Why is it so hard to break a bad habit?

翻译人员: Maple Dilidili 校对人员: Jacky He

Billions of people deal with a nail-biting habit at some point in their lives.

成千上万的人在人生中某个阶段 会养成咬指甲的习惯。

Many will go to great lengths to try to stop,

很多人付出极大的努力 想要戒掉这个习惯，

employing strategies like rubbing chili peppers on their cuticles,

采用像手指表面搓辣椒，

wearing gloves all day, dipping their hands in salt,

整天戴着手套，将手浸入盐中，

and envisioning bacteria crawling on their fingers.

以及想象细菌爬遍手指等方法。

And while not all of us are nail-biters,

虽然并非所有人都习惯咬指甲，

most of us do have a habit we'd like to kick.

但我们大多数人的确都有 想要戒掉的习惯。

So what's the best way to break one?

那么，戒掉习惯的 最佳方法是什么？

Scientists define habits as behaviors that are performed regularly,

科学家将习惯定义为 定期进行的行为，

and cued subconsciously in response to certain environments,

这些行为是在潜意识中 被某些特定环境激发的，

whether it be a location, time of day, or even an emotional state.

无论是具体地点、特定时间， 还是某种情绪状态。

They can include simple actions like picking your hair when stressed,

习惯可以包括简单的动作， 例如在压力大的时候揪头发，

but also more complex practices ingrained in daily routines,

也可以包括日常生活中 根深蒂固的更复杂的活动，

like staying up late or brewing your coffee in the morning.

例如熬夜，早晨冲咖啡。

If you do something frequently, without much deliberation,

如果你没特别在意经常做某件事，

then it’s likely a habit.

那这件事很可能是个习惯。

They form because at some point your brain learns that the behavior is beneficial.

它们之所以形成，是因为在某个时候， 你的大脑意识到这种行为是有益的。

Let's say after opening a stressful email, you bite your nails.

假设在打开一封令你感到压力的 电子邮件后，你咬了指甲。

This is rewarding, as it’s enough to focus your attention,

这是有意义的， 因为它足以让你集中注意力，

curbing your email fueled anxiety.

抑制了邮件导致的焦虑情绪。

Within your brain, positive experiences can trigger the release of dopamine,

在你的大脑中，积极的体验 会触发多巴胺的释放，

a neurotransmitter that mediates feelings of pleasure.

多巴胺是一种调节愉悦感的 神经递质。

Dopamine is also a driver of neuroplasticity,

多巴胺同时也有驱动 神经系统重塑的效用，

meaning it can change how your neurons wire and fire.

这意味着它可以改变神经元的 连接和传递方式。

Your brain builds connections that link the reward with the behavior,

你的大脑会建立起 奖励与行为之间的联系，

driving you to repeat it.

促使你重复这个行为。

It also starts associating the behavior with other cues, like your environment.

它还会把行为与其他线索 关联起来，像周围的场景。

Eventually, all it takes is the context of sitting at your desk

甚至你但凡坐在办公桌前

to subconsciously trigger a nail-biting habit—

便能激发潜意识里 咬指甲的习惯——

no stressful email or sense of relief required.

不需要烦人的电子邮件 和随后放松的体验。

Once established, these cue-behavior-reward loops work fast,

一旦完善，这个线索-行动-奖励 循环便会迅速运转，

outpacing the decision-making process.

胜过主观理性的控制。

You may find yourself engaging in a habit

在你能够注意到并改正之前，

before you have the chance to notice and stop.

你可能已经养成了某个习惯。

But this can be a good thing because not all habits are bad.

但这也可能是一件好事， 因为并非所有习惯都是不良的。

They’re stored memories of what’s worked in the past,

它们是对过去 行之有效的经历的记忆，

which allow you to take swift action in the present.

使你能够直接采取行动。

One study estimated that on average,

一项研究估计，平均而言，

people spend more than 40% of their days performing regularly repeated behaviors

人们每天花费 40% 以上的时间 进行定期重复的行为，

while their minds are occupied with other thoughts.

与此同时而他们的思维 处理着其他念头。

A seemingly automated morning routine, for example,

例如，似乎不经思考的 早晨例行公事

saves you both time and precious mental energy.

可以为你节省时间和宝贵的精力。

Still, many people have habits that no longer serve them.

尽管如此，许多人保持一些 已经不利于他们的习惯。

Yet research shows that intentions alone often fail

然而，研究表明， 光靠意念往往无法

to lead to long-term behavior change.

导致长期的行为变化。

This isn’t to say you can’t break a habit.

这并不是说你不能改变习惯，

Rather, by understanding the basis of habits,

相反，通过了解习惯的本质，

you can create better plans for changing them.

你可以制定更好的计划 来改变它们。

For example, we know habits are often cued by environments and routines.

例如，我们知道习惯通常 是由环境和重复工作引起的。

Lying in bed may cause you to endlessly scroll through your phone,

躺在床上可能会让你 无休止地刷手机，

or watching TV on the couch may lead you to grab a sugary snack.

或者在沙发上看电视可能会 让你吃点含糖的零食。

One of the most effective ways to manage behavior

管理行为最有效的方法之一

is to identify these locations or times of day.

是识别激发行为的 特定地点或时刻，

Then try to modify them by changing your routine

然后尝试通过改变日常活动

or creating obstacles that make it more difficult to perform the habit

或添加限制，使你更少地

in that space.

在相应状况下重复它。

Moving, switching jobs, or even starting a new schedule,

搬家、换工作， 甚至开始新的日程安排，

are particularly great times to break a habit or build a new one.

都是戒掉旧习惯 或养成新习惯的好时机。

One 2005 study tracked university students’ exercising,

2005年的一项研究追踪了 大学生转学前后的运动、

reading, and TV watching habits before and after they transferred schools.

阅读和看电视的习惯。

When students were no longer around old environments and routines,

当学生不再生活在 旧的环境和习惯之中时，

their habits, even the strong ones, significantly changed.

他们的习惯，即使是很顽固的习惯， 也会发生显著变化。

For behaviors like nail-biting or hair-pulling,

对于诸如咬指甲 或揪头发之类的行为，

a practice called habit reversal training can be helpful.

一种称为习惯逆转训练的练习 可能会有所帮助。

Developed by psychologists in the 1970s,

它由心理学家在 1970 年代开发，

the aim is to change a habit by replacing it with another one

目的是用另一种

that’s less detrimental.

危害较小的习惯作为替代品。

The training requires you to analyze and understand your habit cues,

该方法要求你分析 和了解自己的习惯线索，

so you can effectively intervene at the right times.

这样你就可以在正确 的时间进行有效的干预。

For example, if you tend to bite your nails at work,

例如，如果你在工作中 习惯咬指甲，

preemptively keep a fidget toy at your desk.

你可以预先在办公桌前 放一个减压玩具。

Then, if a stressful email comes in,

然后当收到邮件令你感到压力 就可以使用这个玩具

use the toy when you feel the urge to bite your nails.

来排解你想要咬指甲的冲动。

Breaking a habit takes time,

戒断习惯需要时间，

so remember to give yourself grace and have patience through the process.

所以记得在整个过程中 对自己仁慈并保持耐心。

And while many focus on their bad habits,

尽管许多人总关注 自己的坏习惯，

it’s also worth celebrating the good ones

那些帮助我们顺利进行 基础日常活动的好习惯

that help us move swiftly and successfully through our daily routines.

也是值得赞许的。