Studies show that at least 40 percent of our daily activity occurs through the process of habits – which are behavioral routines that occur without our awareness of conscious decisions being made. We all have many habits, some good and some bad, they have formed over our lifetime, and new ones are forming all the time. An important characteristic of a habit in process is that it’s automatic. We don’t always recognize habits in our own behavior since there is no conscious thinking process in play.
Our ability to form habits is natural to our human makeup, and is therefore God-given. The habits themselves can either benefit us or can be destructive. Most of us understand the difference between good habits and bad habits, but as recovering individuals, we need a much better understanding of how they work. They play a major role in the success of our recovery program.
A habit begins to form when a stimulus is followed by actions that brings to us a physical sensation or emotional feeling of pleasure, that is, a reward. The first time the action occurs, our thinking process is operating at full force, and we have a goal in mind. In the beginning stages, we are processing our actions and making choices and decisions along the way to the goal. As we repeatedly perform the action, the thought process and decision-making become less and less active as we establish the steps that move us toward the reward.
This has been demonstrated through experiments with rats, where they are placed into a simple maze, where they sniff, scratch, and move towards a piece of chocolate that they learn to enjoy. Through repetition they move from the starting point to the reward faster and faster until it becomes habitual. Sensors implanted in to the rats brain measured decreased brain waves as the actions became routine. It works the same way in humans.
The Basics of Habit Development
Neurologically, what happens is the brain is conditioned by forming neural pathways that record the sequence of steps in the routine so that less and less thinking and decision making is required to achieve the reward. Habits can be initiated by a trigger or cue, followed by a pattern of behavior or routine that leads to and culminates in a reward. Routines within habits can be simple or complex and rewards can be physical sensations or emotional feelings such as pride in self.
We repeat what works, and when actions are repeated in a stable context, we form habits. The routine consists of principles of behavior (actions) underpinned by individual beliefs that move us towards the goal. This is called a habit loop as shown in the simple diagram below.
Habits are nothing more than momentum translated from the conscious to the sub-conscious through repetition. In the sub-conscious, they are difficult to change. They have formed from choices and actions that we deliberately made at some point, and with repetition, we stopped thinking about them – but continue to do them. A trigger or cue initiates the habit without our making a choice and the behavior pattern or routine just happens automatically. When cued, habits totally bypass any thinking process about our underlying beliefs and principles and simply set in motion the routine that moves us toward the reward or goal.
We may be conscious of the reward as an underlying craving or urge which is intertwined with the habit. The craving can be either physical or mental or both. Rewards can range from food or drugs that cause physical sensations, to emotional highs, such as the feelings of pride that accompany praise or self-congratulation associated with accomplishments.
Habits form as a natural consequence of the neurology of our brain, which is an awesome aspect of the abilities that God designed in us. Without this ability we might never meet our human needs. Without habit loops, our brains would shut down, overwhelmed by the complexity of daily life.
Take for example all of the complex choices and decisions we made to learn how to drive a car. Our full concentration and focus was on the actions we needed to perform to safely learn to drive. Think about the steps and thoughts it took just to start the car. Then what it required to put the car in gear. We would be overwhelmed if we had to have that level of focus each and every time we drove a car. However, once driving habits are created, it becomes a much simpler task and our minds lose focus on the routine of the habit and becomes available to think about other things as we drive.
Bad Habits – The Problem
There is a downside. Habits, as they form, don’t recognize whether it’s a good one or bad one. There is subtle deception hidden along the development path of habits. We usually struggle to develop good habits as they seem difficult to perform the actions and routines needed. Just the opposite, bad habits seem to be easy when we start practicing them. One reason is that the rewards for bad habits are quickly achieved in the short term, whereas good habits are slow in developing rewards that are obvious and meaningful.
We humans are flawed by sin, and self-centered sensations, and feelings tend to dominate us. Many bad habits that are initially pleasurable will eventually bring destructive behavior. The craving associated with bad habits can keep us in the habit even when the rewards have diminished. This is the case for alcoholism.
As active alcoholics we habitually craved the initial pleasures brought by drinking. For a long time the euphoric rewards along with the illusion of self-control were predominant. Then it all stopped working. When we no longer could biologically achieve the euphoric rewards we sought – the habit continued even though we tried to not drink. The alcoholics craving is a good example where we anticipate the reward before the drinking itself. It also accounts for the difficulty of stopping drinking on our own. Cravings associated with alcohol are difficult to overcome by self-will.
