Want to quit smoking ? Try acupuncture or hypnosis

Acupuncture and hypnosis have been promoted as drug-free ways to help smokers kick the habit.


May 07, 2012

Acupuncture and hypnosis have been promoted as drug-free ways to help smokers kick the habit, and there is some evidence that they work, according to a research review that looked at 14 international studies.

Researchers, whose findings appeared in the American Journal of Medicine, said that there are still plenty of questions, including exactly how effective alternative therapies might be and how they measure up against conventional methods to quit smoking.

But the alternatives should still stand as options for smokers determined to break the habit, said researchers led by Mehdi Tahiri of McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

In general, smokers who want to quit should first try the standard approaches, which include nicotine-replacement therapy, medications and behavioral counseling, Tahiri said.

"But some people are not interested in medication," he said, adding that in many cases the standard therapies had not worked. "Then I think we should definitely recommend (acupuncture and hypnosis) as choices."

Researchers found that some studies showed that smokers subjected to acupuncture were more than three times as likely to be tobacco-free six months to a year later.

Similarly, across four trials of hypnosis, smokers had a higher success rate with the therapy compared to people who had minimal help.

But there were some caveats, researchers said. The success rate was not consistent in all the tests conducted, although the broad trends pointed to the benefits of alternate treatment.

A 2008 study that ran a few sessions of laser acupuncture on 258 smokers found that 55 percent who'd received the treatment quit the habit in six months, compared with four percent who were not given the treatment.

But a 2007 study from Taiwan that looked at needle acupuncture around the ear, the area typically targeted for smoking cessation, reported a lower success rate.

Only nine percent of those who were given acupuncture had quit after six months compared with six percent who stopped smoking without the treatment.

The situation was similar across the hypnosis trials. Two studies showed a significant impact : 20 to 45 percent of hypnosis patients were smoke-free six months to a year later. The other two trials showed smaller effects.

Nonetheless, Tahiri said, there was a "trend" toward a benefit across all of the studies of acupuncture and hypnosis.

There are still definitely questions, he added, about how many sessions of acupuncture or hypnosis might be necessary, or which specific techniques are best.

Other research reviews, though, have concluded that the jury is still out on alternative therapies for quitting smoking.

COMMENTS (4)

shouvik mukherjee | 11 years ago | Reply

I was a smoker for 14 years: from 18 to 32. Here is my experience: 1) The first 2 - 3 weeks are tough. The 1st week being the toughest. 2) Whenever I got the urge to smoke, I used a toffee or chewing gum. 3) Count the hours and then days that I was without a smoke to boost my self confidence. 4) Avoid my friends while they smoked. (This was critical, since I did not want to succumb to the temptation). Fortunately they understood and were supportive. 5) Got some physical exercise. I ran. And with each passing day without the cancer stick, my running improved which gave the motivation not to smoke. 6) Avoided alcohol during the quitting period. The tendency to light up while drinking is very strong. 6) I did not quit at the first try. I tired quitting at ages 20, 22, 26, 29 and finally succeeded at 32. So do not give up if your attempt fails. Keep trying and with each try your chances of quitting improve. And remember, the important thing is that you have tried to quit. Keep trying and you will succeed. Remember Thomas Edison.

Good luck.

anonymous | 11 years ago | Reply

this is the problem with modern humans.... weak willed and feeble minded... all it really takes is will power and mental determination.... millions of smokers do it in Ramadan as well through determination....this accupuncture and hypnosis is pure crap....i was a smoker for 12 years smoking at least one pack of hard cigarettes per day, not counting the other substances that required extra niccotine. I quit through sheer determination a year and a half ago and not one day have i been tempted to go back.

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