What is the hardest habit to break?

1. 36

   ChristinSposted 11 years ago

   What is the hardest habit to break?
   
   At some point in life, everyone has to break at least one bad habit.  Some are harder than others. What would you say was the most difficult habit you had to break? How did you do it and were you successful right away?
   
   For me, it was quitting smoking by far.  It took several stops and starts to quit for good, but I was so proud of myself once I did!

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2. 79

   Diana Leeposted 11 years ago

   Getting the idea into my head that I needed to quit smoking was actually harder than stopping the nasty habit.  I smoked for well over thirty years and I knew the health reasons why I should quit, but I told myself I couldn't do it and I thought I lacked the will power.  All I really needed was a little help.  I took Chantix and have not smoked since Sept. 18. 2012.

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   1. 87

      Efficient Adminposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Congratulations!  That is wonderful!

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3. 60

   Martin VKposted 11 years ago

   I haven't been smoking for a month now, after 4 years of doing it. I feel like I have overcome the hardest part of it, and now I have many full days with no physical or psychological cravings. However the first week was pretty damn tough.
   
   I believe that its a matter of how much you want to do it in the first place. I made a list of reasons and everytime I craved I took an honest look at it and taught myself - once again - why I wanted to stop. I believe the same strategy is valid for any habit one would like to break. You need to want to break it from the start, and that wish needs to be strong, honest and for substantial reasons - if not, you will have lost the fight before you even started. It matters to have the proper reasons for breaking a habit.
   
   The prospect of saving money wont do it alone, one would need to actually want to improve the quality of life and properly and clearly realize how and when and why this is going to be achieved; Then a habit can be broken but not without it.

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4. 60

   duffsmomposted 11 years ago

   Eating when stressed,d happy, sad, the sky is cloudy or blue etc. - you get the idea. Have not overcome it yet.  The longest time would be about 8 months then old habits started up again.

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5. 44

   Ericdierkerposted 11 years ago

   Christin, this one is fun for me now that I am older. I got divorced at at 32. Great relationship with ex and children. I basically moved from my moms house to living with and marrying by wife before 21.
   So during those single years of about a decade. I had a habit of falling in love. It was quite strange. It was really a hard habit to break.
   But all is well now.

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6. 89

   Bishop55posted 11 years ago

   I've had a few.
   Swearing-have not stopped.
   Smoking-had to use nicotine replacements until getting the job done.  I love not smoking, but still miss it.
   Knuckle cracking-have not stopped
   
   Most habits I have not changed!  It's awful.

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7. 61

   whizcreedposted 11 years ago

   here is from my list:
   1. Smoking
   2. Over sleeping or sleeping late
   3. Eating out or junk food
   4. Over spending
   5. Anger

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8. 87

   Efficient Adminposted 11 years ago

   I would have to say smoking was the hardest habit I had to break and now very glad because I do not miss them one bit. It took me over 20 stops and starts and I even wrote a hub about it.  Now I think I have a food addiction and am working on that now - i.e. eat too much and eat too much salt like crunchy potato chips.

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9. 37

   Borsiaposted 11 years ago

   Smoking was my hardest I was a 3 packer and had smoked since high school. I had smoked for over 10 years and was a chain smoker.
   I tried the usual cold turkey, only buying brands I hated, just cold turkey. Part of the problem was that my heart wasn't into quitting even though I knew very well I should.
   A co-worker, who was just as heavy a smoker, quit with the help of acupuncture and stared pestering me to go. I had many friends who had been to the Schick Center and half a dozen other stop smoking clinics and every one of them had failed to quit for more than a month.
   But he just wouldn't shut up about the acupuncture miracle cure. After a couple of weeks of his constant talking about it I told him "OK, if you still aren't smoking in 8 weeks I'll go, Until then shut the F*** up about it!"
   Exactly 8 weeks later to the hour he walked up and handed me an appointment card for that afternoon. All he said was "Trust me you will be amazed."
   I went to the Kendal Clinic that afternoon and sat in the parking lot smoking what I didn't know at the time would be my last cigarette. I didn't believe in acupuncture and thought it was just psychological BS. I put it on the same shelf with all the other junk science and folk lore.
   But when the clock hit 4 I went and signed in to wait for the quack who would no doubt give me an extended lecture on the evils of smoking and the mystic Zen behind acupuncture and its ancient history. I half expected some guy in bellbottoms or a tunic with flower print.
   Dr. Kendal came in wearing the usual medical attire and asked me why I was there.
   "Well smoking is a bad habit and I'm glad you want to quit. I think I can help you with that." so much for any lecture.
   "Through acupuncture we can short circuit the addictive circuit you have formed and end your physical desire / need to smoke. But the mental side is completely up to you and all I can do is tell you a few steps to take, like breaking habit formed associations."
   The actual treatment was interesting in its seemingly abstract nature. He inserted 20 needles in the upper 1/2 of my body & head then attached wires to them. He started a pulsing shock and turned up the power telling me to tell him when I could feel it. I let him turn it up until I felt a strong pulse. He then left the room for 40 minutes telling me only to try not to move too much (fat chance with 20 needles stuck in me).
   I never smoked another cigarette nor had the slightest desire to smoke again. That was 32 years ago.

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