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HABITS AND ADDICTIONS

 

We all develop habits and many are essential to our everyday lives, such as looking both ways before we cross the road, engaging the hand break when we park the car to getting up to go to work, cleaning our teeth and getting dressed before we go out!

 

Habits are learned behaviours which are formed by repetition that which then lay neural pathways in our unconscious minds, resulting in our actions becoming automatic.  Psychologists and neurologists maintain that each habit is formed by three processes. The first is the Reminder, this is the trigger which initiates the behaviour; the second is the routine, this is the behaviour itself i.e. cleaning your teeth and the final stage is the reward, the benefit you derive from doing the behaviour. These 3 processes lead to a neural pathway being formed in the brain which lay the foundations for the habit to be stored. 

 

Researchers have found that habit-making behaviours are formed in a part of our brain called the basal ganglia. This is the area of the brain involved with the development of emotions, memories and pattern recognition. This explains why habits can become so difficult to break as they are usually deeply interwoven with our emotions. For instance checking your phone for messages or facebook for ‘Likes’ may become so habitual that a person feels agitated or anxious if prevented from doing so.

 

Hypnosis can greatly assist in the ‘undoing’  of such habits. This is done by direct or indirect suggestions which are made by the hypnotherapist whist you are under hypnosis and which goes deep into your subconscious to ‘unlearn’ and ‘undo’ the habits. 

 

What is the difference between habits and addictions?

 

The key differences between habits and addictions is that habits are developed behaviours usually through frequent repetition i.e. checking your phone for messages to the point that the brain does them automatically. Whereas an addiction is a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance i.e. heroin, nicotine or alcohol which is characterised by tolerance and the presence of physiological symptoms upon withdrawal. However research has found that the brain develops ingrained neural pathways in addictions involving internet pornography and gambling. Moreover, with the advent of social media there is more evidence emerging that certain types of behaviour are now more addictions i.e. sex addiction and plastic surgery addiction 

 

Can a habit also lead to an addiction?

 

Yes, in certain circumstances it can. The Three well documented are smoking, drinking alcohol and gambling. Recently, researchers have found that viewing internet pornography may also be an addiction due to the dopamine effect (Please see Internet Porn addiction section on this site).

 

In respect of habits/addictions such as smoking, this involves an addictive substance called nicotine which can take up to 2 weeks to leave your system. However, this is only part of the story as it is the actual habit that fuels the behaviour i.e. the repitition of reaching for the cigarettes. 

 

Hypnosis can help you kick those habits and addictions such as: 

 

  • Nail Biting

  • Viewing pornography

  • Social Media/internet use

  • Binge eating

  • Binge drinking

  • Playing with your hair

  • Hoarding

  • Procrastination 

  • Overspending

  • Poor time management

  • Gambling

  • Sex addiction 

  • Plastic surgery addiction

  • Internet dating/dating 

  • Masturbating 

 

How can hypnosis help?

 

Hypnosis can help by 'unlearning' the behaviour. What I mean by that is that you have had to consciously learn a behaviour, it was not automatic. Psychologists have found with repeated repetions the behaviour will become automatic. You will do it automatically without conscious thought. Hypnosis can help with the process of 'unlearning' by making suggestions directly or indirectly. This can be done by imagining the behaviour literally being undone i.e. dismantling it. Or you may be giving in-direct suggestions that the habit or addiction is no longer any use. Similar to you acquiring the habit, with being told the behaviour is no longer any use will start the process of 'unlearning' the habit and addiction.  

 

How many sessions will I need to have?

 

This depends on the individual and how long they have had the habit. As a general rule I usually recommend 6 sessions. However, there are some habits and addictions that may take many more sessions i.e. binge drinking, binge eating, viewing internet pornography and gambling  This will depend on the length of time you have had the habit and/or addiction, any secondary gains that are fuelling it, and whether they are interwoven with other conditions such as anxiety, loss of confidence or low self-esteem. I will discuss this with the client at the initial consultation and through the course of hypnotherapy. 

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