Habit Summary

For the habit assignment, I decided to try to break my habit of constantly eating unhealthy snacks and junk food. I chose this behavior because it is a habit I have been trying to break for a while. Also, the positive bonus benefits of a healthier diet and possible weight loss appealed to me. However, it was very hard for me to change my snacking behavior. Sometimes, I would eat a cookie or a piece of cake not even realizing what I was doing. Hours later, I would think to myself “I wasn’t supposed to do that!” It had become an unconscious habit. I needed to put my goal in the forefront of my mind to be able to avoid junk foods. It was not until I started reminding myself repeatedly that I couldn’t have junk food that I made any progress with my goal.

My friends were very supportive of my goal to break this habit. They would remind me that I was not to eat junk food. However, sometimes they would also forget of what I was trying to do and offer me something sweet. When the weather started to get nice, and my friends realized that summer was right around the corner, they also started to watch what they were eating. This was a tremendous help in trying to break my habit. When everybody around you has the same goal, it is much easier to reach it. We would hold each other accountable to our aspirations and remind each other of what we could and could not eat.

            Another thing that was helpful in trying to break my habit was an action plan. After a few weeks of not being successful, I realized I needed additional conditions to my plan so that I would not eat sweets. First, I stopped buying junk food (which I had bought for occasions when other people would come over to my house). Also, I noticed that when I worked out in the mornings I was less likely to eat sweets for the rest of the day because I did not want to ruin or waste my workout by eating something unhealthy. I successfully switched my workout routine around to accommodate my new discovery. It was much easier to reach my goal after making these adjustments.

            Things that I learned about myself from this project were numerous. Firstly, I learned what my triggers are for eating sweets. When I was stressed I noticed that I ate significantly more junk food. I also did this when I was bored or with my friends on the weekends. This realization will make it that much easier to junk food in the future. I also learned a snack does not have to be sweet or unhealthy to be enjoyable to me. When I stopped eating junk food, I began snacking on healthier things, such as yogurt and granola. I also learned some things about my own mentality when it comes to trying to accomplish a goal. I have tried several times before to cut junk food out of my diet with no success. I would make excuses for myself and give up before I really even started. For this project, however, after failing for the first couple of weeks, I reevaluated the situation and formed a plan. It was much easier after this. From now on, I will approach every change I am trying to make in the same way.

            Based on this experience, I think it would be very difficult for someone with an addiction to change their behavior. Since an addict’s brain and body changes due to the substance they are addicted to and they crave the particular substance every day of their life, it would be much harder to overcome than any bad habit. Some addicts would also have to be deal with withdrawal symptoms and pains while trying to overcome their addictions, which is an extra struggle. I also struggled with breaking my bad habit, but not as much as an addict would struggle. An addict would need the support of friends and family. They might also need the support of a counselor, psychologist or medical staff. Depending on their addiction, they might need the added support of medication to cure their addiction. I also think a harm- reduction approach would be helpful for some types of addicts. I found this approach very helpful when trying to break my habit. I could not immediately abstain from junk food and that approach was keeping me from making any process. I found that eating less and less junk food each day was much more successful in my situation. Completely abstaining might not work for certain addicts. However, every addiction is different, and some addicts might need to completely abstain from the substance right away and for the rest of their life to function and survive.

After taking this course and trying to break my own bad habit, I believe that the road to breaking a habit or curing an addiction is long, but possible! An addicted person might always have the desire for whatever substance they are addicted to, and it is true that their brain structure may be forever altered to crave a certain substance. However, they can choose not to partake in that behavior. People change for the better every day. The will to change is essential in the process. To break a habit that has become a central part of your life requires 100% effort and perseverance.  In the process of curing an addiction, it requires special services and possibly medication. Depending on the circumstances, it could require love and support from others, or somebody may have to reject an addicted person before they realize they have a serious and life-threatening problem. Every situation is different, but just as hard. With the proper plan, support, desire and commitment, I truly believe that people can change!