Let’s talk about how to break bad behaviours. You’ve heard it all before – “set a healthy schedule, get to bed early, eat a healthy breakfast”. There are so many voices telling us what behaviours to engage in.
However, sometimes, the loudest voice is that voice in our head that tells us to sleep in later, keep playing video games or skip dinner tonight. Maybe we know our behaviours aren’t the best for us, but we feel stuck in a rut and don’t feel like changing.
Let’s explore how we can learn to break bad behaviours and start building good ones.
Break Bad Behaviours: Does Changing Behaviours Help Me Feel Better?
When we talk about changing behaviours, we want to look for healthy behaviours. That could be different for everyone!
At the very least, we know that taking care of ourselves is a good place to start. Whether it be eating our vegetables, exercising, or showering, these behaviours, as simple as they may seem, are positive behaviours. They actually contribute to us feeling better. As much as we know these behaviours might be good for us, it can be easy to push them aside or to be lazy in the moment.
The immediate effect of these behaviours is not always positive.
For example, the last time I was running, I felt that I could never make it to the end. I wasn’t feeling it one bit . However, the impact of working out is not one that makes me feel warm, fuzzy and happy in the moment. Instead, the positive impact of working out is one of delayed gratification. With exercising, over time we feel healthier, stronger, with more energy, better sleep, and so on.
Small decisions to engage in healthier behaviours help pull us into what we like to call a “positive reinforcement cycle.” These behaviours pull us closer to our values.
The Consequences Of Choosing Bad Behaviours
If we choose to take the easy way out and always pick the behaviour that gives us immediate benefit (like eating that bag of chips..), we get a short burst of positive reinforcement. It might make us feel comfortable, safe, relaxed, or good for a brief moment. However, what happens after that bag of chips is done?
Sometimes, engaging in that bad behaviour can work to perpetuate a negative cycle of behaviours. In this case, maybe we’re lethargic so we don’t get exercise, we don’t get proper nutrition so we feel tired or bloated. We might have regret or thoughts of “ I shouldn’t have eaten that.” These specific behaviours might feel good at the moment. However, they make us MORE likely to engage in further negative behaviours. They suck us into a negative reinforcement behavioural cycle.
If you stay up late playing video games, you’re much less likely to wake up early, eat a healthy breakfast, and have the energy to exercise. You’re more likely to fall into a negative sleep schedule. Are you getting sucked into a negative behaviour cycle?
Behavioural Activation: Breaking Bad Behaviours And Building Good Ones
Therapists use a concept called behavioural activation or BA for short, to help clients incorporate healthier behaviours into their lives.
Behavioural activation is customizable and can be applied uniquely to each client. So, for one client, it can look like planning more activities while for another client, this could mean getting out of bed on time. What might it look like for you?
Take a look at this photo below to see how our behaviours influence different mental health struggles. You can replace the word “depression” with whatever you might be struggling with whether it be anxiety, stress or just a blah feeling!
Our goal in promoting healthy behaviours is to help you break free from the negative cycle that may be keeping you stuck. So how do I stay on track? Accountability! This famous word means we need to keep track and stay responsible for our actions. Which, you guessed it, is something that takes time and practice. Does that mean I have to be perfect? No, it is about setting realistic expectations and goals that you can work towards achieving. The good thing is, we’re here to help you, you don’t have to do this alone!
A therapist is trained to help you create and implement behavioural activation strategies while helping you stay accountable! Beginning with behavioural activation is a great way to start the journey towards bettering your mental health.
Get Therapy And Support From Rebound Total Health
At Rebound Total Health, we understand it can be hard to break bad behaviours. Our therapists can help you start creating and adopting behavioural activation strategies.
Ready to take the first step? Connect with a therapist today and get the support you need. At Rebound Total Health, we offer virtual online counselling. Together, you can navigate your journey of building strategies for positive, healthy behaviours.
For news and educational information, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Related: Behavioural Activation and Depression: How Teens Can Beat The Blues