Avoiding change qualifies as survival, and we get rewarded (albeit temporarily), so we keep reverting every time. It does this with anything that helps us as a species to survive, like eating or sex. Often, habits that don't benefit us still feel good, since the brain releases dopamine. The limbic system in the brain activates the fight-flight-or-freeze responses, and our reaction is to avoid this "threat" and go back to the old behavior, even though we know it's not good for us. Luana Marques, associate professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School.
Stephanie Collier, director of education in the division of geriatric psychology at McLean Hospital, and instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.īad habits are slightly different, but when we try to break a bad one we create dissonance, and the brain doesn't like that, says Dr. "The brain doesn't have to think too much," say Dr. Good or bad habits are routines, and routines, like showering or driving to work, are automatic and make our lives easier. But even before that, it helps to understand what's happening in our brains, with our motivations, and with our self-talk. It takes intent, a little white-knuckling, and some effective behavior modification techniques.
But breaking an unhealthy habit can be done. The cycle is understandable, because the brain doesn't make changes easily. We feel defeated and guilty because we know better and still can't resist. And then tomorrow comes, we cave, and feel worse than bad. We all have habits we'd like to get rid of, and every night we give ourselves the same pep talk: I'll go to bed earlier.
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