Smoking is one of the most difficult habits to quit. Highly addictive, it requires a great deal of will power which most people find difficult to muster. Hence, additional help is required. Now, apart from the standard commercially produced remedies like nicotine patches and chewing gum, people have realized that natural remedies are more likely to be effective.

Acupuncture

One of the more popular remedies is acupuncture, which involves the use of hair thin needles which are inserted into different points in and around the ear. For additional support between sessions, some acupuncturists offer tiny balls, about the size of a ball-point pen tip, that are taped to the ear with invisible tape. When the smoker experiences a craving for nicotine, pressure has to be applied on the ball, which in turn stimulates the acupuncture point.

Lobelia

The herb lobelia (lobelia inflata) is used in many anti-smoking products and has been found to help smokers tackle the effects of nicotine withdrawal. Lobeline, the active ingredient in lobelia, is considered to have similar effects on the body as nicotine.

Research has shown that lobeline possibly increases levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain as do cigarettes. Dopamine affects mood and induces feelings of pleasure.

St. Johns Wort

Although St. John’s Wort (Hypericum Perforatum) is primarily used for depression, some research on this herb has shown that it often helps people with quitting smoking.

Ginseng

Ginseng has been known to retard the nicotine-induced release of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine helps people feel good after smoking which is a big part of the addiction process.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy offers a psychological approach to fight cigarette addiction. During hypnotherapy, the patient is subjected to subliminal commands to the brain to fight the addiction to nicotine. Music is played to relax him/her, increasing susceptibility to the message.