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From: sloderb@mailer.cc.fsu.edu (Mike Sloderbeck)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: nicotine withdrawl (help quitting smoking)
Summary: Change reinforcement schedule, too
Keywords: addiction, withdrawl, dependancy reduction
Message-ID: <1991Apr17.140309.14221@mailer.cc.fsu.edu>
Date: 17 Apr 91 14:03:09 GMT
References: <1991Apr15.125517.16718@lonex.radc.af.mil>
Sender: sloderb@mailer.cc.fsu.edu
Organization: Florida State University
Lines: 24

In article <1991Apr15.125517.16718@lonex.radc.af.mil> szarekw@lonexc.radc.af.mil (William J. Szarek) writes:
>What is the best way to withdraw from dependancy on nicotine.   What I am
>looking for is a formula (mathematical) that describes the number of cigaretts
>per day that a person may smoke when withdrawing from nicotine over a given
>period of time.  The formula should describe this number as a function of
>the number of cigaretts the person smokes now and how long the person has
>to quit (am I overlooking other variables?).  Is the function linear, log,
>or some other base function.
A behavioral psychologist (Hartje) suggested this method:
After determining the initial number of cigs/day, you must change when you
smoke them. Think about when one smokes (after a meal, when a phone 
conversation starts, etc.).  Instead of smoking your n cigs on this
"variable interval" reinforcement schedule, change to a "fixed interval"
schedule (1 per m minutes).  Then taper off according to the function
you are going to come up with.  Variable (interval or frequency) reinforcement
schedules are the most effective to reinforce the behavior (consider the
lottery player).
I am unaware of any references to the success of this method of changing
schedules.   
  

-- 
Mike Sloderbeck,  FSU Department of Biological Science
sloderb@mailer.cc.fsu.edu