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Why is it so hard to break a bad habit?

TED-Ed

873.1K Views . 2023-08-31

Explore the psychology behind how good and bad habits are formed, and get tips on how to manage these behaviors. -- Many people deal with a nail-biting habit at some point in their lives. Some will go to great lengths to try to stop, employing strategies like dipping their hands in salt or wearing gloves. And while not all of us are nail-biters, most of us do have a habit we’d like to kick. So, what's the best way to break one? Explore how habits are formed, and discover tips on how to manage these behaviors. Directed by Sacha Beeley. This video made possible in collaboration with Character Lab Learn more about how TED-Ed partnerships work: https://bit.ly/TEDEdPartners A special thanks to Wendy Wood who provided information and insights for the development of this video. Support Our Non-Profit Mission ---------------------------------------------- Support us on Patreon: http://bit.ly/TEDEdPatreon Check out our merch: http://bit.ly/TEDEDShop ---------------------------------------------- Connect With Us ---------------------------------------------- Sign up for our newsletter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletter Follow us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/TEDEdFacebook Find us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdTwitter Peep us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram ---------------------------------------------- Keep Learning ---------------------------------------------- View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-is-it-so-hard-to-break-a-bad-habit Dig deeper with additional resources: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-is-it-so-hard-to-break-a-bad-habit#digdeeper Animator's website: https://www.sachabeeley.com ---------------------------------------------- Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Fernando A. Endo, Helen Lee, pam morgan, sarim haq, Gerardo Castro, Michel-Ange Hortegat, Enes Kirimi, Amaury BISIAUX, ND, Samyogita Hardikar, Vanessa Graulich, Vandana Gunwani, Abdulmohsin Almadi, AJ Lyon, Geoffrey Bultitude, Mi Mi, Thomas Rothert, Brian Elieson, Oge O, Weronika Falkowska, Nevin Spoljaric, Sid Chanpuriya, Anoop Varghese, David Yastremski, Noah Webb, Roberto Chena, Oliver Koo, Luke Pisano, Andrea Gordon, Aleksandar Donev, Nicole Klau Ibarra, Jesse Lira, Ezekiel Raui, Petr Vacek, Dennis, Olivia Fu, Kari Teffeau, Cindy Lai, Rajath Durgada Manjunath, Dan Nguyen, Chin Beng Tan, Tom Boman, Karen Warner, Iryna Panasiuk, Aaron Torres, Eric Braun, Sonja Worzewski, Michael Clement, Adam Berry and Ghaith Tarawneh.

The video discusses habits, defining them as behaviors performed regularly and triggered subconsciously. Habits form when the brain learns a behavior is beneficial, and associates it with specific cues like time, location, or emotions, eventually triggering the behavior automatically.

Habits
Brain
Neurotransmitters
Dopamine

  • Billions of people experience the habit of nail-biting, often employing diverse methods to break it, such as chili peppers, gloves, salt, and mental imagery.
  • Habits are defined as recurring behaviors triggered subconsciously by specific environments, including locations, times, or emotional states.

Insights from the YouTube Video Script:

1. The Power of the Subconscious: How Habits Shape Our Lives

This script delves into the fascinating world of habits, highlighting how they are ingrained in our subconscious through repeated behaviors and environmental cues. It explains how seemingly simple actions, like nail-biting, become deeply rooted routines that are often triggered automatically, bypassing conscious decision-making.

2. Breaking the Chains: Understanding the 'Cue-Behavior-Reward' Loop

The script effectively breaks down the cycle of habit formation, revealing how our brains associate rewards with specific behaviors and environments. It emphasizes the importance of understanding these cues, which often trigger automatic responses, to effectively break a habit.

**3. Beyond

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