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M.I.T. Explains Why Bad Habits Are Hard to Break
Ant writes "CNET News.com says habitual activity (e.g., smoking, eating fatty foods, gambling, etc.) changes neural activity patterns in a specific region of the brain when habits are formed. These neural patterns created by habit can be changed or altered. But when a stimulus from the old days returns, the dormant pattern can reassert itself, according to a new study from the M.I.T., putting an individual in a neural state akin to being on autopilot... The neural patterns get established in the basal ganglia, a brain region critical to habits, addiction and procedural learning."
Some habits are hard to break for some people.
/. addicts.
Sometimes the same habit is easy for other people.
Don't assume just because a person was once an alchoholic THAT PARTICULAR PERSON is doomed to never be able to drink responsibly. Forcing someone to stay away from booze because they ONCE had a problem does them a disservice. Ditto if they fell off the wagon a few times 10 years ago but have been clean since.
Now if they've had a RECENT PATTERN of falling off the wagon that's an entirely different story.
Now if a person with no recent abuse WANTS to stay "away from temptation" then by all means help him to do so. But if he wants to drink one beer don't stop him.
Ditto former drug abusers, compulsive shoppers, and
If YOU have had addiction problems in the past, the key is to "know thyself" and know what YOUR limits are and not approach them. If necessary, get friends to help you stay away from temptation that's above your limits.
Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
Look, MIT. People eat fatty foods because fatty foods are extremely convenient, cheap, and taste pretty good. People gamble because they either enjoy the games or have whacky dreams of hitting it big or winning back their losses. People smoke because it tastes damn good with a beer or a cup of coffee, and for the slight nicotine high. Why does everything need to be a new Theory Of Addiction?