Psychology
Introduction
Many people have one or maybe several habits, which considered bad. These bad behaviors are commonly aimed by people to break. However, many of them do not know how to do it. Conceivably, one of the worst things when it comes to bad habits is that when such behavior is already ruling someone’s life. In this writing, we discussed these bad habits can be avoided through various ways. Relatively, there are latest researches that pertain to getting rid of people’s bad habits. Moreover, in order to successfully and completely avoid one’s negative or bad habit, a person must be able to realize it first so as to apply the actions away from such behavior in order to achieve the change’s positive outcome.
Getting Rid of Negative Habits
In most times, negative habits could interrupt a person’s life, which might prevent him or her to accomplish his or her goals. Thus, negative habit can also jeopardize an individual’s physical and mental health. James Clear (2013) claims that such negative or bad habits cannot be eliminated, but they can be replaced with better ones. In fact, most of the negative practices are caused by boredom and stress (Clear, 2013). In order to replace a person’s negative habit, a person must admit it first. In choosing a replacement for an individual’s bad practice in life, He or she should have a well-planned actions way ahead of time. In that case, he will be able to respond once boredom and stress come in.
Upon the admission of negative habits, a person will be aware of the trigger factors that push him or her to commit such bad behaviors. In order to get rid of such behavior, one must avoid as many trigger factors as possible (Clear, 2013). In that way, the temptation will be reduced and an individual will be able to turn his or her attentions into the replacement or better behaviors.
Dr. Hal Webb (n.d.) also says that the initial process of getting rid of a bad habit is by admitting it. For example, a person wants to quit smoking, but having a hard time doing so. Therefore, what he can do is to primarily admit to himself that he is a person who does not know how to quit smoking. Secondly, his hate against cigarette must overpower the temptations that surround him. In that way, his temper will guide him towards quitting eventually. After admitting your negative habit and focusing on quitting from it, you have to confess that you were guilty of committing such bad behavior and must have a decision that you are quitting from it and replacing with a better one (Webb, n.d.). Finally, he must claim his freedom from such negative habit and recall the challenges that he had gone through so as to prevent him from doing the same bad behavior again.
Previous research shows that people are persisting in a negative habit due to its direct personal satisfaction (Jager, 2003). On the other hand, the reasons why people wanted to quit from it are due to the habit’s negative consequences against the physical or social environment. Conversely, these unwanted behaviors can also be avoided through informational campaign. This strategy is essential to communicate with people in order to deliver the positive effects of alternative behavior (Jager, 2003). This method does not only apply specifically to smoking. This process is applicable to negative habits in general. In that sense, getting rid of negative habits will surely provide a positive outcome.
Conclusion
Getting rid of negative habit is not just because a person wants to. The reality is that doing such behavioral change will have a domino effect not only to one’s personal well-being. It will also change the underlying reasons why such bad habit existed in the first place. Getting rid of bad practices can be a challenge, but to be affected by its outcome is more challenging.
References
Clear, J. (2013, June 13). How to Break a Bad Habit (And Replace It With a Good One) | James Clear. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-clear/breaking-habits_b_3540148.html
Jager, W. (2003). Breaking ‘bad habits’: a dynamical perspective on habit formation and change. Retrieved from www.rug.nl/staff/w.jager/jager_habits_chapter_2003.pdf
Webb, H. (n.d.). Breaking a Bad Habit. Retrieved from http://setlinc.com/webb/writings/BREAKING-A-BAD-HABIT.pdf
