Craving Buster Technique

[Giulia]

(Note:  this piece was first published in a blog by @aztec  back in 2012 called  Craving - EX Community    The original author april_ac was from another site.  Thank you Aztec for bringing it here!)

We interupt todays broadcast..for a test! (TRY THIS!)

Ok...especially you newbies...I want you to REALLY try this.

Don't give me that "AWWW Man!!" It's not a hard test!! More of an "exercise"!

I want you to stop what you are doing right now....and look around the room. Look at everything. Take your time. (Don't read any further until you do that.)

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Now...I want you to look around the room AGAIN...and this time find all of the things that are RED. FOCUS on the things that are RED. REALLY look at them! (Don't read any further until you do that.)

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This time....look around and find all of the things that are BLUE. Again...FOCUS on only the stuff that is Blue. REALLY look at them! (Don't read any further until you do that.)

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Now....look around the room ONE more time. (Don't read any further until you do that.)

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Did the things that were Red and BLUE stand out to you the most?? Probably! Know why? Because THAT is what you were FOCUSING on!

Do ya see where I'm going with this??

WHATEVER you focus on the MOST....is what will be stronger...stand out more....become MORE dominate. JUST LIKE CRAVINGS!! If you FOCUS for too long on the craving...it GETS STRONGER.

So...SHIFT your focus AWAY from the craving!

What do you mean you can't do that....that it's too hard??? You just DID IT in that little mental exercise a minute ago!!! How much were you focusing on smoking while you were looking around the room...focusing on the Red and Blue stuff?? Probably not much...if at ALL!

It DOES work.

While I don't crave cigarettes anymore...I do have other areas of my life where I use that exercise. Sometimes it's needed to RE-focus on the GOOD things I have...when I'm feeling down. It gets my mind AWAY from the "pity party" state.

Make this work for you. It's your quit....It's your life.

And it's worth fighting for!

Thanks for playing along!! You may now go back to your regularly scheduled programs!

[Giulia]

It's takes a while to learn how to re-train our brains to focus on other things.  But the more we practice, the easier it becomes and the better adept we are at it.  The key is to recognize when our brains are stuck and fixated.  We have to recognize the automatic replay loop and stop the tape.  Then change the channel.

[Nanalori]

Love it- it truly is about focusing on something else

[nadineshoe]

I'll DO IT again

[Giulia]

GOOD!  Keep what works.  Toss what doesn't!  Use imagination and discover new ways to focus and distract.  It's part of our homework.

[Karine]

UUMM DUH and this is me talking to myself .  Yes it worked  I have received this as a tip from one of the text reminders I get . But never really did it .. And it helped me understand my constant craving ....which was because I was focusing on the craving.  Thank you 

[Giulia]

What we focus on is how our journey will go.  Glad you got some benefit out of it.

[tweetielvr69]

Thank you so much for sharing this! I found it tremendously helpful and am going to begin to use this as a "game" to play when my mind is "dull &void of thoughts! I have found that when my mind is idle and not moving I am more likely to think about cigarettes and desire to give in to that craving! I'm working on this one second, one minute, one hour one day at a time!  I am 7 days out, relapsed a bit yesterday, but am dedicated to continuing on to my smoke-free journey! 

[Giulia]

am going to begin to use this as a "game" to play when my mind is "dull &void of thoughts!  I have found that when my mind is idle and not moving I am more likely to think about cigarettes and desire to give in to that craving! 

Good idea.  Good thinking.  Sorry you relapsed a bit.  (You might want to re-set your quit clock so we all have your new smoke-free date.)  Don't know if you've checked out the Relapse Prevention‌ group, but there's a lot of good material and responses in there that can help keep you in safe waters.  Glad you're continuing on!  Keep going!

[HappyJoyousFree]

I love this. And I noticed all of the clothes I should wash instead of smoking!!!

Thanks

Joy

[TurboRose]

It's been 2 years since I puffed a cigarette. As I read this post, I see other areas in my life where I can use this focus technique. This community continues to bless me. I am grateful.  DOF 731