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!

[jennifertaylor7]

I've heard that saying alot. I'm going to try to be mindful about what I am focused on. 

[jgreathouse66]

I think this will help alot!

[SuzyQ411]

I can vouch from personal expereience this really works!! Concentrating on something else interrupts the neural pathways in our brains and disrupts our focus on craving. (BTW I have found it also to work at times when I am consumed by worry, anger, etc... etc...etc.)  Thanks @Giulia  for re-posting this!!! ❤️

[ReallyReal]

This tool helped me through a rough patch this afternoon.  Really grateful for this.

[Hannjo817]

I totally agree. Thank you for sharing/venting 

[Sofieh072465]

I guess it takes practice to learn to focus on other things until the craving passes instead of just reaching and grabbing one.

[Giulia]

It does take practice, @Sofieh072465 .  But the more you practice the technique, the easier and more natural it becomes.  Until it just turns into  a habit.  Cigarette thought, change focus, turn your head and in a blink it gone.  You know you don't just have focus on colors in the room.  You can find all the square objects, or round ones.  Or you can focus on, say, five different sounds you hear.  Or hold an object in your hand and really examine it closely.  Could be a mundane object, something as simple as a cup.  How does it feel in your hand?  Is it warm, cool?   Bumpy, smooth?  Can your fingers fit in the handle?  Can two fingers fit?  How heavy is it?   Recall where you bought it....  You get my point.  All those sensory perceptions can take you away from a craving.  And you can do it anywhere, any time.  Cheers!

[SheQuitsAndWins]

Love this 💕 Thanks for sharing 

[SuzyQ411]

I can attest that it works @SheQuitsAndWins . It's also a great technique for controlling anxiety (which for me is a major trigger for smoking.)

[ChasityEvans]

Thanks for the post