How Video Games Helped Me Quit Smoking
from web site
In somewhat recent years, there is a campaign of anti-smoking commercials from BecomeAnEx.org, and I loved them. It was the 1st time I felt like someone really discovered the trick to quitting smoking, and offered it from the sympathetic perspective, with a feeling of humor and a sincere desire to help smokers.
I've seen many commercials against smoking over the years. Somehave tried fighting cigarettes by unveiling statistics about smoking and its industry, with this self-righteous "look how clever we are" approach that's rather alienating. It's like being told to quit smoking by a person who is more committed to their marketing pitch than the problem at hand.
And then there have been the deluge of "scare tactic" commercials that demonstrate blackened lungs and people living with tracheotomies. While I believe these commercials hold some worth, they're more likely to give a smoker pause, instead of actually helping them to give up. Our selective memory kicks in, and kicks out the bad ones.
The aforementioned campaign, however, nailed the essence of the smoking problem in a few brief moments. It pointed out that smoking is strongly connected to habitual behavior; you smoke with your morning cup of coffee, during your morning routine, or during happy hour at the bar. These commercials suggested that you can relearn most of these activities without a cigarette. The main one about happy hour even suggested you "keep a beer in one hand and not a cigarette in another". That's smart advice.
Physical addiction of nicotine is nothing when compared to the mental addiction of smoking. This is the reason wearing a patch doesn't instantly fix the problem; a smoker still really wants to hold and smoke a cigarette. Mental addiction is king. I was quite lucky; I gradually gave up smoking simply because I had not been enjoying it anymore, and that made it far easier to walk away. But some of that habitual smoking through association was still rearing its ugly head. Removing those last few lines of defense can be the hardest.
When you quit cigarettes (or are along the way of doing so), you may notice certain new habits taking over temporarily. Once of them may be the famous one: eating. And other ones pop up, like chewing the caps from pens (until they're completely unrecognizable). However, one activity that interfered with my smoking was entirely by chance, yet so able to keeping my mind and body off of smoking, it should be recommended in organizations: playing video games.
It really is probably arguable that the total sensory experience of playing a gaming contributes in distracting the ball player from alternative activities like smoking (or socializing... kidding!), but more info believe that the controller is the key. Keeping both hands fully occupied and working hastily enables you to just forget about holding a cigarette.
And why not? People have a tendency to smoke the most when they are unoccupied, bored and feeling lazy. People smoke on their breaks. People smoke at their laptops and throughout a football game on television. It's down-time, time and energy to drink a beer, have a smoke watching a movie!
Video games are down time too, but don't allow for a half-hearted relationship with them. I remember when I'd play games like Halo 3 online, discussing strategies with friends and controlling my Spartan Soldier. I was much too engaged with the overall game to smoke (or utilize the bathroom, for example!). In fact, when I'd light up a cigarette between matches, I would take my first puff and put it down, as we would already be back in the firefight. By enough time I reached for my cigarette again, nothing remained save a long log of ash, burning off in the ashtray. That is clearly a powerful moment to note; I had made my choice. That wouldn't function as last cigarette I ever had. But it wouldn't function as last time I ignored them and only playing video games, either.
Playing video games isn't a magical solution, and you can find many variables when quitting smoking, so your mileage can vary greatly. I already wanted to quit smoking, but video gaming helped by running interference, also it helped to help keep me occupied once I stop smoking entirely.
Around this time, I was spending a great deal of my gaming time with portable systems, like the DS Lite and the PSP (the very best part is once you easily justify your PSP purchase, using the amount of cigarettes you're not buying). When I'd return from work and settle down for the evening, I would lie on my back in bed doing offers. That worked great for me, as I was in even less of a position to reach for a cigarette, and much more relaxed than normal. Having said that, I think a stronger case could be designed for taking your portable on the go, as it's intended for. Now you're waiting for the subway or sitting throughout your lunch break at the job, and you're working on your game, with no free hands or time and energy to smoke. Try reading read more , or worse, just standing or sitting there. Smoking can be a lot more tempting.
I can't stress the significance enough of video gaming occupying your hands. While Freud would likely tell us smoking can be an oral fixation (see: eating, chewing pen caps), we hold a cigarette in our hands; it is the main appeal. So, when our hands are busy, we have been less likely to be holding a cigarette. Playing a game engages the upper half of your body arguably a lot more than driving a car does. When driving, you have one free hand to smoke with. Also, Additional hints drive exactly the same roads ad nauseam, also it largely becomes a mindless activity, second nature even. In contrast, video gaming frequently change things up, producing new challenges and garnering your full attention merely to master (and even survive) them.
