Rewards play a crucial role in changing behavior. The brain goes through lots of changes when we quit nicotine We lose that feel good feeling from dopamine when quitting. Guess what? Those rewards we have picked for ourselves produce dopamine levels in the brain and associate the new behaviors with pleasure. The reward pathway in the brain, is a dopamine pathway.
Sending our brain that signal of success tells your brain that it was worth the effort. Celebrating those successes with rewards more frequently in the beginning establishes a daily habit.
We often talk about walking as a quit tool. It was for me. But it is also a reward. It boosts our mood and increases our energy. And, we may begin to breathe easier.
There can be a reward for beginning your journey, everyday rewards like saving your cigarette (nicotine) money, and rewards to celebrate those milestones. They can be big or small. If you saved your smoke money, it may even be a vacation to celebrate your first-year smoke free. The reward does not have to be monetary, just something you enjoy works just as well. Be creative.
Even belonging to a support group like BecomeAnEx can be a reward. Those praises of good job, congratulations, well done, proud of you, etc. are rewards for our achievements. So stay close to the site and share those success milestones. One day, one week, one month. It doesn't matter. Each day is just as important as the next.
Of course, there is the reward of improved health. Some physical changes from quitting can happen quickly while others may take longer. In the meantime, use those rewards to reinforce the major behavioral life change you have made. The end result? You become Ex.
Research has shown that people that reward themselves for quitting are more likely to stay quit!
Stay busy and stay close.
Barb
