🙇‍♀️ How many times have you struggled to stop smoking only to experience the cravings overtake you in their intensity and reluctantly you have restarted again?

 

🤦🏽‍♂️ Do you feel destined to be a smoker forever?

 

🤦🏻‍♀️ Do you feel like your goal is unachievable?

 

🤷🏿‍♂️ Do you really want to quit but feel like you just can’t?

 

🙋🏽‍♀️ Do you feel like you’ve tried every method under the sun and still not achieved non-smoker status?

 

💆🏼‍♂️ Do not despair, all is not lost..............

 

 

Acupuncture and the NADA protocol

The NADA protocol is a highly effective method to assist you in stopping smoking, and especially so for those who had been unsuccessful with other methods to stop in the past.

 

The treatment involves the gentle insertion of five ultra fine, single use, sterile stainless steel needles into specific energetic points in the outer ear, taking away the debilitating cravings associated with nicotine withdrawal, the biggest stumbling block to any stop smoking attempt.

 

 

How does it work?

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The outer area of the ear acts like a switchboard that sends impulses to the brain instructing it to stimulate the release of endorphins, which lower stress and induce relaxation and remove withdrawal symptoms.

 

The NADA treatment model was originally developed in the late 70’s in the Bronx at the Lincoln Memorial Hospital, in New York to help narcotic addicts with their recovery from substance abuse, dealing with trauma, anxiety, depression, irritability and cravings. Since then the use of The NADA protocol has become international and recognised for its effectiveness in help with all forms of substance withdrawal. It is also a very powerful tool in the treatment of a wide range of conditions including trauma and PTSD and is used in battlefield treatment.

 

The five ear points include:

 

❤️ Shen Men

Shen Men is the Master Point. Master points are always electrically active in comparison to the other points on the ear. This point is needled first as it relaxes the mind and assists the body in becoming more receptive to treatment. Shen Men is also commonly referred to “Divine Gate”, it is an incredibly powerful point that can be used to treat almost everything – depression, anxiety, stress, pain, inflammatory diseases, etc.

 

💜 Sympathetic

This is the reset point and returns the patient back to “relaxation mode”. Our sympathetic nervous system is our caveman survival mode, designed to kick start the body into fight or flight mode in dangerous situations. When this part of our system is activated, digestive and organ functions are instructed to shut down and all our energy is diverted into doing whatever is necessary to survive the emergency situation. However, in today’s high pressured lives, many people live in a constant sympathetic nervous system state, where they feel on constant high alert, worried, fearful, anxious and out of balance. We were never designed to live in this way long term, the kick start motor fired and got stuck in on!! When lives are led in this state of high alert, a multitude of emotional, mental, and physical health issues such as insomnia, anxiety and digestive issues are commonly experienced. In Parasympathetic mode, where we should be most of the time, our body and mind has the opportunity to regenerate and heal. By placing needles into the Sympathetic/Autonomic brings the body back to this state.

 

💙 Kidney

In Eastern Medicine, the kidney channel is associated with fear. Needling the Kidney point calms fear, assists in improving willpower, and soothes digestion. It also helps with the healing process of the internal organs ravaged by the effects of years of smoking.

 

💚 Liver

In Eastern Medicine, we associate the liver channel is with anger. This is an amazing point that helps to quell the aggression, anger and frustration that is often experienced during the withdrawal process. This fabulous little point also assists with the detoxification process, improving blood circulation and purification. It also helps to strengthen the digestive system, alleviate aches and pains and can be fundamental in lifting depression.

 

💛 Lung

Eastern Medicine associated the Lung meridian with the emotions of grief and sadness, some of the reasons why we become dependant on nicotine in the first place. As you would imagine, the lung point helps to control breathing, assisting in nourishing the body with clean fresh oxygenated air that helps to cleanse the body, mind and spirit, rid the body of toxins and cleanse the skin. It also stops the nervous diarrhoea often associated with withdrawal. Strengthening the Lung point assists in our ability to let go mentally and emotionally.

 

 

Treatment

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The NADA-system can be used on a one-to-one basis, but is also particularly suited to a group setting where a feeling of camaraderie and support develops between fellow attendees. Contact with each other outside of treatment is encouraged as this also helps the cessation process and friendships with strong bonds can often be formed in this way. I also make use of social media to assist in the process and have a private Facebook or what's App group for all attendees so that mutual support can be maintained in between sessions.

 

Treatment takes place over a period of 6 weeks, 2 sessions per week in the first 2 weeks and then 1 session per week for 4 weeks. It is important to be able to attend all sessions and I ask you before commencing treatment, to make the commitment to yourself, me and your group that you will attend all sessions unless an illness makes you really too unwell to attend for treatment. I also ask you to be mentally prepared to quit after our first session and that you are doing this for yourself and your own reasons and not because someone is putting pressure on you to quit.

 

During each session five needles are inserted in each ear for up to 45 minutes while the patients relax in a calm atmosphere. This is an important time especially for you in which you may fall asleep, experience a meditative state or just feel very calm and relaxed, what is important is that this is your time and a time for your mind and body to begin the process of becoming a non smoker.

 

Pricing

 

Treatment costs less than you might think when compared to the actual cost of being a smoker.

 

If you consider that the average smoker smokes 10 cigarettes per day and that the average cost of 1 packet of cigarettes  is £15.26, this gives a true cost of :

 

🚭 £7.63 a day, 

🚭 £53.41 a week, 

🚭 £231.44 a month or 

🚭 £2777.31 per year. 

 

So although treatment costs may initially seem high, when you add it altogether, by undertaking group therapy and not smoking, you will already have saved yourself £195.84 within the first 8 weeks of treatment.

 

The cost of the full course of 8 treatments is as follows:

 

Group sessions with a maximum of 4 people per group £200 each (£25 per person per session)

Couples sessions with a maximum of 2 people £240 each (£30 per person per session)

One to one full course of 8 treatments is £320 (£40 per session)

 

I encourage participants to pay for the whole course of treatment on commencement of the course as I find this helps with commitment and success in achieving a non-smoker status, however, if finances do not allow for this I am able to offer payment by regular instalments.

 

The NADA protocol, can be used as a stand-alone treatment; but is incredibly effective when combined with other treatments to support the mind and body through the withdrawal process. I would particularly recommend other modalities such as Reiki, Yoga, EFT, Hypnotherapy, Reflexology or Meditation. 

 

Discover something that nourishes your soul, makes you smile, brings you joy and helps you to create a better place to be as a successful non-smoker.