There are a variety of methods to quit smoking today. But do they work? Strategies targeting both the physical and mental aspects of addiction have proven to be the most successful in the fight against smoking.
1. In the dark
Buy cigarettes whose taste you do not like (this is a must) and place them in a prominent place. Feeling nicotine cravings? Take a cigarette and go to the toilet. Or somewhere else without daylight. Go inside, but do not turn on the lights. Over time, you will find that it is not pleasant to smoke in the dark, especially when cigarettes are not that pleasant.
Psychologist’s comment:
When a person forbids himself not to smoke, this only increases his psychological dependence on nicotine. In the dark, you see neither the cigarette nor its smoke, and the smoking process loses much of its appeal. Therefore, when you create conditions in which you do not like to smoke, you will gradually begin to reach fewer and less often to the box of cigarettes.
2. Keep your distance
When a smoker holds a cigarette in his hand, his brain synthesizes pleasure hormones called endorphins. Try to stop this process – either hold the cigarette with tweezers or smoke with thick household gloves.
Psychologist’s comment:
For the smoker, both tactile and oral sensations are really important, which are united in one. Disrupting the dynamic balance between them will make you not so much enjoy the nicotine that invades your body.
3. By the clock
Most smokers reach for cigarettes automatically without even realizing it. And at the end of the day, they were surprised to find that they had smoked a whole box. Before trying this method, analyze how long you can last without lighting. Let’s say it’s an hour. Start smoking on a clock, using, for example, your mobile phone alarm. In a few days, increase the interval by 20-30 minutes. Here it is very important to act in the way described in the leaflets of most medicines: “If you forget to take one dose, do not take an extra dose, but wait until the next one comes.” That is – if your phone rings in the subway, you will have to hold out until the next alarm signal.
Psychologist’s comment:
Avoid “provocative” situations. Do not go to places where smokers gather, do not even allow your guests to smoke in your home. Think of rituals to replace lighting a cigarette: 5 minutes on the balcony, playing on the computer, watching a video on YouTube, or whatever else you can think of.
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