Can aromatherapy help you quit smoking?

25 January 16
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As we near the end of January many of us are struggling to maintain those positive vibes and have dropped our New Year’s Resolutions. One of the most popular resolutions year-on-year is quitting smoking – but unfortunately this can be one of the hardest to keep. With temptation all around and day-to-day stresses resulting in lighting up, finding the right strategy to quit smoking is key. Today on the Melt blog we’re going to show you how it can be done using aromatherapy as one of the tools in your arsenal…

How can scents help? 

Can aromatherapy help you quit smoking stress

Aromatherapy has been shown to help smokers beat nicotine cravings, following recent studies that exposed smokers to certain scents.

In one study, black pepper was found to simulate the feeling of smoking and to help decrease cravings and put them in their place. During the study, participants were asked to place a drop of black pepper oil onto a tissue and inhale it for two minutes whenever they felt the urge to smoke or chew tobacco.

In another study participants were split into two groups. One was exposed to clove oil after a meal and the other group were not. The group that inhaled the clove did not feel the need to smoke for almost an hour after eating, while the group that didn’t inhale the essential oil struggled to wait for an average of two minutes. All of the smokers still had cravings, but the oil aided the smokers who used it to wait for a longer period of time than the group who didn’t use it.

While not a miracle cure, the results of these studies suggest that the strategic use of aromatherapy oils could play a part in helping smokers quit. More generally, nicotine is a great aid in helping treat the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. These include irritability, impatience, hostility, anxiety and depression, lack of concentration, restlessness, and weight gain.

What scents can I try? 

Melt scented candle range

As we know, different scents have different properties, which means that we can use different scented candles and reed diffusers for different feelings.

Firstly, think about your triggers for smoking and what essential oils you could uses instead. If you light up when you’re stressed, opt for a de-stressing aromatherapy fragrance such as Still, or if you’re depressed then blends including rose, sandalwood, orange and bergamot might help. Some of our best scents for depression include the bright and vibrant Dance, and the sparkling citrus of Joy.

If you’re keen to see if black pepper helps reduce your cravings, as in the study described above, why not try our Violet and Black Pepper scented candles ?

Other oils that are said to be useful in combating addiction include:

Good luck!

Have you used aromatherapy to help you break any bad habits? If so, share your story with us in the comments below, or tweet us your story @MeltCandles