STOP SMOKING

SMOKING CIGARETTES OVER YEARS CAN BE AS POTENTIALLY FATAL AS INJECTING HEROIN, SNORTING COCAINE, CHEWING OXYCONTIN TABLETS.  THE NICOTINE IN CIGARETTES IS JUST AS ADDICTING AS ANY OTHER SUBSTANCE OF ABUSE.  IN FACT,   ONE OF THE REASONS THAT CIGARETTE COMPANIES HAVE BEEN ASKED TO PAY SEVERE FINES IS BECAUSE THE COURT CASES UNCOVERED THE FACT THAT THESE COMPANIES DELIBERATELY MANIPULATED THE CONTENT OF NICOTINE THAT THE SMOKER GETS INTO HIS BODY.  THIS MANIPULATION WAS NOT TO IMPROVE THE TASTE OF THE CIGARETTE BUT TO INCREASE THE CHANCE THAT ONCE SOMEONE STARTS SMOKING THEY WOULD BECOME ADDICTED TO SMOKING.   SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO ABUSED MULTIPLE SUBSTANCES WERE ABLE TO STOP HEROIN AND ALCOHOL BUT COULD NOT KICK THE CIGARETTE HABIT.  

• AS WITH OTHER ADDICTIONS THE TREATMENT MUST BE AVAILABLE AS SOON AS THE STRONG URGE TO RESUME THE DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR MANIFESTS ITSELF.  IF THE PATIENT WAITS UNTIL THE NEXT SCHEDULED TREATMENT NOT WANTING TO BOTHER THE DOCTOR OR THINKING THAT THEY ARE TOO BUSY THEY WILL PROBABLY START SMOKING AGAIN FOR A FEW DAYS UNTIL THE NEXT TREATMENT APPOINTMENT.  IF THE PATIENT GETS INTO THE HABIT OF STARTING AND STOPPING THEY WILL PROBABLY NOT KEEP COMING FOR ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT.  IT IS EASIER TO  BLAME THE TREATMENT RATHER THAN TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR NOT COMING FOR ACUPUNCTURE AS OFTEN AS NEEDED EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS MADE CLEAR BEFORE BEGINNING ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT.  
• IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE TREATING PROFESSIONAL TO RECOGNIZE THAT SMOKING CIGARETTES CAN SERVE AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION IN A PERSON'S LIFE.  PATIENTS REPORT THAT SMOKING SEEMS TO CALM THEIR ANXIETY.   IT IS IMPORTANT TO DECREASE THE ANXIETY EITHER BY OTHER RELAXATION ACTIVITIES, ACUPUNCTURE, YOGA, RELAXATION BREATHING BEFORE STARTING TO STOP SMOKING.  
•  PEOPLE CAN BE IN THE HABIT OF ASSOCIATING SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES (E.G. DRINKING COFFEE, DRINKING ALCOHOL, SEX ETC) WITH SMOKING A CIGARETTE.  THE MEMBERS OF SOME FAMILIES ALL SMOKE WHENEVER THEY ARE TOGETHER.   WATCHING AN OLDER FAMILY MEMBER DIE OF LUNG CANCER OR EMPHYSEMA IS NOT ALWAYS ENOUGH TO SCARE EVERY MEMBER OF THE FAMILY TO STOP PUTTING CIGARETTES IN THEIR MOUTH.   THE PRACTITIONER NEEDS TO  DISCUSS THESE POTENTIAL ISSUES WITH THE PERSON TRYING TO QUIT SMOKING.  THE PATIENT HAS TO BE ARMED WITH A STRICT COURSE OF ACTION THAT THEY CAN DO TO PREVENT SMOKING AGAIN.  TAKING A WALK OUTSIDE OR PURPOSELY GOING TO A PLACE WHERE SMOKING IS PROHIBITED HAS WORKED FOR SOME OF MY PATIENTS.  MOVING AWAY SO THAT YOU WILL NEVER SEE YOUR SMOKING FAMILY OR SWEARING OFF SEX WITH YOUR SPOUSE WILL PROBABLY NOT WORK.  SOME MEMBERS OF CONVENTS OR MONASTERIES HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO COMPLETELY STOP SMOKING.  
• THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR SUCCESS IN SMOKING CESSATION IS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL HAS A STRONG RESOLVE TO QUIT SMOKING.  YOU CANNOT QUIT TO PLEASE YOUR SPOUSE.  THE ACUPUNCTURE IS NOT MAGIC TO STOP SMOKING IF THE PATIENT DOES NOT COME OFTEN ENOUGH TO KEEP FROM SMOKING THE NEXT CIGARETTE.