Breaking the Trigger-Craving Connection
In my last blog, I showed you how to reduce cravings. In this one, I'll show you a simple technique for taking the power out of the triggers.
Meet John.
John wants to give up chocolate, but he can't. He eats it in the car on the way to work. He has it during his lunch breaks. And he has it at night while watching TV with his wife and kids. He just can't get enough of it! When you ask him why, he says, “It just makes me feel so good. It helps me relax.”
But let's look a little more closely at these situations...
He eats chocolate on his way to work, while sitting in the car and enjoying his favourite radio show. He eats it during his breaks at work, when he's already experiencing relief from his usual tasks. And he eats it while watching TV, relaxing with the people he loves.
All of these are situations where John already feels good - even without the chocolate!
So it may not actually be the chocolate he wants. Over time, his brain has simply learned to associate chocolate with situations that already make him feel good! In other words, it’s more what he does while eating chocolate, rather than the chocolate itself.
This is known as ‘classical conditioning’ - when the brain learns to associate two things that aren't inherently connected.
And the same thing can happen with many of our other habits - whether it's coffee, smoking, scrolling or gambling. The behaviour can become connected with certain situations, emotions and activities until they feel inseparable.
“I need a cigarette to relax.”
Do you?
Or have you simply spent thousands of repetitions smoking while relaxing, socialising, taking a break, finishing a meal, drinking coffee, and so on?
Try this.
1. Notice the trigger.
Notice the situation in which you would normally engage in the habit - watching TV, driving, finishing dinner, taking a break, etc.
2. Separate the trigger from the behaviour.
For example: Watching TV is the trigger. Eating chocolate or having a cigaret is the behaviour.
3. Question the behaviour.
Ask yourself: Is it really true that I won't enjoy watching TV if I don't eat chocolate?
Or: Is it really true that I won't be able to relax and unwind if I don't have a cigarette during my break?
4. See the truth.
There is nothing inherently connecting watching TV and eating chocolate. They have nothing to do with one another. Your brain simply learned to connect them.
Once this distinction becomes clear, it’s much easier to let go of the habit - because we realise we can have what we want without the chocolate, the cigarette, or the scrolling. Now, this won't work with every trigger, but it can work with far more than you might realise. Try it the next time you notice a craving!
Want Support?
Lucas Lindblom is a clinical hypnotherapist with a background in psychology, based in Thornbury, Melbourne. Sessions are available both in person and online. To book, follow the links below.
