To break a bad habit

WRITTEN BY: E.SADEESHA CHELSY FERNANDO, CLASS OF 2024
This blog inspects the thin veil of human shortcomings and despite how addictive it maybe, the possibility of overcoming them

Habits of ours
You wake up every day, switch off the alarm, pour yourself a cup of joe, and begin readying yourself for the upcoming dreadful hours. Seems rather normal, doesn’t it? As you repeat this process day in and day out for a while, it becomes a natural part of your behavior, up to an extent where you can perform these menial tasks half asleep. These settled and regular patterns of behavior are called habits.

Habits are first cobwebs, then cables” is a Spanish proverb that relays the message that bad habits can start with innocent experimenting and then move to conscious choice until finally, one day, they take control and lead to full-blown addictions.

Who is in charge?
Much like modern day society our brain prefers ventures with a payoff. The dopamine pathways governs our reward based attitudes.
The dopamine pathways governs our reward based attitudes.Whensoever we enjoy a bite of chocolate or even nibble our nails during an exam, these pathways fire up to reduce stress and increase pleasure. Well, how does this seemingly innocent system lead us astray? The problem lies in its inability to differentiate between good or bad stimuli, bringing about the reward. So, it tells you that eating feels good, but also so would smoking.

The story begins at the ventral tegmental area (VTA), which is a dopamine-rich nucleus that covers part of the midbrain and directs dopaminergic action potentials from the nucleus accumbens, often called the pleasure center of the brain. Thus, whenever a person encounters pleasurable stimuli (such as food, sex, drugs, etc.), dopamine is released and sends signals from the VTA to the Nucleus Accumbens, creating positive feelings that reinforce the behavior. This is called the Mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway.

Understanding why we do what we do ?
Let’s apply this theory to several of the most common addictive habits, exploring the scope of smoking. This $0.63 per treat knows its way around the dopamine pathway as it enhances the release of dopamine every time you puff. As long as nicotine is present, this statement stays true for all users of the OG cigars, cigarettes, and even the cool new vapes. Similarly, whenever you down a glass, more dopamine is produced, keeping the good times going. As this positive illusion lingers innately, making you think that another glass or two won’t hurt. So you keep guzzling more, letting the cycle repeat itself. Furthermore, alcohol enhances the effects of GABA, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety, simultaneously inhibiting glutamate, which is an excitatory neurotransmitter involved in learning, memory, and motivation. As a whole, these contribute to the entertaining effects of alcohol. With time, tolerance builds as copious amounts of alcohol are needed to achieve the same effects. And as the brain relies on alcohol for its dopamine fix, dependence develops. It is important to note that these effects can vary among individuals since genetic and environmental factors also play a role in the development of alcohol addiction.

Tools for recovery

Breaking a habit of any kind is truly easier said than done. Here are some tools to navigate these tricky trenches on the path to recovery.
1. Mindfulness
Mindfulness invites us to view our detrimental habits beyond the surface. For instance, let’s say your first glass of wine or cigarette was at a party surrounded by friends or family. It potentially might have reduced your anxiety and assisted in socializing. So your brain remembers this sense of relief and applies it to any stressful life situation, nudging you to take a sip or a puff.

So what if we took a step back and were present in the moment, actually thinking about what we are doing in a more curious manner? Maybe we might taste the bitterness of the alcohol, the dryness of cigarette smoke on your throat, or the stench left on every article of clothing. Therefore, our brain can be reprogrammed to create a sense of aversion to these behaviors.

Dr. Judson Brewer (MD, PhD, neuroscientist, author, psychiatrist) explains how this works in the book "The Subtle Mind" in four main steps:

R = Recognize, A = Acceptance, I = Investigate, N = Note.

It’s simply to accept the habit for what it is rather than running away from it. Be curious on what brings about this habit and make mental notes on how it makes you feel .. Understand the purpose behind its repetition. And finally, see it for what it really is.

2. Avoid tempting situations
Through our own experience we can scope out some compromising situations we put ourselves which positively reinforces our bad habits . If you know going to a bar to meet a friend might lead to a binge drink ,try meeting up at a cafe .Keep the solutions simple as possible so as not to get overwhelmed by the process

3. Replace it with a healthier habit

This is a personal choice to be made as what we choose should be of equal reward, but better quality than the bad habit. Taking up a hobby may help to refocus your mind, and settle it to gain and seek pleasure in better habits. But replacing doesn’t necessarily erase the original bad habit since learned behaviors remain in your brain. Therefore be active in strengthening healthy habits.

4. Seek support

As if having a bad habit isn’t bad enough, trying to recover on your own can be tiresome. This often leads us to fall back into our comfort zone of living with it rather than changing it. So by seeking support from people and institutions that understand you and your struggles are cornerstones in bringing about actual change

5. Progress not perfection

Journey to recovery isn’t always easy. So don’t be discouraged if you don’t see perfection instantly. Be prideful for the ability to understand yourself enough to initiate change, and thank yourself each day for trying.