In the cessation of a habit, the initial trigger that works against desire comes from
within. When this begins to have a lesser effect, the triggers come from
without. Like
smoking: once the initial desire for
nicotine subsides, the entry into a smoke-filled room acts as the trigger and the desire for
nicotine can rapidly escalate. The next phase is the decline of this potent trigger. The outcome is potentially the
complete arrest of the habit.
This all presumes a real desire to stop smoking. Or the
internal trigger is forever present. The mind-set must be the real desire to
stop and not just a convenient half-hearted wish without a complete commitment. The aim to
stop will inevitably fail or at least the action of smoking will just be deferred.
Nicotine patches do not offer any psychological benefit. Withdrawal from nicotine addiction is not helped by supplying the drug. The
physiological withdrawal can only be impaired and slowed down. The
psychological withdrawal is not even addressed.
An undesirable psychological connection cannot be removed by
‘getting away’.
Memories are carried around everywhere you may go, so wherever you may be you cannot just
‘get away’ by a change in location. This can however provide the benefit of removing a trigger that may be local. The long term recovery must include
defusing the cause that otherwise will be with you forever. Unless this cause has gone, the problem may return at any time. A different trigger could restart issues. It’s like having a dangerous beast in the house where you live. Even locked up, it can possibly escape. If the beast is destroyed, it can never reappear.
It is the image of a
psychological beast that is with you wherever you go.