I've seen many commercials against smoking over the years. Somehave tried fighting cigarettes by unveiling statistics about smoking and its industry, with this self-righteous "look how clever we are" approach that's rather alienating. It's like being told to quit smoking by a person who is more committed to their marketing pitch than the problem at hand.
And then there have been the deluge of "scare tactic" commercials that demonstrate blackened lungs and people living with tracheotomies. While I believe these commercials hold some worth, they're more likely to give a smoker pause, instead of actually helping them to give up. Our selective memory kicks in, and kicks out the bad ones.
The aforementioned campaign, however, nailed the essence of the smoking problem in a few brief moments. It pointed out that smoking is strongly connected to habitual behavior; you smoke with your morning cup of coffee, during your morning routine, or during happy hour at the bar. These commercials suggested that you can relearn most of these activities without a cigarette. The main one about happy hour even suggested you "keep a beer in one hand and not a cigarette in another". That's smart advice.
Physical addiction of nicotine is nothing when compared to the mental addiction of smoking. This is the reason wearing a patch doesn't instantly fix the problem; a smoker still really wants to hold and smoke a cigarette. Mental addiction is king. I was quite lucky; I gradually gave up smoking simply because I had not been enjoying it anymore, and that made it far easier to walk away. But some of that habitual smoking through association was still rearing its ugly head. Removing those last few lines of defense can be the hardest.
When you quit cigarettes (or are along the way of doing so), you may notice certain new habits taking over temporarily. Once of them may be the famous one: eating. And other ones pop up, like chewing the caps from pens (until they're completely unrecognizable). However, one activity that interfered with my smoking was entirely by chance, yet so able to keeping my mind and body off of smoking, it should be recommended in organizations: playing video games.
It really is probably arguable that the total sensory experience of playing a gaming contributes in distracting the ball player from alternative activities like smoking (or socializing... kidding!), but more info believe that the controller is the key. Keeping both hands fully occupied and working hastily enables you to just forget about holding a cigarette.
And why not? People have a tendency to smoke the most when they are unoccupied, bored and feeling lazy. People smoke on their breaks. People smoke at their laptops and throughout a football game on television. It's down-time, time and energy to drink a beer, have a smoke watching a movie!
Video games are down time too, but don't allow for a half-hearted relationship with them. I remember when I'd play games like Halo 3 online, discussing strategies with friends and controlling my Spartan Soldier. I was much too engaged with the overall game to smoke (or utilize the bathroom, for example!). In fact, when I'd light up a cigarette between matches, I would take my first puff and put it down, as we would already be back in the firefight. By enough time I reached for my cigarette again, nothing remained save a long log of ash, burning off in the ashtray. That is clearly a powerful moment to note; I had made my choice. That wouldn't function as last cigarette I ever had. But it wouldn't function as last time I ignored them and only playing video games, either.
Playing video games isn't a magical solution, and you can find many variables when quitting smoking, so your mileage can vary greatly. I already wanted to quit smoking, but video gaming helped by running interference, also it helped to help keep me occupied once I stop smoking entirely.
Around this time, I was spending a great deal of my gaming time with portable systems, like the DS Lite and the PSP (the very best part is once you easily justify your PSP purchase, using the amount of cigarettes you're not buying). When I'd return from work and settle down for the evening, I would lie on my back in bed doing offers. That worked great for me, as I was in even less of a position to reach for a cigarette, and much more relaxed than normal. Having said that, I think a stronger case could be designed for taking your portable on the go, as it's intended for. Now you're waiting for the subway or sitting throughout your lunch break at the job, and you're working on your game, with no free hands or time and energy to smoke. Try reading read more , or worse, just standing or sitting there. Smoking can be a lot more tempting.
I can't stress the significance enough of video gaming occupying your hands. While Freud would likely tell us smoking can be an oral fixation (see: eating, chewing pen caps), we hold a cigarette in our hands; it is the main appeal. So, when our hands are busy, we have been less likely to be holding a cigarette. Playing a game engages the upper half of your body arguably a lot more than driving a car does. When driving, you have one free hand to smoke with. Also, Additional hints drive exactly the same roads ad nauseam, also it largely becomes a mindless activity, second nature even. In contrast, video gaming frequently change things up, producing new challenges and garnering your full attention merely to master (and even survive) them.
