Stop Smoking and Acupuncture

Cameron Bishop M.Ac. AP

Copyright 2011

Acupuncture can help most people to over come the physiological addiction to nicotine in the average of six treatments.

The addiction of smoking is a complex issue and the strength varies from individual to individual. There are many reasons people smoke- social, physiological addiction, boredom, sugar drop, image, social anxiety, self destructive behavior, poor coping skills and more.

To use acupuncture the most effectively and economically start cutting down now. Nicotine stays in your system for six hours. Most cigarettes are smoked out of habit. If you smoke, only smoke. Don’t do anything else- don't drive, watch TV, or talk on the phone, just stare at a wall and smoke. After two weeks your mind stops associating smoking with an activity. Cut down the number you smoke and count to thirty before you start smoking. This puts a delay between you and the inhalation. Usually your mind reroutes and you may realize you don’t really want to smoke anyway. Choose a stop date. Pick an anniversary or birthday or important holiday. Start working towards that date. Pick a time to come in for acupuncture to start assisting. It maybe any time in this process. Come into the office in full withdrawal- having not smoked for six hours or more. When you leave you will feel better.

Most of smoking is a habit. When I put my shoes on in the morning I put my right sock on, right shoe, left sock and then left shoe. I don’t know why. Maybe that’s how my mom taught me. For me or you to break that habit is hard. We have to stop and think reroute and try another order. You get it, right? It takes a couple weeks to make a new habit. Most people hear and phone and a cigarette goes in their mouth or they can’t start their care without lighting a cigarette. Breaking the habit alone through mindfulness alone can often lead to complete smoking cessation.

Acupuncture and herbs can help with the anxiety, craving, sleep, weight and other problems associated with the stop of smoking. Each pack of cigarettes is estimated to cost you forty dollars in increased health costs and more. That’s five dollars a cigarette you spend. Some people add the thousands they spend a year on smoking and decide to quit and use the money for vacation! List your reasons you are stopping, pick a date and call us up to help you stop smoking.