What is going on in my brain? What is the chemical mechanism? Why cant I just tell my brain to stop craving the substance? Why is the addiction removing all of my inhibitions?
This is hell.
In: Biology
I read a book that ended up stopping my 15 year smoking habit – ‘This Naked Mind: Nicotine’ (it’s on libgen if you wanna try before you buy). The original This Naked Mind is about alcohol, and came highly recommended, but since I didn’t have a drinking problem, but did smoke, I read the nicotine one instead. Haven’t had one for 2 years now.
I highly recommend reading the whole thing, but let me paraphrase part of it about the mechanics of cravings;
The book delves into the steps involved in craving. It starts with the thought. You can’t stop yourself thinking about smoking – seeing it in film, someone at the pub etc – but the trick is to halt your brain before it progresses to the next step – imagining about what it will feel like to take a drag on a cigarette.
I can’t remember exactly how, but I found I was able to stop myself before the fantasising, I think by focussing on thinking about a hobby, plans for the evening etc. Just a jolt away from the process of imagining the smoke hitting my throat, then my lungs etc. If you can stop that process in its tracks, dealing with the cravings became *significantly* easier.
You may not be talking about nicotine, so that advice may or may not relate.
Latest Answers