By the time we arrive at the doors of Alcoholics Anonymous, our natural God-given instincts are somewhat warped through the many bad habits brought about by alcoholism, and self-control is non-existent. “When a chemical dependency provides a catalyst for the habit, it will likely reap self-destruction. Reaching this point is the state where only a spiritual solution can bail us out – but only if we are ready to change! Our individual success in A.A. depends upon that readiness.” (Excerpt From the book “Eternal Sobriety”, Chapter Two – Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Click Clack)
Active alcoholism carries both a physical craving and a mental obsession. The only way to remove the physical craving is to stop drinking long enough so that the biological effect that alcohol has on our body is diminished. Jail can do that but so can a detox and rehab facility or even stopping on our own. The mental obsession is different. We have developed numerous triggers or cues over our drinking years and they can erupt into momentum of habitual patterns to seek alcohol as a solution. This can go on for years after we have “put the plug in the jug.” Mental obsession can be as strong as physical craving, perhaps more.
The mental beliefs and associated habits that motivate us to drink alcohol to remove stress, or to change how we feel, or to alleviate boredom, or to remove sadness, or for any number of a multitude of reasons, need to change. All of these need to be removed if we are to be successful recovered alcoholics. If our recovery program does not do that for us it’s likely that we will drink again.
Good Habits – The Solution
Fortunately, the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-Step program provides the right ingredients and environment that we need to change our bad habits to good habits. Changing a habit begins with changing the routine. Our program helps us by attacking habits which are at the core of our addiction. It does this by modifying the routine of our bad habits and offering the process and environment that supports the building of good habits. Changing our habits changes our behavior.
The most important element required for change is for the individual to recognize their need to change and have a strong desire to accomplish change. If we are not motivated to stop drinking, it is not likely to happen. The pain of our drinking consequences provides the initial motivation. When we start attending meetings regularly, the pump is further primed and we begin to have hope that we can get sober and change. Personal motivation is a major requirement if we are to change our behavior.
As we begin to get some sobriety many of our consequences from drinking begin to subside. Meeting attendance provides reminders that the danger of drinking and consequences are as close as the next drink. Another factor that helps influence a change in our behavior is the social environment we have in A.A. We are around people who like us have a common problem and a common solution, and this also influences our desires to stay sober. We are reminded all of the time by individuals with long term sobriety that it will always get better and easier. This further enhances our personal motivation.
This type of peer influence is healthy for us and keeps us from hanging around the old playpens and playmates. We also need constant encouragement and we certainly get that in the fellowship. A.A. also helps us build new skills and knowledge to combat the triggers that can cause relapses. So overall, Alcoholics Anonymous is the place to be if we want to develop a new habit to replace the drinking habit that is destructive to us. Our new goal is simply to develop the habit of not drinking in order to gain the long term rewards we find in the promises.
The A.A. promises: We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations, which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
As recovering alcoholics, it is important to go to meetings. Old habits are hard to break and we must constantly put to death the old triggers or cues that open the door to relapse. We must learn to alter our routines and make sure our association with our source of help is there to remind us always of the correct routines of behavior we need for sobriety. Routines are the substance of good habits for recovery. Routines are a pattern of actions that we do regularly.
It is routines and practices that enable actions that provide momentum to accomplish living our life with order, stability, and purpose in sobriety. Routines also help constrain our choices which can be a good thing. God designed us with the ability to develop good habits. The A.A. 12-Step process provides the right environment that instills in us the practice of behavior that brings real emotional and spiritual prosperity. It is in the practices of A.A. and the principles of A.A. that we find strengthens the desire to change our behavior to achieve God’s principles.
This entire set of articles on “Building Character – As God Sees It” is to encourage us to practice living in the fruits of the spirit. It’s a life of practicing these fruits that make them real in our life. The 12-Step process is a gift from God. If you have not already found Christ to be your higher power, I encourage you to find Him now. The gift of the Holy Spirit living in the Christian alcoholic enables us to overcome the many obstacles we find in trudging our way to peace and serenity. We need God’s power to enable us to do the right thing in a world that promotes selfishness.
Long term sobriety requires practice, practice, and more practice to develop the spiritual principles as permanent habits that bring successful recovery and peace and serenity. Practice these – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
We are what we repeatedly do. Aristotle famously said. “Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” Paul the Apostle said “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).