Quit Smoking / Quit Vaping | Big Easy Acupuncture, Metairie LA
Congratulations on Taking the First Step
If you’re reading this, you’ve already decided that quitting smoking or vaping matters.
That decision alone puts you ahead of most people.
Quitting nicotine is not just about stopping a habit. It’s about supporting your body and nervous system through a real biological change. Withdrawal symptoms, cravings, irritability, sleep disruption, and stress spikes are common, especially in the first few weeks.
Acupuncture can help make this transition more manageable by calming the nervous system, reducing withdrawal intensity, and supporting focus and emotional steadiness while your body adapts to life without nicotine.
If you’re committed to quitting and want structured, steady support rather than relying on willpower alone, this approach may be a good fit.
Ready to support your quit attempt with acupuncture?
Call or text 504-650-0027 or book online to get started.
What Is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture uses clean, thin needles placed at certain points on the body to help it heal.
It comes from Traditional Chinese Medicine and is supported by modern research. Acupuncture helps with recovery and maintenance of people by:
- Reducing cravings
- Calming the nervous system to improve sleep, anxiety, and mood
- Improve breathing quality
- Improving blood flow
- Easing pain by releasing endorphins (body’s natural painkillers)
- Decompressing muscle areas and nerve bundles to have actions of the body happen more naturally
- Bringing the body back into balance
How Acupuncture Helps With Smoking Cessation
“Nicotine withdrawal symptoms typically begin within 24 hours, peak around 72 hours, and gradually diminish over the following 3 to 4 weeks” (McLaughlin et al., 2015).
Some of the largest stumbling blocks to becoming smoke-free are the stress, anxiety and mood changes associated with quitting.
Acupuncture helps by reducing withdrawal symptoms related to mood, physical body, and mental clarity as the person transitions into a smoke-free lifestyle
- Support Mood: Reduces anxiety, irritability, and low mood.
- Support Body: Helps ease tremors, digestive upset, and appetite changes.
- Support Mental Clarity: Supports focus, memory, and clear thinking
Specific points in the ear and wrist are often used, while others can help lower cravings, balance appetite, and support healing of the lungs and organs. NADA protocol is one of the most commonly applied ear protocols for smoking cessation. Herbal formulas may also be used to calm the body and provide a healthy alternative during the transition
Withdrawal Symptoms and Timeline
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) reports primary symptoms associated with nicotine withdrawal (American Psychiatric Association 2013) along with a general timeline of withdrawal symptoms:
3 Primary Categories:
- Affective (Mood-Related): Anxiety, sadness, anhedonia, dysphoria, hyperalgesia, and irritability
- Somatic (Body-Related): Shaking, heart rate changes, digestion issues or discomfort, appetite changes
- Cognitive (Thinking-Related): Trouble with focus, concentration, or forgetfulness
Cravings feel much more intensive at the beginning of smoking cessation. Your body and mind are detoxing from various areas and this takes time to shift the body into a new state.
Here’s what most people can expect when they quit:
- First 24 hours:
Cravings begin within a few hours of your last cigarette. Irritability, restlessness, and trouble concentrating often appear. - Days 2–3 (Peak Withdrawal):
By day 3, all the nicotine is out of your body. This is often the hardest time. Cravings feel strong, moods go up and down, and you might get headaches or feel hungrier. - Weeks 1–2:
Most physical symptoms (headaches, fatigue, digestive changes) start fading. Cravings are still there but usually come in short waves that last only a few minutes. - Weeks 3–4:
Your brain chemistry is adjusting to life without nicotine. Many people report feeling more clear-headed, having more energy, and breathing easier. Cravings are less frequent but can still be triggered by stress or routine. - After 1–3 months:
Physical withdrawal is largely gone. What remains is mostly habitual and psychological. Triggers such as being around smokers, drinking coffee, or social situations. That’s where strategies (like the ones you’re collecting) and acupuncture really shine.
Once you understand what nicotine withdrawal looks like, the next step is learning how to measure real progress over time.
Quitting Smoking Happens in Stages
Anyone can quit smoking short term. What matters is tracking how your actions help you learn to stay smoke-free over time.
Lasting change comes from tracking meaningful metrics, not chasing perfection. These stages help measure how your actions support a smoke-free goal that aligns with your personal values.
