Bad habits must be combated – that’s a fact. But you have to know your enemy. To fight something, you must first understand what you are dealing with. In this article, we gathered the most common weaknesses of modern man and tips on how to get rid of them.
Everyone has bad habits, aka stereotypes of behavior, and sometimes a person does not even notice how they affect his life. But even unnoticed, they still cause damage to health, physical or mental, creating difficulties in life and spoiling it in every way. To improve the quality of life, these habits need to be dealt with. We will tell you how.
What are bad habits?
An addiction is a certain behaviour or action which a person repeats over and over again. If the result is negative, it is an unhealthy habit. This harm is not always obvious. It may be accumulated over years or a person simply does not relate the problems to their root cause.
There is an opinion that in today’s world, the media purposely promotes negative stereotypes (alcohol consumption, for example) to make it easier to control people. Whether intentionally or not, many of them are very popular indeed. And the resulting addiction to alcohol definitely makes a person more suggestible. And, in addition to being healthy, he also loses control over his own life.
The presence of weaknesses also impedes social life, spoils relations between people and separates them in every way. Even a single bad habit can ruin your life on all levels if not dealt with in time. So, again, it is worth getting to know the enemy in person. So what are some of the harmful behaviours?
1. The use of addictive substances.
Here, it would seem, there is nothing to explain. Everyone knows that alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs can be addictive and cause irreversible damage to the body. However, nowadays these substances are still popular and widely available. If you do not know what to do with them you can easily get addicted to them and your health and social life will be ruined. We will not frighten you too much with scary pictures and list all the possible diseases from impotence to cancer. Just a reminder of the importance of moderation in all things.
2. Bad daily routine
Gadgets, favourite shows, stress, deadlines at work or a full stomach – there are plenty of reasons why people stay up late and restless sleep. And no matter how much the doctors say about the need for 8 hours of sleep, which begins and ends at the same time every day – most people break the regime in one way or another, and then feel depressed all day. Sleep deprivation or, on the contrary, too much sleep leads to various illnesses.
3. Sedentary lifestyle
One of the most widespread problems in the twenty-first century. Movement is essential for health but millions of people lack physical activity. Which leads to metabolic disorders, depression, obesity, etc. So everyone, especially with sedentary work, needs to exercise and walk.
4. Inappropriate diet
Overeating, over-dieting or over-consumption of unhealthy foods – any deviation from a balanced diet is unhealthy. Eating fatty, sugary foods is as addictive as taking drugs, and is no joke. Many people suffer from eating disorders. Overeating is the most popular of these. It not only leads to weight gain, but also to illnesses ranging from diabetes to intestinal problems. And disrupting the microflora of this organ in turn leads to even more serious consequences. That’s why health professionals say it’s better to undernourished than overeat.
5. Water imbalance
Water is an important part of the human body and is involved in all processes occurring in it. Therefore, if you do not drink enough fluids, your digestion will be impaired, toxins will accumulate in your organs and your body will age faster. To avoid this, you need to drink regularly. You have to drink 0.3-0.4 litres per 10 kg of body weight. It’s easy to stay hydrated: just make a habit of drinking water in the morning, before meals and whenever you’re thirsty. Note that we’re talking about plain water. Tea, soup and even alcohol do not count. Freshly squeezed juices may be added to water to enrich its taste.
6. Abuse of tea and coffee
Why isn’t tea good for quenching thirst? Tea, like coffee, a favourite drink of many people, is dehydrating. So after a cup of black tea, you need to drink more water to keep your body hydrated. Strong coffee or tea, of course, gives you a strong energy boost. But drinking a little more than that will result in sleeping problems. Caffeine, which is part of their drinks, is addictive and bad for our heart and organism in general. You don’t have to give up tea and coffee altogether. But you need to keep an eye on how much you drink per day and how strong the drink is. If you just need a cup of something hot, it makes sense to replace black tea with herbal tea and coffee with hot chocolate or chicory.
7. Medication fanaticism
Taking feverish pills, taking all the vitamins indiscriminately and taking antibiotics “just in case” for the slightest cough risks not making you feel better, but rather to cause more damage than the virus can. All medications contain potent substances which, if taken unnecessarily, are simply dangerous. In most cases, you can cope with a mild cold with hot tea with lemon, a good night’s sleep and a good mood. A good mood is essential for good health. The cause of many illnesses is not external factors but stress and nervous tension. And it’s worth taking medication only when you have no other options to improve your condition and only under a doctor’s supervision.
