Smoking Addiction- Ayurvedic Treatment

Addiction can be treated as a form of mental disorder, where patients suffer from much of tamas (Inertia of mind) rajas or mental disturbances.Addiction plays a role to calm down the mind in an artificial way.

Vata(air properties of human body) likes smoke to calm down anxiety and give distraction from worry. Pitta(fire properties in human body) loves the addition of fire properties into human and make it feel more powerful. Kapha(Water properties of human body) likes the stimulating power of tobacco.

Smoking is one of such health hazard creating addiction. Herb Calamus is quite helpful in treating smoking addiction. Initially small quantity of Calamus is added to cigarettes or it can be taken in powder form or mixed with Ghee.

Gotu Kola is often found very useful to treat smoking addiction if the patient if suffering from Pitta and Kapha Dosha. Ashwagandha is a known herb for treating smoking addiction when Vata influences the patient. Chamomile is another tested herb which is prescribed to calm down nerves which encourage urge to smoke in addicted patients.

Ayurvedic Treatment

Patients influenced by Kapha(water) are more prone to congestion when they try to quit smoking. To avoid any side effects of quitting smoking for Kapha influenced patients cloves or calamus with honey is prescribed(Even you get medicines like Trikatu or Clove Compound in the market for this). Long pepper(Pippali) is helpful in rebuilding lung.

Excess smoking lead to weak lung, dry cough and constipation in patients influenced with Vata(air). Ashwagandha, Shatavari, ginseng, marshmallow are few very beneficial food supplement to restore lost power body due to excess smoking in Vata type patients.

If the patient is influenced with Pitta(fire), very often they are infected with various diseases of lung, liver and blood. In such cases, Ayurveda suggests detoxifying the body. Aloe gel, Shatavari, bayberry, etc. are recommended as herbal supplements. Sudarshan Churna is a well-known compound to help in above scenarios.