Barbara's story: how TMS helped me quit smoking

For Barbara, quitting smoking was a challenge she had faced for 25 years. She had tried to quit before but struggled with the overwhelming cravings and withdrawal symptoms that often come with nicotine addiction.

“A friend of mine once told me that quitting smoking is harder than quitting cocaine. Sounds ridiculous… I know. But when you think about it, addiction to anything changes your brain and alters how you gain and feel pleasure.”

With cigarettes freely available and deeply ingrained in her daily routine, breaking the cycle felt nearly impossible. That’s when she decided to try Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)—a treatment already known for helping people overcome substance addictions.

A different experience with TMS

Barbara’s experience with TMS was nothing short of remarkable.

“After my first treatment, TMS dissipated all my urges to smoke. It also eliminated all the nervousness and anxiety you get when quitting smoking—you’re irritable, you’re cranky—I don’t feel any of that.”

For her, the hardest part of quitting wasn’t the physical cravings, but the habitual triggers.

“The little everyday things you do when you light up—having a cup of coffee, sitting at your computer, waiting for the bus that never comes. I didn’t have the ‘urge’ to actually have a cigarette, but certain activities remind you to have one.”

With TMS taking away the physical cravings, she found that all she had to do was break the routine that made her reach for a cigarette in the first place.

A stress-free way to quit

What stood out the most for Barbara was the absence of the usual withdrawal symptoms.

“The best part is I have absolutely no anxious or irritable feelings associated with stopping smoking cold turkey. TMS took all that away.”

Unlike other methods she had tried, such as cold turkey or hypnosis, TMS allowed her to quit smoking without the usual emotional and physical struggles.

Her advice to others considering quitting?

“If you want to stop smoking and have tried cold turkey or hypnosis and failed, TMS may be the treatment for you to try.”

Barbara’s story highlights how TMS can make quitting smoking easier—removing the hardest part of the process and giving people a real chance at breaking free from nicotine addiction for good.