundaries in her brain.
But there was a plot twist - the hypnotist set the boundaries so high, that it's now been a decade since Jana has had ''a proper boyfriend''.
Before this, she might have overlooked a few red flags. Now, one tiny whiff of toxic traits is enough for Jana to run away as fast as she can.
''I've become maddeningly picky. My mother calls it 'too picky'. I call it finally having standards.''
Sadly, the hypnotist didn't cure Jana of her attraction to bad boys - but while they still get her going, the singleton no longer dates them.
'You up?'
Fast-forward to six months after the brutal break-up, Jana received an unexpected text from her ex-boyfriend at 2am.
''You up?'' read the text to which Jana tried her hardest to ignore.
''Did the hypnotist fix you yet? Nice guys are fun lol,'' he messaged almost 15 minutes later.
''Come over. I'll behave if you do.''
Like a moth to a flame, Jana booked an Uber and drove straight to his house for one last hurrah.
But when the red flag ex suggested getting back together the following morning, Jana didn't feel anything - ''just closure''.
While the hypnotist may not have stopped the singleton from hopping into bed with her ''bad boy ex'' she did at least stop her from committing to men like him.
However, there's a small problem - she may have accidentally stopped her dating full-stop.
More therapy, soul-searching and even a psychic or two - Jana has since tried everything.
But a decade later, it feels like her ''forever man'' is not coming after all.
''It turns out there are no quick fixes for heartbreak. No magic wands.
''Just hard lessons, a lot of unsexy self-work, and hopefully one day… a nice guy who still manages to make me feel just the right kind of dangerous.''