Breaking the habit loop
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Good evening my friends how are ya? So I wanted to kickstart the page again by sharing something I learned during my own recovery that became a game changer!
Yes, it's called the habit loop, and for me, it was so useful in understanding how habits (like drinking) work and how to break them.
Here’s the idea: every habit has three parts, cue, routine, and reward.
The routine is what you do when the cue hits, like reaching for a drink to cope, relax, or distract yourself.
The reward is what you get from the routine, like feeling numb, relaxed, or just "escaping" for a bit.
The problem is, this loop becomes automatic over time, and it’s hard to break. But the good news? You can change it by messing with the pattern.
I call this driving a wedge of awareness into the loop.
Here’s how:
- Notice the cues. Pay attention to what’s happening when you feel the urge, where you are, how you feel, or who you’re with.
- Change the routine. Instead of drinking, try something else that gives you a similar reward. Maybe go for a walk, call someone, journal, or even just take a few deep breaths.
- Focus on the reward. Remind yourself of how much better you feel when you don’t drink. Celebrate the small wins, it helps rewire your brain.
It’s not easy, but the more you interrupt the loop, the easier it gets. You’re literally retraining your brain, one decision at a time.
It's impossible to remove all triggers but learning to work with them will help you to form new happy habits. You gotta be consistent and you will succeed!
Have a great night folks, stay well and I love ya! Matt x
