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Tobacco dependence is an unfortunate consequence of the physical addiction to nicotine. And tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease in the United States. How does a person escape from the dependence on tobacco, even after one or more failed attempts to quit smoking in the past?
We have found that a combination of several individually successful strategies to quit the habit of smoking works better than any one tactic. We have put together a program that combines the following measures for a very highly effective approach to quit smoking.
1. Acupuncture
The acupuncture needles are extremely tiny and are placed with minimal discomfort on the outside of the ear and on one wrist at specially chosen spots. Most people find the 30-minute treatment comfortable. Afterwards, 6 tiny tacks are left in place on one ear for the person to use for occasional stimulation at home whenever the urge to smoke comes up between treatments. The effect of acupuncture is to blot out messages coming from the hypothalamus of the brain, messages that relate to appetites. As a result, the person simply loses the craving for the substance. The value of acupuncture in allowing cessation of bad habits has been established not only in tobacco dependence but also in heroine and cocaine addiction.2. Professional counseling by a trained psychologist
The use of counseling has been shown to be helpful to assist persons going through the experience. The trained professional can provide coping strategies and answer questions of how to deal with the daily situations that are typically associated with smoking cigarettes.3. Zyban, Wellbutrin, or St. John's Wort
Many experiments have been conducted to determine if medicines are useful to assist in coming off the smoking habit. Zyban or Wellbutrin (bupropion is the generic name) have proven efficacy in this situation. The drug is provided for one week prior to quitting and for 5 weeks after the initial day. Persons with objections to taking a pharmaceutical product are allowed the option of taking an herbal substitute (St. John's Wort)4. A set of behavioral strategies
It is very helpful to anticipate in advance about the daily situations that a person ordinarily would associate with smoking. Sometimes these situations are work-related, or social events, during which the smoking craving is an established behavior, almost like a reflex. The person who wishes to quit smoking must learn how to stop the bad behavior of smoking and replace it with a healthy (or at least not unhealthy) behavior. There are many ways to accomplish this, and it is always important to start by finding another person who can be available to reinforce the good behavior whenever a situation arises that the former smoker would usually have smoked in. Other behavioral strategies are described in the program.5. A class format with 3-5 students in the program together
The smoking habit is often (but not always) a social habit. Persons who go through an experience like cessation smoking seem to appreciate the chance to share the experience with like-minded individuals. After each acupuncture session, performed individually, the former smoker joins the group. Discussions in class, lasting approximately 1 hour, serve to mutually reinforce and support the class members. "Homework" assignments are used occasionally for added benefit.6. Four class sessions spread out over 3 weeks
The first class is scheduled to be on the day when the participants have cleared out all cigarette materials from the home, car, and workplace. There are two sessions in the first week, then a third in the second week and a final one the third week. For any individuals who need them, additional sessions are made available both during and following the regular 4-session period.Who is most likely to be successful in quitting smoking?
Individuals who apply for a program such as this one ought to have made up their minds that they truly do want to quit smoking. It is not enough that family members of the smoker want him or her to quit. The program is successful during the 3 weeks of the classes in most people if they are truly motivated, and can prevail upon their family, friends, and associates at work to respect the decision they have made to quit the habit. The long-range success of the program is dependent on the individual's maintaining the good behaviors that replace the smoking habit.For further information you may wish to contact Dr. Scheer by e-mail.
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1996-2005
Dr. Steven Scheer, MD. All rights reserved.
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