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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How can I resist the urge to smoke?

    Related Topics
    Addiction Smoking
    I know smoking is an awful habit… it's terrible for my health and it's also a very expensive habit. I have the great idea to quit smoking ALL the time but that motivation only last 1-2 days. I simply cannot resist the urge to smoke! Help?
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  • Lyn Craven

    Bowen Therapist, Naturopath, Nutritionist, Western Herbal Medicine Practitioner

    I specialise in gastrointestinal health problems, (leaky gut syndrome, allergies, bloating, candida, IBS, constipation, dysbiosis, reflux), women's health, back/neck pain, RSI, carpel tunnel syndrome, rotating/tilting … View Profile

    This can be challenging for most people - resisting smoking when wishing to abstain.

    What works for one, may not for another.

    Psychologically, if you take something a way, you must replace it with something else - i.e. fruit,
    nurishing food, hobbies, physical activity/sport. Something you enjoy!

    Homoeopathic remedies that have no side effects have proven to be very helpful in treating the
    addictive centre of the brain, lessening the craving.  Backed up with some herbal remedies for
    stress/anxiety etc that may be a trigger.  Ultimately the source triggers need to be ascertained and treated.

    Using meditation in particular creative visualisation where you use the power of your mind to create a positive outcome - on a daily basis.

    Massage, Bowen therapy and aromatherapy along with acupuncture should be combined with the above to help the craving and allow you to resist the smoke !

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  • Shekhar Mahatme

    Hypnotherapist

    I am an Accredited Clinical Hypnotherapist. I am passionate to help people become permanent non-smokers & with Weight Loss, Phobias, Anxiety, Stress, Panic Attacks, Addictions, … View Profile

    It sounds like you are seeking to give up smoking rather than just “resist the urge to smoke”, as you seem aware of the horrible side of smoking.
    Smokers are mainly of two types - those that smoke out of habit and those that smoke due to anxiety causing issues or mini-events. Both these are issues emanating from the sub-conscious mind. Hence by re-programming the sub-conscious mind through the technique of hypnotherapy, quitting becomes much easier.
    Research shows that as compared to all other ways of quitting, Hypnotherapy is a technique that has the highest rate of success - both for quitting and staying a non-smoker in the long run. There are also no side effects as no drugs are involved
    A good hypnotherapy practitioner should be able to help you Quit and stay a non-smoker

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  • Dr Simon Easterbrook-Smith

    Health Professional

    My research interests include immunology and the mechanisms of amyloid formation. The latter has implications for people who are dealing with Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease … View Profile

    I quit smoking a couple of years ago.

    Remember that nicotine is a highly addictive drug - it is comparable with alcohol and opiates (eg, heroin) from a pharmacological perspective.

    I used nicotine patches, which you can buy from a chemist without a prescription. I started on a high dose and tapered off slowly over months - this approach is “evidence-based medicine 101” for people who are physically addicted to nicotine.

    Apart from that, I kept count of the money that I saved by not smoking. Every so often I would reward myself with a treat from the money that I saved - a book, a nice restaurant meal, etc. This helped me to remain motivated.

    All the best.

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