Device Uses Small Electric Shock To Help Users Break Bad Habits

BOSTON (CBS) – A Boston company wants to zap away your bad habits.
“You’re essentially training the habit center of your brain,” said Sims McGrath, Marketing Director at Pavlok.
Pavlok training comes with a little bit of pain. Users press a lightning bolt on the wrist band to deliver a pre-set electrical jolt right to the arm.
“You associate the stimulus from Pavlok with the habit that you’re trying to break and the association is what trains the aversion to the habit,” explained McGrath.
Pavlok, as you may have picked up already, is a play on the Pavlovian Response.
Eric Lanoue of Somerville used Pavlok to cut down on smoking. For five days straight every time he lit up, or just thought about it, he hit the Pavlok.
“At the end of it I really did see a significant decrease in cravings and the desire to smoke in general, ” said Lanoue.
A wristband that jolts the user can help break bad habits like smoking. (WBZ-TV)
He says he’s no longer buying cigarettes but the Pavlok is still on his wrist just in case.
“Whenever I feel like smoking I just hit this button and it shocks my hand and then it hurts a little bit and I don’t want to smoke anymore,” Lanoue explained.
While most Pavlok customers need to hit the watch themselves it can be programmed to go off automatically — like if you’re trying to stay productive at work, by blacklisting certain websites. So, if you’re procrastinating on Fac...

Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - June 17, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: mwschooley Tags: Health Local News Syndicated Local Dr. Mallika Marshall Source Type: news