He describes this default mode network as several regions of the brain that we “default to” when we’re multitasking or distracted. It’s also an area of the brain that becomes active when a smoker is craving a cigarette. So quieting this network in the brain may help reduce cravings.
A screenshot of the Craving to Quit appA screenshot of the Craving to Quit app
Brewer is incorporating his research into technology. His team is in clinical trials of a cellphone app based on mindfulness principles. The 21-day Craving to Quit app talks people through daily breathing and meditation exercises to help them overcome their cravings. In one exercise, the app uses the analogy of fire, in which a smoker’s craving is described as a fire and every cigarette smoked is adding a log to the fire. It tells smokers to draw a line around the craving, don’t act on it, and it eventually burns down.
Brewer has found this mindfulness approach is more effective than some of the top anti-smoking programs.
2014-07-16