Acupuncture to Quit Smoking
Acupuncture can be a very beneficial part of your plan to quit smoking. Nicotine is a strong addiction, and during withdrawal you will experience a number of symptoms.
Acupuncture during this time can help you reduce cravings and lessen the symptoms associated with withdrawal, such as:
- irritability
- anxiety
- headache
- poor concentration
- fatigue
- restlessness
- insomnia
- digestive issues
- stress
Acupuncture has very few side effects, and is a safe method to help you quit smoking. A high percentage of people who use acupuncture to help them quit smoking are successful in reaching their goal.
Acupuncture treatment takes place during two phases:
- During the first week that you stop smoking you will need at least two treatments. These treatments are geared towards helping you deal with the immediate symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. This is the hardest week so it is important to come in for treatment as often as necessary.
- During the following two weeks, usually two to four additional treatments are recommended to help you continue in the process of quitting smoking. These treatments are focused on your specific symptoms and help you deal with the stresses involved with quitting. There are many triggers to smoking that are not associated directly with the nicotine addiction itself, and acupuncture is a very useful tool to get through this mentally exhausting stage.
After the first three weeks, one visit per week is usually sufficient, or may not even be needed; treatment continues until you are confident with your progress in a new lifestyle without cigarettes.
You will also be encouraged to practise self-acupressure with the use of pressure points on the ear. This will help you to manage cravings at home between treatments.
It is very important to have a plan in place when you quit smoking. It is difficult to succeed with only a desire to quit, and no strategy for dealing with the ingrained cravings and habits you have built up over a long period of time. Know your motivations for quitting, and make a detailed game plan for how you will modify your behaviour when you encounter your triggers for smoking. The more support you create for yourself, and the more you plan ahead, the more likely to be successful you will be.
So, set a date and use all the resources available to you to successfully quit smoking!
Other resources to help you quit smoking:
- Smokers’ Helpline 1-866-332-2322
- http://www.albertaquits.ca/
- The Quickstart Guide to Quitting a Bad Habit: http://zenhabits.net/badhabit/