Why is it always harder to break a bad habit than to form a good one?
By Anish Asokan
@RevivedWarrior (3119)
India
January 14, 2025 10:55am CST
Habits take time to form and it can be ingrained through reward or repetition or both. When it comes to good habits, they require effort and the rewards are often delayed.
I have this bad habit of biting my nails. It is not exactly a conscious thing but often I end up doing it when I am stressed or when I think of my past traumas. Biting the nails give me some instant gratification (seems there is some dopamine release). It is a vicious cycle that I am unable to break. For this habit, I do not have a healthy alternative yet. So, when I get stressed, my automatic response is to bit my nails (luckily, I am not doing that in public).
I find breaking a bad habit is like fighting against my will or against an inbuilt behaviour.
Have you felt challenging to break a bad habit compared to building a positive one?
9 people like this
8 responses
@arunima25 (88400)
• Bangalore, India
14 Jan
I have seen that in many people, my brother and elder daughter being amongst them. It's hard to break it. They say that it takes 21 days of repetition for anything to become a habit. So, if it is a habit you want to inculcate try it with all conscious effort for 21 days. But I think it takes more than that to break a bad one. And we pick up the bad ones without consciously trying for it. I guess that it's human tendency.
4 people like this
@RevivedWarrior (3119)
• India
15 Jan
Very true- its all about isntant gratification. Bad habits give instant gratification and hence hard to break. Well, right now focusing on music to beat the stress. Hopefully it will work. Thanks for the support!
@arunima25 (88400)
• Bangalore, India
21 Jan
@RevivedWarrior Music is like my lifeline, it is like my oxygen in stressful times, happy times or even mundane boring times. 
1 person likes this
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (14620)
• Torrington, Connecticut
15 Jan
We are creatures of habit, easier to pick up a habit then it is to drop one
2 people like this
@RevivedWarrior (3119)
• India
15 Jan
Very true my friend. Well, I am looking to beat stress with music and that might help in breating this habit. Thanks for support!
@just4him (318815)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
16 Jan
@RevivedWarrior You're welcome.
1 person likes this
@RevivedWarrior (3119)
• India
15 Jan
I definitely would like to . It would be awkward to look at my hands and notice about my nails. Well, currently looking at music to beat the stress . Thanks for the support!
@RevivedWarrior (3119)
• India
15 Jan
Yes, it is tough to break a bad habit. Lot of struggle involved. Thanks for sharing!
@grenery8 (12323)
• Zagreb, Croatia (Hrvatska)
19 Jan
@RevivedWarrior like one way street, not so easy. thank you!
1 person likes this
@RevivedWarrior (3119)
• India
17 Jan
Well, there is lot of effort needed to come out of a bad habit. Thanks for sharing!
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (95567)
• United States
14 Jan
Would you bite your nails if you got a manicure? If you spent the money to make them look so nice, you might feel enough pressure to keep from biting them. I’m always more careful not to mess something up if I spent money on it.
I know it’s not a great solution, but it sounds like you’ve tried everything.
1 person likes this
@RevivedWarrior (3119)
• India
15 Jan
I have tried that. It is just that I need to find an alternative to beat stress. Well, listening to music is definitely helping to limit the behaviour to an extent. Thanks for the support!
@snowy22315 (184252)
• United States
14 Jan
Yes, sometimes I have quit biting my nails for periods of times, but then when something stresses me out I will go back to it again. It is an intermittent thing for me.
1 person likes this
@RevivedWarrior (3119)
• India
15 Jan
I can understand how it is. It is just we need a better way to beat stress. Thanks for the support!
