Relaxation as Principal Treatment for Excessive Cigarette Use and Caffeine Ingestion by a College Female

A female graduate student with diagnosed tachycardia was the subject in an experiment to reduce consumption of caffeine and use of cigarettes. The relaxation procedure described by Benson was used as the principal treatment. Reinforcement cards for nonsmoking and elimination of caffeine were also used. The subject was successful in reducing her caffeine intake and completely extinguished use of cigarettes. She reported that she was still practicing the relaxation procedure 1 yr. later. Apparently these procedures can be helpful in modifying use of cigarettes and caffeine.