8. Uncultured
Just think how pleasant it is to communicate with a person whose speech is replete with all sorts of swear words, parasitic words, that can not associate two words without any ‘type’ and so writes; who spits, speaks in a high tone, ignores any subordination … The list could go on endlessly. Cultural norms are invented for a reason and, despite the rapid development of progress, they will never become obsolete. After all, when people are happy to communicate with each other, it is easier for them to find common ground. So it is always worth watching the culture of his behavior, especially speech. Books, podcasts of good speakers and conversations with wise and interesting people will help to develop it.
9. Addicted to computer games
An innocent fascination with fashionable games is capable of turning into a mania. When you are no longer interested in anything other than games, your psyche suffers. Relationships with others break down. A huge amount of time is wasted, and a sedentary lifestyle is not healthy. This kind of entertainment is good in moderation, as a small part of a busy active life, but by no means its main purpose.
10. Gambling
This type of gambling is much more dangerous than computer games, because even without an addiction, it can ruin your life pretty badly. You can lose a lot of money, get into debt, etc. To avoid such risks, it is better to avoid gambling in general. After all, the casino and the sweepstakes are designed so that the player has almost no chance of winning even a small amount. There is nothing to speak of in terms of big winnings. If you want to take a risk for the sake of riches, it is better to think about creating your own business or try to somehow be realized in your favorite hobby. But trying to make money through gambling is an unreliable and dangerous venture.
11. unprotected sex
A rich intimate life is certainly a wonderful thing. But many people set out on their sexual adventures without a word of caution. But unprotected sex can bring a lot of problems in life, both health and material. It’s easy to avoid. From unwanted pregnancies and venereal diseases will protect the usual condom. It’s also a bad idea to take a casual acquaintance home and drink the drinks she offers you if you don’t want to find yourself mugged in the morning.
12. Greed
The urge to consume and improve one’s material circumstances without ever helping others is not a good trait. Ultimately, the habit of seeking profit in everything leads people to try out illegal ways of earning money. Money is no guarantee of happiness. There are serious consequences of not making money honestly. And greedy people alienate everyone except for those individuals who do not mind profiting from others. A person obsessed with money would have no rest, worrying all the time about the safety of his fortune and how to make it bigger. Money should only be a means to a better life, not an end in itself. Psychologists advise to regularly donate at least 5-10% of your income to charity to learn to have an easier attitude towards money.
13. Intemperance
When plans fall apart, hopes do not come true, someone lets you down or just happens to cause trouble, it is very difficult to hold back your negative emotions in such situations. Some people do not even try. The habit of every little thing to react scandalously does not make a person beautiful and, most offensive, does not help solve the problem. If there is a way to fix it, it is more efficient to put energy into finding a way out. And if there is nothing that can be done, instead of getting angry, shouting and arguing, it’s better to let the situation go and focus on something more positive.
14. Selfishness
Living in society means interacting with others and having to make compromises. Not looking for these and always acting in one’s own best interests is not the way to build healthy relationships with others. Of course, the opposite – mindless altruism and concessions in all things – is not conducive to a happy life either. Such a person will simply cease to be respected as a result. But selfishness is worth getting rid of if one does not want to live alone. It is important to understand that the other person is in no way worse and also has every right to have his or her needs met. A mutually beneficial solution should be sought only through dialogue.
How to break a bad habit
If you notice any of the above behavioral patterns, do not get upset. Forewarned is forearmed. Now that you know exactly what you need to fight, it’ll be easier to do. But we wouldn’t reveal the truth if we said that the most important thing is a sincere desire. You need to understand how much damage the habit is doing and want to change it. Sometimes all you need to do is analyse your life. Other times, studying materials on the subject, such as all the possible negative consequences of such behaviour, can help.
If similar behaviour is the norm in your environment, it is worth reconsidering it. The support of family and friends is very important for a positive outcome. So surround yourself with conscious, wise people who lead a healthy lifestyle and can set a good example. Find something to do that will not only take your mind off the habit, but also develop your body and mind. Sports, creativity, travelling – you can find many of these activities. Read more, watch good movies. Materials that romanticise the things you want to get rid of should be ignored. If you realise that you can’t cope on your own, don’t hesitate to see a psychologist. The right therapy can’t hurt in this situation.
The first thing that helps to overcome bad habits is desire, but awareness is also important. When you know exactly what your goal is and take small but steady steps towards it, it won’t be hard to achieve it.
