Acupuncture for Addiction

Quitting smoking cigarettes, or taking other addictive drugs, can be difficult. As you may have experienced, withdrawal from an addictive substance can cause anxiety and intense cravings, and may disturb your eating or sleep patterns. The cravings and anxiety are the most difficult obstacles you need to overcome in order to quit successfully.

This is where acupuncture comes in.

Acupuncture Calms Anxiety and Cravings

Acupuncture calms anxiety and gives you a sense of contentment. The endorphins that are released during acupuncture, the same chemicals that relieve pain, give you a sense of relaxation and contentment. This is a natural “high” that lingers for a few days, during which the anxiety and cravings will be diminished. This is the easiest time to quit.

Getting Through the First Week

Since the endorphins from the acupuncture only last a few days, you will need two treatments during the first week. This first week is a crucial time, as the worst of the chemical addiction will be over after this week. You may want to have a third or fourth treatment if there are still some cravings during the second week. After this time you should have gotten over your physical addiction. Which brings us to the question of the mental addiction and preventing relapse.

Wanting to Quit

Before we begin the treatments you must be sure that you truly want to quit. That you are not just doing this for a friend of family member, but that you know that you need to quit and that you are ready. If you truly want to quit, acupuncture can help you through it, and there are measures you can take after quitting that will help with the mental addiction, oral fixation and old habits. Ultimately it is you that has to quit, I just make it easier. If you know you need to do this, and you are ready, give me a call.

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