1. Tolerance
How long can you stay smoke-free with normal triggers around you?
This stage is about learning how your body and mind respond when cigarettes are no longer there.
Triggers might include:
- Stress
- Being around other smokers
- After meals
- Driving
- Habitual routines
Tolerance is not about willpower. It’s about how long your nervous system can stay steady without nicotine. Acupuncture can help calm cravings, reduce agitation, and make this stage more manageable.
Progress here looks like:
- Fewer cravings
- Shorter craving periods
- Feeling less reactive to triggers
2. Fortitude
If you slip, do you return to being smoke-free or fall back into regular smoking?
Fortitude is what happens after a cigarette, not before it.
If a cigarette happens, this stage asks:
- Do you stop again?
- Or does one turn into many?
Fortitude is the ability to interrupt the spiral. One cigarette does not erase progress. What matters is the decision to return to not smoking instead of giving up entirely.
Acupuncture supports this stage by:
- Reducing guilt and stress
- Helping regulate urges
- Making it easier to reset
- helping the body to detox
3. Resilience
How quickly do you return to living smoke-free after a cigarette?
Resilience is about recovery time, not perfection.
Instead of asking:
“Why did this happen?”
Resilience asks:
“How soon can I get back on track?”
Early on, it might take days.
Later, it might take hours.
Eventually, it may take minutes.
That shortening recovery time is real progress.
4. Adaptability
Do your habits improve, stay the same, or slowly get worse over time?
Adaptability looks at the big picture.
Over weeks and months:
- Are cravings decreasing?
- Are you handling stress differently?
- Are you building new routines that support not smoking?
Adaptability means your system is learning. Even small improvements matter. Acupuncture helps support this by calming the nervous system, reducing stress load, and making change feel less overwhelming.
A Different Way to Think About Quitting
Quitting smoking is not about being perfect.
It’s about learning how to return to balance faster each time.
If you’re ready to quit smoking or vaping, acupuncture can support your nervous system through each stage of the process.
Key Point
Most people find the worst of nicotine withdrawal is over within 2 weeks, with cravings dropping sharply after 1 month. From there, it’s mainly about breaking habits and avoiding triggers.
WAYS TO COUNTER AND RESIST TOBACCO CRAVINGS
- Know your triggers – Notice the times, places, or feelings that make you want to smoke. Make a plan for how to handle those moments differently.
- Write down or say out loud your reasons – Your own reasons to quit are powerful. The more reasons you list, the more you’ll remind yourself why quitting is worth it and why you should stick with it
- Focus on the benefits – Keep reminders visible: more energy, fresher breath, no smoke smell, and extra money in your pocket. Keep this somewhere visible if possible while you rewire your brain into new patterns
- Redefine your time as a non-smoker – Think about what you’ll do with the extra time. Imagine the healthier, smoke-free version of yourself and act like that person today. Become the future you now by embodying that persona.
- Find new ways to relax – Replace smoking with a walk, deep breathing, stretching, or another calming activity. Do something new with your time or just appreciate the time itself and be present with it.
- Use physical activity to manage cravings – Exercise, even light movement, helps cravings pass, boosts your mood, and strengthens your lungs. Find a physical activity you enjoy.
- Build your support network – Ask friends, family, or a coach to keep you accountable. Support groups can also help you stay on track.
- Choose a special time and place to buy cigarettes – Don’t buy them where you shop for other things. Keep it separate so you don’t grab a pack out of habit.
Extra Resources
Be connected to your state’s tobacco cessation services:
📱📞Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669)
Adults can also text QUITNOW to 333888 for free support.
Ready To Quit? Contact Us Today
If you’re ready to quit smoking or vaping for good, acupuncture can give you the calm, clarity, and support you need.
Call 504-650-0027 or Book Online Today using the book now link to start your smoke-free journey with Big Easy Acupuncture.
FEEL RIGHT. MOVE FREE. LIVE EASY.
References
- American Psychiatric Association . Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM 5. American Psychiatric Association; Washington: 2013.
- McLaughlin I, Dani JA, De Biasi M. Nicotine withdrawal. Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2015;24:99-123. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-13482-6_4. PMID: 25638335; PMCID: PMC4542051.
