In yesterday’s post on how acupuncture can help you to stop smoking, we talked about how 2 or 3 shorter acupuncture treatments per week were more effective than 1 longer treatment per week during those first 3 weeks when the cravings are at their worst.

Before someone gets to that stage though, it is important for them to think about their mindset and whether they really do want to give up smoking. When patients first come in, one of the first things we ask is whether they really do want to give up. It sounds silly to ask this question seeing as that is why they said they have come in, but it is important to check this commitment to change.

Sometimes people feel that they ought to give up smoking, or maybe their partner is always on at them to quit, but when it comes down to it they still really enjoy having that cigarette after meals, or having a smoke when they drink, or sharing a smoking break with colleagues from the office…

If this is the case, it is unlikely that the treatment will be successful, and indeed it is unlikely that any treatment would be successful (e.g. hypnosis, patches etc). Acupuncture cannot make someone change their mind if mentally they are not ready to quit.

On the other hand, if someone is really ready to quit smoking but is just having trouble breaking the physical cravings then acupuncture can be a very powerful agent for change. Acupuncture (and especially ear acupuncture) causes a release of endorphins in the brain. These are the body’s pleasure chemicals and help to suppress the craving for cigarettes. They are also the reason why many people feel so relaxed after an acupuncture treatment. So, if someone is mentally ready to quit cigarettes for good but can’t quite beat those physical cravings then acupuncture could be just the thing.

Tags: mental state, smoking