Chocolate Craving: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25752/psi.13691Keywords:
Chocolate, Craving, psychotherapyAbstract
Background: Chocolate craving is an intense desire for chocolate. It can be based on biological and psychosocial factors.
Aims: This work constitutes a structured and updated review on the role of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy in chocolate craving.
Methods: The methodology involved a search in Pubmed and Science Direct of articles published between 1971 and 2017 using the keywords “chocolate craving”.
Results: Cognitive-behavioral techniques, such as distraction, coping cards, refocusing, visualization techniques, dramatization, relaxation, and assertiveness training, may be helpful in approaching craving. Strategies such as extinction, counterconditioning, control/acceptance strategies, visuospatial tasks (saccadic eye movements, dynamic visual noise, spatial touch, modeling task), exposure to non-food odors and physical exercise have shown to play a role in reducing chocolate craving.
Conclusions: Chocolate craving can be approached pharmacologically or through psychological strategies. Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy may play a role in chocolate craving.
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