Alternatives To Smoking Cigarettes
The evidence against cigarettes is startling and cannot be ignored. Cancerous and toxic to the environment as well as people around you, cigarettes just aren’t a good choice. Yet, in the early days of recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, cigarettes are a necessary choice. Rather than pick up another drink or drug on the way to relapse, reaching for a cigarette to support stress is understandable.
Though many treatment centers advocate smoking cessation, taking away every single remainder of chemical dependency can sometimes be too much for those who are in treatment. One of the main themes in recovery is finding healthy ways to cope with cravings, stress, emotions, and “life on life’s terms” without having to turn to any kind of substances.
Cigarettes are addicting, causing cigarette users to experience detox, symptoms of withdrawal, and cravings. Enough of that is experienced in chemical dependency to drugs and alcohol. However, cigarettes are a considerably better option than alcohol and hard drugs.
Thankfully, the days of having to quit cigarettes cold turkey and suffer the consequences are gone. Chewing gums, medicated patches, and a number of treatments are available to increase the ease of quitting cigarettes. Here are some alternative ways to approach saying goodbye to your last habit and living a totally clean life.
Acupuncture
- Acupuncture is an eastern tradition of preventative medicine which uses specific points in the body to activate different organs and functions. Reducing symptoms of withdrawal, acupuncture can aid in detoxifying the body, improving lung function, and helping the brain relax.
Caffeinated Teas
- Cigarettes can trigger the same reward system in the brain as drugs and alcohol. Stimulant substances are helpful in overriding specific cravings, but can run the risk of triggering other cravings, for example, many people crave cigarettes when they have coffee. However, caffeinated teas can be helpful for introducing herbs to the body, which can also be healing as well as detoxifying.
Essential Oils Products
- There are vaporizers and inhalers for essential oils like there are for nicotine based “e-cigarette” products. Essential oils provide many different benefits for the mind and the body, including relaxation and stress relief.
Lakehouse Recovery Center offers small, private treatment to men and women seeking to recover from drug and alcohol addiction as well as secondary mental health issues. Our comfortable high end home sits upon the serene landscape of Lake Sherwood in the Southern California hills. Offering the best in holistic and clinical treatment, we strive to help clients heal while showing them how to enjoy life clean and sober. For more information, call us today at 877.762.3707.