Case of the Moment, Aug 1, 2006

Dropping A Cigarette Addiction Without Any Withdrawal Symptoms or Cravings

     William Hamilton (not his real name) is a 43 year old man who read about the methamphetamine treatment program I offer, and during the course of an consultation about another health matter, he asked if I knew anything to help stop cigarette smoking.  He stated that he had smoked since he was young, having quit once for several years, only to start again about a year ago.  He wanted to quit, but....

     I asked Mr. Hamilton if he was, at that moment craving a cigarette.  He replied that, in fact, he was.  I explained to him that although I knew of no studies on the subject, the same microcurrent cranial electric stimulator that was instrumental in the methamphetamine recovery was rumored to be beneficial with cigarettes, too, though not in every case.  I had just begun a small informal study, inviting anyone craving a cigarette to try this cranial electric stimulator to see if the craving is affected.  Mr. Hamilton, currently both craving a cigarette and desiring to quit, was an ideal candidate.  I told him if he would try the treatment, he would be my second subject.  The first patient's craving for a cigarette had disappeared during the treatment.

     Mr. Hamilton agreed to be subject number two.  I applied the treatment to him, hooking small clips to his ears and pressing the button.  This FDA approved medical device generates sophisticated wave forms,  and triggers a deep state of relaxation in most people.  Mr. Hamilton reported that the craving immediately disappeared and stayed gone during the course of the twenty minute treatment.  He purchased a unit.

   The next day, Mr. Hamilton reported to me that he didn't have any cravings all day, having used the instrument whenever cravings arose.  Four days later he reported that he had successfully given up smoking.  The instrument continues to erase cravings, which are becoming less and less.  There is no struggle and no suffering.

      Mr. Hamilton was the first patient of mine to attempt, and happily succeed, at using cranial electric stimulation with Alpha-Stim SCS to quit smoking cigarettes.

     Addendum:  A year later, he is still not smoking.  For him, smoking cigarettes is ancient history, thanks to the Alpha-Stim.