Your Unconscious Mind
What is the unconscious mind? In a famous study, the Russian scientist Pavlov rang a bell every time he fed his dog -- and eventually the dog would salivate just on hearing the bell -- even though there was no food there. The dog had made an unconscious association between the ringing and dinner, and began to drool!
Cigarette ads reach our unconscious minds. These ads create an unconscious association between the addiction of cigarettes and strong, positive images of attractive, healthy people, sports like tennis or mountain climbing, beautiful country scenes, cowboys gathered around a campfire or on horseback, masculinity and manhood, being feminine and womanhood, being a 'real person,' and so on. As of 2000, the tobacco industry has been spending over $5 billion annually to advertise its deadly products. That's a lot of bell ringing! And it's not lost on our kids.
The smoker's unconscious mind also makes repeated pleasant associations with the act of smoking -- watching the smoke slowly curling, putting a cigarette to the lips, languidly inhaling and exhaling, absently handling a cigarette -- all these are very much a part of the psychological addiction to tobacco. Quitters often feel as though they are losing a best friend.
Aversion therapy sends negative associations to the unconscious mind as the quitter smokes cigarettes. This clinically proven method helps to undo the years of daily positive associations with smoking. It helps to reduce future psychological cravings for cigarettes. In this way, the Schick-Shadel Treatment Centers aversion therapy program makes the quitting process a good deal easier.
For most addicted smokers, the addition is about half mental, half physical. Studies show that the ratio varies with each individual. The physical portion of the addiction is to nicotine. As to the mental or psychological aspect, a smoker's conscious mind says, 'I will stop smoking -- no problem.' But the unconscious mind has been conditioned for years that cigarettes give pleasure, and that's all it can focus on. The unconscious mind says, 'Gimmie a cigarette -- now!' It only recognizes what feels good. It demands a cigarette, without regard to right or wrong, and ignores the conscious mind's intentions. Aversion therapy is one way to help counteract this.
During the process of quitting, the new habit of being a nonsmoker forms. The ex-smoker's unconscious mind gradually gets used to being a nonsmoker, as the urges to smoke slowly fade away.
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