This is a simple technique you can do whenever you have a craving. It doesn’t matter where you are when the craving hits. All you have to do is repeat the steps of this exercise, and by the end of it, the craving will subside, and you will feel better.
If you’re having a craving now, do the exercise with me. If not, practice now and do it when you need it.
This technique is based on the work of Sarah Bowen, Ph.D. In a study, participants who used mindfulness techniques like this cut down 37% of their smoking (check link in the resources section)
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Resources and Links Mentioned in this Video
“How to Overcome Cravings”
https://cbqmethod.com/how-to-fight-cigarette-cravings/
“6 Things to Do When You Have a Craving”
https://cbqmethod.com/things-to-do-instead-of-smoking/
“How Mindfulness Makes the Brain Immune to Temptation”
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/the-science-willpower/201111/how-mindfulness-makes-the-brain-immune-temptation
Transcript
Hi, Nasia Davos here. In this video you will learn a three minute exercise to help you get over any cigarette craving no matter where you are or how intense it is. And the great thing is that you can use the same technique to overcome any food or drug related craving that causes you anxiety or irritation.
If you don’t know how to go through a craving then, when you experience one you will feel anxious or confused and overwhelmed. And the problem is that this anxiety will keep building up until you smoke to stop the craving.
But what makes cravings so overwhelming? Listen, cravings are positive thoughts about smoking. That’s one of the principles of the CBQ method. And what makes a craving so overwhelming is the thought that it will not pass unless you give in and smoke.
What’s the solution to this? Well to think about the craving in a different way so it can pass easily. So the exercise we’ll do together now it’s called Climbing the Craving and it can help you go through a craving because it occupies your mind during the craving, it turns off the craving mind, and it makes you think of your craving not something that happens to you but something you experience.
So now let’s do the exercise together step by step it’s very easy. If you have cravings now do the exercise with me and pause the video anytime you need to. If you don’t have a craving now practice and save this video so you can come back to it when you need it.
Okay here we go. Take a few moments now to notice where you experience the urge to smoke. Is it your stomach? Your head? Your chest? Your leg? And where is it? Close to the center? More to the right? To the left? Does it feel like it’s on the surface or inside? Allow your attention to go to the exact spot where you experience the craving and once you find that spot I want you to touch it; just touch it. While you keep touching that spot start picturing yourself climbing a mountain.
The mountain is your craving; the mountain is as high as the intensity of your craving imagine this as high as you need to. Keep climbing the mountain. Now much like the mountain the craving will have a peak and then downhill. It will get stronger but at some point it will fade away. Keep climbing… Now the more you feel the craving the closer you are to the mountain top.
Focus on the mountain: What do you see? What do you feel? And what do you hear while climbing it? Allow your pace to follow the ups and downs of your emotions. You may take two steps forward one step back but keep on going. When you think you have reached the top of the mountain stand tall, and put a flag. Push it to the ground!
A flag means that you conquered that craving. And when the craving starts to fade away it’s time to go down the mountain. And from that point onwards the craving will start disappearing and that’s your craving technique.
Picturing yourself climbing a mountain while you experience a craving will help you manage it and go through it without smoking. But please keep in mind that craving techniques alone are not enough to help you quit. Quitting smoking is a process that comes down to the decision to live as a happy non-smoker and also go through the stages of change.
But if you’re ready to quit or if you’re on your journey craving techniques will help you achieve your goal. Thanks for watching.
Thank you so much for watching. If you want to learn more about how to quit smoking, check the links I put for you in the description of this video and make sure you subscribe to this channel to get more videos like this. Have a great day and see you soon.
