To use an analogy from the article, a smoker can't stop going to work because walking by the entrance stirs cravings.
Would like to see practical tools that addicts can employ that use this theory, short of flying across the world.
There were a lot of positive habits associated with smoking. I got to go outside, clear my head of of work for a few minutes, and take regular breaks.
So I took those things and did something in place of smoking that would let me get the same benefits. When I would normally take smoke breaks I would go outside (through a different exit) and take a walk. Or I'd stay inside and stretch or do simple exercises.
When it's not possible to change surroundings, it's important to replace bad habits with good ones.
By using exercise as your replacement, you aren't just distracting yourself from the lack of a psychoactive drug but you're maintaining many of the positive results without the toxic delivery method.
In my situation it's less feasible for me to do much exercise (at least not enough to compensate) every time I feel the need to clear some brain fog and tension but I did switch to a nicotine delivery method that doesn't rely on inhaling burning tobacco and the health risks associated. In the process I dramatically lowered my usage but at the least I'm just getting the mild stimulant (similar to how many people use coffee) without the hazardous stuff that goes along with smoking as the delivery method.
Either way, congrats! Making the effort to change habits to remove unhealthy aspects seems pretty worthwhile from my experience with this.
I work from home and it seems I can't focus on developing so easily and get distracted even more these days.
Assuming: 1 pack/day, $10 a pack (this is close in my province), 5% interest, over 30 years, has a present value of $55k. I wouldn't be surprised if the numbers for alcoholism or heroin addiction are similar. Addiction is hugely expensive to the people afflicted and society at large (barring the usual discussion of smokers saving health care dollars by dying early).
If flying across the world/country and making other drastic changes really does stop the cycle with a high rate of success, we should consider funding it.
In addiction circles this behavior is comingly attempted, and considered so unsuccessful, that it has a *A-ism, "Doing a geographic".
Of course I couldn't find that output today. But one thing I remember quite clearly is the cost of cigarettes. They were about $0.30 per pack back then. I'm sure I wouldn't have gone over $1.00 per pack in my table.
Even allowing for inflation, someone is making a lot of money off the back of addicts.
I'm no doctor, but if a person is able to "exist" for half the day or more without their buzz, I'd suspect they've not yet built very any/much physical dependence.
In England you get a medically supervised withdrawal if you drink more than 40 units per day. Very roughly this is 32 US Fluid ounces of 80 proof liquor per day. (One litre of 40% spirits).
80 proof = 40%. BigBeer (Budweiser) ~= 5% CraftBeer ~= 8% with some variation
So this means 16 pints (or ~21 12oz bottles) of Budweiser or 10 pints (should never be drunk in 12oz bottles) of Craft Brew a day. For a small person, that's almost enough to be perpetually buzzed.
I think the Drink Alone vs Bar Hopping is just a matter of being a functioning vs non-functioning alcoholic.
Ironically, the high price of cigarettes means they can't afford to go out very often.
I quit whilst working by avoiding places that were part of that "ritual": the cafeteria, fire escape/stairwell & pedestrian entry to the garage.
Disclosure: I've long since started again, I work from home now :-P