Look at this process as a journey to find out what works for you and try not to get discouraged if a coping strategy doesn’t quite resonate with and instead move on to something else. Try to fold in different behaviors to replace the behavior you are trying to build self-control around. X Expert Source Julia Yacoob, PhDĬlinical Psychologist Expert Interview. Do you find yourself binge eating when you feel anxious or sad?Ĭhannel the energy into positive behaviors. Do you notice that you tend to binge eat when you are stressed? Maybe you binge eat to celebrate too.
Finally, breathe out slowly and naturally-your mouth or nose is fine. Continue filling your lungs, fully expanding your chest and lower belly. Try closing your eyes and breathing in slowly through your nose.Take note of how you feel and if you still want to engage in eating impulsively or giving in to that cigarette. Take the five minutes of breathing to imagine the craving slowly disappearing every time you exhale. Remind yourself that a craving is just that, a craving, it is not a necessity. If you have a cigarette or food craving, instead of immediately giving in to the craving, set your phone timer for five minutes, and focus on breathing from your belly. This suggestion can come in handy if you are trying to quit smoking or curb your eating habits.
This article has been viewed 1,218,668 times. This article received 30 testimonials and 100% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. WikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Yacoob is a member of the American Psychological Association, Women’s Mental Health Consortium, NYC Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Association, and Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. in Clinical Psychology from Rutgers University, and pursued specialized training at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the Institute for Behavior Therapy, and Bellevue Hospital Cancer Center. She specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for adults coping with a variety of symptoms and life stressors. Julia Yacoob is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist practicing in New York City.
This article was co-authored by Julia Yacoob, PhD.