Habit cessation method and apparatus

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed which can be used to effect the cessation of the use of cigarettes and other habit-forming chemical substances. Said method and apparatus as disclosed in the present invention do not require the user to use or ingest any chemical compounds other than cigarettes, or said other habit forming chemical substance, or attempt to modify attitudes about smoking. The objective of the invention is to provide habit cessation technologies which create an enhanced “toxic reaction” in a user in response to the absorption of a chemical which previously did not induce said reaction.

1 . A habit cessation method for the cessation of the use of a habit-forming substance comprising: an individual determining the average number of cigarettes said individual smokes in a day; said individual choosing a certain period of time following which said individual would prefer to stop smoking; said individual then continuing to smoke substantially the same number of cigarettes every day for said certain period of time, but making to sure to smoke said cigarettes at random time intervals every day relative to any time intervals when cigarettes were smoked in any previous day.  
   
   
       2 . A habit cessation apparatus according to  claim 1  that presents the equivalent of said random time intervals to said individual through any visual or auditory means such as a cell phone, pager, beeper, written word, or any other physical means.  
   
   
       3 . A habit cessation apparatus for the cessation of the use of a habit-forming substance comprising in combination: a case body means configured to contain a first electronic circuit means configured to generate a series of random output signal patterns relative to a non random signal pattern; at least one input signal means electrically coupled to said first electronic circuit means; at least one second electronic circuit means electrically coupled to, and configured to be controlled by said first electronic circuit means, and capable of outputting voltage pulses; at least one visual or auditory signaling means electrically coupled to, and configured to be activated by said second electronic circuit means; and at least one power source coupled to said first electronic circuit  
   
   
       4 . The habit cessation device of  claim 3 , further comprising a data analysis portion of said first electronic circuit, which analyzes inputs from said input signal means, and is configured to generate random electrical signals to said second electronic circuit, communicable to a user via said visual or auditory signaling means.  
   
   
       5 . The habit cessation device of  claim 3 , wherein said signaling means is a light which illuminates coincident with the time for random consumption of said habit forming substance.  
   
   
       6 . The habit cessation device of  claim 3 , wherein said signaling means is a sound-producing element, said sound-producing element producing a sound coincident with the time for usage of said habit forming substance.  
   
   
       7 . A habit cessation device useful for the cessation of the use of a habit-forming substance comprising in combination: a computer means; a computer readable medium operable on said computer means; a visual display means electrically coupled to said computer means; said computer readable medium configured to present a first graphic message banner on said display means requesting that a user type in the number of cigarette packs, or individual cigarettes that he smokes in a day, and providing at least one first graphic button to be activated every time a cigarette is smoked for a first period of time; at least one second graphic message banner configured to take the forefront on said display means indicating to said user that “It's Time To Smoke”; said second graphic message banner appearing at random intervals during a second period of time, and said second graphic message banner configured to appear for a third period of time at which point said user may click a second graphic button which may close said second graphic message banner completely; and said second period of time being significantly longer than either said first or third periods of time.  
   
   
       8 . A habit cessation device according to  claim 7  where said second graphic message banner is displayed at intervals that are separated by a random number of minutes, the total length of each of said random number of minutes representing a portion of the total number of waking minutes in a day divided by the total number of cigarettes smoked in a day.