I found a very interesting article about the Marshmallow Test that was done 40 years ago.
What I gleaned from the article, is that the individuals who can “distract” themselves or get their mind off of the object of their addiction are the ones who can delay gratification, and thus have more self-control. Additionally, some people are genetically more predisposed to having difficulty with delaying gratification and this coincides with addiction.
It seems therefore that a good course of action to treat addictions is to avoid thinking about them. But, how to you not think about them? Well, I think a first step would be working on your present-centered awareness to slow thoughts in general.
A good a quick way to present-centered awareness or Mindfulness, is to begin to use your senses. Begin to notice all of the little things in your environment that are usually on “auto pilot.” Notice the sounds in your environment, the colors around you, notice the coolness or warmth of the air, any aroma or taste . When you fully immerse yourself in the present, you will notice that thoughts either slow down or stop altogether.
You can do the marshmallow (or chocolate) test yourself. See how well you do! You can have a treat right now..or you can have two if you wait an hour:)