Alternative Methods for Quitting Smoking: Hypnosis, Acupuncture, Meditation

Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a technique derived from traditional Chinese medicine that uses tiny needles to stimulate certain points on the body; for smokers, the idea is to help reduce cravings and ease withdrawal symptoms throughout the body.

Needle placement varies for each individual, but common points of insertion include the ears, feet, and top of the head. After an evaluation that may include reading the patient’s pulse and the color of his tongue, the acupuncturist can determine a smoker’s physical weaknesses and deploy the needles to address them accordingly.

Acupuncture is the most extensively studied among the alternative therapies used to quit smoking, but the research is mixed here too. A small study examining the effect of acupuncture alone and in combination with education found that acupuncture significantly reduced smoking. Acupuncture plus education was four times as effective as acupuncture alone. A meta-analysis of five acupuncture studies conducted by the U.S. Public Health Service, however, concluded that the evidence suggested that acupuncture was no more effective for smoking cessation than placebo.

Meditation
Meditation, which is intended to relax the body and refocus thoughts, may hold promise for smoking cessation when combined with conventional therapy. "There is an element of neurobiology behind it," says Dr. Sood, citing a 2002 study that showed that meditation releases dopamine in the brain—a process similar to nicotine triggering the relaxing feeling that smokers crave. Dr. Sood is currently leading a clinical trial on using meditation to facilitate quitting and prevent relapse among pregnant smokers. Meditation can also be a way to replace cigarettes’ stress-relieving qualities.

One common meditation technique is to find a comfortable, seated position and breathe in and out slowly through your nose; when your mind starts to wander, refocus it on your breathing instead. Start with five minutes a day, eventually working up to 20 minutes.

Other alternative methods sometimes used to augment the quitting process include the herb St. John’s wort, self-hypnosis, and guided imagery.