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If you are smoker and are pregnant or even looking to get pregnant, you know that you have to quit smoking or else bear the guilt for possibly causing any number of birth defects in the child to come. And now Yale University study has demonstrated that it may be possible to control cravings using nothing more than one’s own thoughts.

In this study, a simple strategy from cognitive behavioral therapy was used: The participants of the study, were shown photos of unhealthy food and cigarettes and then told to visualize two things – one how good it would feel to smoke or eat now and then to visualize the long term consequences of the actions.

The researchers found that by the simple expedient of thinking about long term consequences, the smokers were able to curb their present actions. This is significant because smokers often feel that they are out of control and this study demonstrates that they are actually able to control their cravings.