subject: How Long Does It Take To Break A Habit Or Addiction? [print this page] Many a statistics state that a habit can be broken within 6 weeks. It also takes up to 6 weeks to make a habit. I guess a lot people will be interested in breaking a bad habit that inhibits their performance. Some people will be glad to make habits that are beneficial. Breaking a habit is possible, but you may get various results for each type of habit. You may have realized that habits like setting the alarm clock on every night, playing your favorite song before you go to bed, and checking the doors are not hard to program. Other types of habits are stubborn.
Certain types of habits i. E. Over drinking, cursing, biting your nails may be hard to break. Most people are struggling with one or more types of habits in their lives. You are probably wondering why you keep on doing the same thing for several years now. Your habit is stronger than your feeble attempts to resist it. It is like a spring. No matter how much force you apply on the spring, the spring will come back to its original dimensions.
Habits can be stopped for specific intervals of time. However, they will come back to rule over you after this interval. Habits which are done when an individual is alone, can be stopped if that time is spent in engaging activities. However, there are habits which take hold of us even if we are occupied with some activity.
There are compulsive and destructive habits. Compulsive behaviors are normal. They even affect celebrities and other notable personalities. One famous star is known to have a specific type of compulsive behavior known as "Obsessive Compulsive behaviour".
One example of compulsive obsessive behavior is when an individual feels the need for repeatedly washing his hands after entering the bathroom. The individual may wash his hands five times before leaving the bathroom.
It is difficult to break a habit. Some habits may require the help of a psychiatrist. Destructive habits which cause deterioration should be done away with. These include bulimia, anorexia nervosa, drunkenness and drug abuse. Some habits are annoying and disturbing. Such habits may cause discomfort to other people. Cursing and yelling are examples.
