Scientist suggest new therapy to stop craving for chocolate

Scientists have claimed to have found a cure for chocoholics - a new therapy to help them resist temptation of calorie-laden chocolate.
They say people who find it impossible to stop eating chocolate should turn to a technique called 'cognitive defusion'.
Dr Katy Tapper, of City University London, and Kim Jenkins, of Swansea University, say their findings could help many people seeking to switch to healthier diets.
Essentially, the process involves distancing yourself from tempting chocolate bars and learning to recognise that you are not driven by your thoughts.
Writing in the online version of the British Journal of Health Psychology, the researchers say the relatively simple strategy could even help weight loss.

The research involved 135 participants, mostly female, who all wanted to cut their chocolate consumption.

A third were taught cognitive defusion through being asked to imagine they were the driver of a minibus and any thoughts about chocolate were awkward passengers.
Participants had to choose a way to deal with the thoughts or passengers.
Another group was taught the technique of 'acceptance' or 'urge surfing'. They were told to 'ride the wave' of their cravings, accepting and observing their feelings rather than giving in or trying to defeat them.
A third group was taught a relaxation technique involving tensing and then relaxing various muscles.

The volunteers were then given a transparent bag of chocolates to keep with them at all times for five days and told to keep a diary of any other chocolate they ate.
At the end of the five days 45 per cent of both the 'urge surfing' and relaxation groups had eaten some chocolate. But only 27 per cent of the cognitive defusion group had given in to temptation.
Further research will now establish whether the same technique can help people deal with addictions to alcohol, smoking or sex.
This is not the first time researchers have found that mindfulness can subdue chocoholic cravings. One 2012 study compared cognitive defusion with cognitive restructuring.

The latter is a technique that teaches people to challenge inaccurate thoughts and replace them with more accurate ones. For example, someone who thinks "I need something sweet" might challenge that thought with "Actually, I don't need chocolate. I want it, but eating it won't help me meet my goals. I can do something else instead.