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How To Quit SmokingOver the next few weeks I'd like to cover some behaviour modification topics like how to quit smoking. Overcoming addictions like this is difficult and to do so is a commendable demonstration of willpower. In this article I'll talk about using positive and negative reinforcement for behaviour modification to quit smoking. Most of us aren't aware that we can change our behaviour through simple behaviour modification plans. I wasn't aware of this up until a few months ago but I have found this to be an effective method of personal transformation and learning the value of exercising willpower. It is after all quite difficult to just get up and claim: "I'm not going to do this from now on" and then expect results. You might as well claim the opposite! Our minds just don't function like that. Or at least not if we haven't trained them to. Using Negative ReinforcementPeople become addicted to something because it makes them feel good. It acts as a positive reinforcement – and this is what makes it so difficult to break the habit. So what we're going to do instead is to entrain a negative reinforcement each time after smoking. Part One Each time after smoking choose an undesirable consequence and put it into action. For example… after each cigarette place a $5 dollar bill inside a locked cabinet or coin storage case. Here our negative reinforcement is: losing five dollars for each cigarette smoked. You will be able to open this cabinet after reducing the number of cigarettes smoked. It should have accumulated quite a lot of cash at that point! This is a positive outcome of achieving a difficult goal… Now smoking isn't all that "good" from the perspective of the subconscious mind. There is a sudden punishment there now. Note that if $5 doesn't hold much value then this won't work. Pick something of value and hide or restrict it after each cigarette smoked and soon cigarettes will be associated with something bad.
Even as I put this image in front of readers it can trigger a craving for cigarettes. But train the mind with negative re-enforcers for a few weeks on a consistent basis and when looking at this image once again the immediate mental response will be disgust and aversion – not craving! Positive ReinforcementPart Two Each time after smoking a cigarette write down the total number smoked in a notepad. Each evening look at the number of cigarettes smoked. If the number is less than the previous evening then do something rewarding such as watching extra TV or making some personal time to relax. This rewarding action is a positive re-enforcement. You might also like to create a bigger reward towards the end of the week if the number of cigarettes smoked is reduced to half of what it was the previous week. Part Three – Create a behaviour modification planCreate a personal plan that lists the details below. I recommend keeping a notepad or even a digital journal to record and update this information.
Create a record to write all of this information and count each cigarette smoked. Make sure to enforce each of the negative and positive reinforcements. This takes some willpower at first. You can also ask for the support of friends or relatives in monitoring the progress towards each of the sub-goals and the final achievement of giving up smoking for good. This is an effective method of overcoming addiction. It aims to reduce the positive reinforcement received from the addiction while increasing positive reinforcement for exercising willpower and avoiding the addiction. |
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