People trained to provide quit smoking counseling have traditionally been taught to help people develop strategies to fight urges to smoke and to elicit personal ways in which people might distract from craving. While this does work for some, and the proof of the effectiveness is certainly in the result, struggling with craving might actually increase its intensity and duration. And the best way to reduce craving may be just to look at it from a different perspective.
A core understanding of newer approaches to counseling like ‘Acceptance and Commitment Therapy’ and other ‘third wave’ therapies (What is Third Wave Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?) is that our thoughts about problems and challenges can actually reinforce the thoughts of the problems and challenges. Thinking about how to get away from a craving might get us more involved with the thoughts of using a cigarette or vape device.
A better approach might be to be aware of the craving and observe it from a place of mindful awareness. Take a moment to step back, maybe take a breath, and be a bit curious about the experience. Are you feeling the craving in your chest, stomach, or throat? Is it making for more constricted breathing or tension in your jaw, forehead, or shoulder? Then, from this place of awareness you might bring in thoughts of the value you place in tobacco free living, the good things you are envisioning for your smoke-free future and let the craving fade away.
There is an old Star Trek episode I have always found interesting. One of the show’s characters is stuck on a planet with a force in the form of a cloud that grows stronger as the character tries to get away or expresses anger toward the force. The key for the character’s freedom is to ease up, let go, feel peaceful. Then the force loses its grip. This might be an analogy that can help you let go of your next craving and help you to hold on to the good life of freedom from tobacco.
Michael V. Burke, Ed.D
Program Director and NDC Counselor/ CTTS
