Habit Or Addiction: Changing Our Thinking

A friend on Facebook and asked an intriguing question this morning that I wanted to share with you.

When does a behavior become a habit, and when does it become an addiction?

For example, every morning I have to have weigh myself before I start my day. When I don’t, I am irritable and extremely crabby to those around me until I have weighed myself.

Habit or addiction?

Must exercise every day no matter how tired I am or how sick I feel. Even if I had a physically active day, I still have to exercise.

Habit or addiction?

Keep track of everything that goes in my mouth calories-wise. I keep a mental record of everything to make sure I don’t accidentally go over the limit of the day.

Habit or addiction?

And the bigger question, can we stop something when it becomes a habit before it becomes an addiction? Are there behaviors we have that are not helpful to us that we could stop before they become more deeply entreched?

Eating Disorder Self Test. Take the EAT-26 self test to see if you might have eating disorder symptoms that might require professional evaluation. All answers are confidential.

Find a Treatment Facility Near You

Click on a state below to find eating disorder treatment options that could be right for you.

Where do calls go?

Calls to numbers on a specific treatment center listing will be routed to that treatment center. Calls to any general helpline (non-facility specific 1-8XX numbers) could be forwarded to SAMHSA or a verified treatment provider. Calls are routed based on availability and geographic location.

The EatingDisorders.com helpline is free, private, and confidential. There is no obligation to enter treatment. In some cases, EatingDisorders.com could charge a small cost per call, to a licensed treatment center, a paid advertiser, this allows EatingDisorders.com to offer free resources and information to those in need by calling the free hotline you agree to the terms of use. We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses.

CALL NOW FOR IMMEDIATE HELPCALL NOW FOR IMMEDIATE HELP800-568-9025Response time about 1 min | Response rate 100%
Who Answers?