In somewhat recent years, there is a campaign of anti-smoking commercials from BecomeAnEx.org, and I loved them. It was the first time I felt like someone really discovered the secret to quitting smoking, and offered it from a sympathetic perspective, with a feeling of humor and a sincere desire to help smokers.

I have seen many commercials against smoking over time. Somehave tried fighting cigarettes by unveiling statistics about smoking and its own industry, with this self-righteous "look how clever we have been" approach that's rather alienating. It's like being told to give up smoking by somebody who is more invested in their marketing pitch than the problem at hand.

And then there were 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 provide 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 remarked that smoking is strongly linked 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 may relearn these activities without a cigarette. The one about happy hour even suggested you "keep a beer in one hand and anything but a cigarette in another". That is smart advice.

check here of nicotine is nothing in comparison with the mental addiction of smoking. This is why wearing a patch doesn't instantly fix the problem; a smoker still 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 managed to get far easier to leave. But some of that habitual smoking through association was still rearing its ugly head. Getting rid of those last few lines of defense can be the hardest.

When you quit cigarettes (or are in the process of doing so), you might notice certain new habits overtaking temporarily. Once of them is the famous one: eating. Along with 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 body and mind off of smoking, it should be recommended in organizations: playing video games.

It really is probably arguable that the full total sensory experience of playing a video game contributes in distracting the player from alternative activities like smoking (or socializing... kidding!), but I believe that the controller is the key. Keeping both of your 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 if they are unoccupied, bored and feeling lazy. People smoke on the breaks. People smoke at their laptops and throughout a football game on television. It's down time, time to drink a beer, have a smoke and watch a movie!

Video games are down time too, but do not let for a half-hearted relationship using them. I remember when I would play games like Halo 3 online, discussing strategies with friends and controlling my Spartan Soldier. I was much too engaged with the game to smoke (or utilize the bathroom, for example!). In fact, when I'd light up a cigarette between matches, I'd take my first puff and put it down, as we would already be back 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's a powerful moment to note; I had made my choice. That wouldn't be the last cigarette I ever had. But it wouldn't be the last time I ignored them and only playing video games, either.

Playing video games is not a magical solution, and there are many variables when quitting smoking, which means that your mileage may vary. I already wanted to stop smoking, but video gaming helped by running interference, and it helped to help keep me occupied once I quit smoking entirely.

Around this time, I was spending a good deal of my gaming time with portable systems, just like the DS Lite and the PSP (the best part is when you easily justify your PSP purchase, based on the amount of cigarettes you're not buying). When I'd return from work and relax for the evening, I'd lie on my back in bed playing games. That worked ideal 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 possibly be made for taking your portable on the run, as it's designed for. Now you're looking forward to the subway or sitting throughout your lunch break at the job, and you're focusing on your game, without free hands or time and energy to smoke. Try reading the newspaper instead, or worse, just standing or sitting there. Smoking will become a lot more tempting.

I can't stress the significance enough of video gaming occupying the hands. While Freud would likely reveal smoking can be an oral fixation (see: eating, chewing pen caps), we hold a cigarette inside our hands; it is area of the appeal. So, when our hands are busy, we are less inclined to be holding a cigarette. Playing a casino game engages the upper 1 / 2 of your body arguably a lot more than worries does. When driving, you have one free hand to smoke with. Also, most people drive exactly the same roads ad nauseam, also it largely becomes a mindless activity, second nature even. In contrast, video games frequently change things up, producing new challenges and garnering your full attention just to master (and also survive) them.