Case Study: How Bud Quit Smoking

“Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times.”

            -Mark Twain

Here’s the truth: all addictions are difficult to break. We tell ourselves that starting today it’s never happening again, we struggle, we rebound, and we give up. It’s a vicious cycle, and it is especially tough for smokers. Quitting smoking is no easy task, and the tobacco companies designed it that way. Nicotine is pretty much the most addictive chemical substances that you can purchase legally.

According to the CDC tobacco smoke contains a deadly mix of more than 7,000 chemicals; hundreds are harmful, and about 70 of them can cause cancer. From the moment you start, smoking increases the risk for serious health problems, diseases, and even death. Beyond our physical well being smoking can also affect the way we perceive things mentally. Smokers are 70% more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression.

It’s no secret that smoking is horrible for your health. What does seem to be a “secret” though is finding a way to quit and stay cigarette free. People trying to quit smoking cold turkey succeed only 5% of the time, and even though the patch or gum give you a 50% better chance, that still only equates to 7.5% success.

Meet Bud, who (successfully) tried a new way of quitting smoking

Bud was a smoker for almost three years. He wanted to quit because smoking made him miserable: it was causing anxiety and he felt physically sick from smoking. But because nicotine changes the way your brain operates, he just couldn’t stop.

Like so many others before him Bud tried to quit again and again, but it just didn’t happen. Dozens of attempts at quitting cold turkey failed, as did both the patch and gum. He continued to smoke 1-2 packs a day for three years.

“Smoking left me feeling anxious, sick, and with a terrible cough, but I just couldn’t stop.”

The thing that finally got Bud to change his life? His Pavlok.

Bud had been a fan of Pavlok since the very beginning and decided to invest in a prototype with the sole purpose of quitting smoking. “Using Pavlok for the first time (while it wasn’t pleasant) was an incredible feeling. It suddenly helped me maintain focus on my goal.”

Pavlok utilizes psychological conditioning which breaks bad habits quickly and permanently. Every time you perform your bad habit, Pavlok releases an uncomfortable electric stimulus (or you can trigger it manually by pressing the button). Instead of attempting to wean you off nicotine (like the patch/gum) or use sheer willpower (“cold turkey”), Pavlok uses proven behavioral science to quickly reduce cravings and train away the desire to perform the bad habit.

The way Bud used Pavlok was unbelievably simple: if he smoked, he got a zap. No gums to chew or patches to apply. The best (and most counterintuitive) part of the Pavlok process: you don’t need to “try” to stop. As long as you use consistently use Pavlok every time you do your habit, Pavlok does all the work for you.

Let me explain.

Pavlok works by creating an aversion to your habit. Rather than try to deny you access to your habit, or only reduce cravings, Pavlok trains your brain to dislike your habit. Because you learn to dislike doing the habit, your cravings naturally subside and you simply stop wanting to do your habit.

To quit, Bud spent 5 minutes per day purposely having a cigarette and triggering the Pavlok. Doing these training sessions meant that his brain repeatedly got that uncomfortable zap and associated it with the cigarette he was smoking. In addition to the daily 5 minute sessions, Bud zapped himself for every craving he had throughout the day. When he gave into temptation like we all have the tendency to do, a simple button press on Pavlok snapped him out of his cigarette craving state of mind. His brain instantly began to recognize the connection between smoking and the zap he received as undesirable. Within 3-4 days Bud reported that his cravings had lessened significantly and he no longer wanted to smoke. “It was remarkable how quickly that happened. I virtually quit overnight. I can honestly say with no hyperbole that Pavlok really has changed my life.”

Bud reports that using the Pavlok to quit cigarettes has helped boost his self esteem and end his anxiety. Now Bud is healthy, saving over $300 every month not buying cigarettes, and feeling better about himself overall. His body is healing and he can look forward to a healthier life without cigarettes. Bud officially quit in March 2015 and today he is still proudly cigarette-free today.

Are you ready to quit? Buy a Pavlok and take the 5 day challenge. In just 5 minutes per day for 5 days, you’ll reduce cravings noticeably, and most users have no desire to continue smoking (and have quit!) at the end of the 5 day challenge.

We have a 6 month money back guarantee, so if Pavlok doesn’t work for you just send it back for a refund. If you stick to the 5 day program it is more likely that you will quit than not – just check out this pilot study that used Pavlok for proof (75% of participants quit smoking within 10 days).