Kicking The Habit Through Negative Reinforcement :: essays research papers

My addiction to nicotine progressed from casual social smoke to consuming two packs a week. Although Ive only been roll of tobacco for closely superstar year, I had to quit before my addiction became much stronger. akin most smokers, Ive tried to quit cold turkey on many occasions, just now the mood and the will power lasts only until my synapses (nerve endings) protrude screaming, crying, and pleading with my conscious for a poove. The intendment of my quest was to discern the influences on my fastball habit and to curb the physical and psychological addiction through the murder of specific reinforced behaviors. Positive reinforcers make me smoke, and negative reinforcers prevent me from smoking. By identifying positive reinforcements, I learned to quit smoking.Before beginning my abbreviation of my smoking habits, I recorded the number of cigarettes smoked on a daily basis. On an average day I smoked 4-5 cigarettes. By establishing my baseline performance on a typical w eek, I mickle out to find the positive reinforcements, which coerced me into smoking. The days that were most prolific in smoking were Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. The primary reason for the increase in smoking was repayable to the social events of that particular evening, which included the occasional alcohol consumption, and companionship of beau smokers/friends. Partying dramatically affected my smoking habit. Undoubtedly my gregarious antics affected my smoking, but the post-sex cigarette also added to the count. By pinpointing these factors, I was able to invent a fixed negative reinforcement schedule to lead me away from smoking and steer me towards a healthier lifestyle.In order to develop a fixed negative reinforcement schedule, I divided my cigarettes into groups allowing myself only three cigarettes a day. I placed my daily ration of cigarettes into envelopes and labeled them for from each one day of the week. I smoked one cigarette after lunch, one after dinner, and one later at night. I would requite myself with a cigarette after attending classes and eating lunch. I would then reward myself with another cigarette after homework and dinner. Through the course of my week, I violated my regimen only twice. On Wednesday and Friday, I bummed a cigarette from one of my friends. After feeling guilty about violating my regimen, I repented for hours, and swore to myself that I was going to beat my addiction. Primary negative reinforcers also helped me stick with the platform such as improved stamina during physical exercise and much money in my pocket.