Cognitive Approaches To Forming Habits Analysis

Behavioral and Social/ Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits
Yesenia Torres
PSY/250
April 10, 2012
Dr. Cortez

In this paper I have been asked to analyze one of my habits. I have many habits, some of the habits I have are somewhat destructive and some are not so. Some habits would shock people (nothing illegal of course) and some would make people laugh. The one habit that I have and that I’ve decided to discuss and state what caused me to begin this habit, is my habit of smoking cigarettes.
It all began when I was 14 years old. I was with one of my friends who did smoke, and being the curious me; I asked if I can have one. At first she kind of hesitated to give me one, but I keep pushing her to let me try and she gave in
and from that moment I’ve been hooked. Over the years it’s become a habit that I’ve tried to overcome and let go but it has not been an easy road to accomplish. Regarding me having any role models that would influence me, I’ve seen numerous family members smoke around me but they have never tried to ever offer me any and I, at that time never really considered trying it then.
The excuse I’ve used to continue smoking is that I have too much stress when dealing with my personal issues in life and that smoking is the only thing that can calm me down when needed.
The only time I’ve actually stopped smoking was when I found out I was pregnant and still I smoked for the first 3 months of my pregnancy until I told myself that I cannot continue to harm my child anymore, plus that taste was becoming unbearable. A little after my child was born, I’d say about maybe 2 months after, I began the habit once again. Now I’ve tried many attempts to quit smoking but all had failed. I even tried when I decided to move to Texas a year and a half ago. I thought since I was changing my environment I might as well go ahead and change my whole lifestyle with it too. But that didn’t last long, just 2 weeks into it; I was right back at it because once again the stress I was dealing with, me having to adjust to a new environment and the whole change was not in my favor. I began to get mood swings and take my anger out on everything and anything and I, at the time I did not know how or what else to substitute my urge for a smoke with, so I just decided that since that was the only thing I’m use to, then I might as well stick to what I
know.
I never really considered ever smoking in my life because I knew that it was not good for me though I have seen my family members do it over the years, I would tell myself “No that is not for me, I would never do that”. But by the time I hit the age 14, that’s when I had my friends who would smoke and I guess to try and fit in with the crowd and me trying to be one of them acting like I knew what and how to do it, I began to smoke not caring of the consequences or thinking that it would end up being somewhat a habit that I would acquire and that I would end up carrying it throughout my life.
The way habits are formed is when we tend to repeat certain actions and this is because our brains tend to remember certain pattern recognitions and associations. So with seeing my family members as well as my friends, I thought to myself then it really shouldn’t be that harmful if they doing. I was pretty much influenced and curious of others doing it that I wanted to definitely try it for myself not caring about the harm in it.
I have come up with so many ways of trying to quit, I’ve tried going to the gym to blow off some of the urges and I’ve tried meditation and yoga to calm me down when I begin to have the mood swings and anger issues. I’ve also tried trying to substitute food with wanting a cigarette and that just made me gained the weight and it was a habit I did not want to have. All these things I tried eventually did not work, though my family and friends all tell me it’s because I chose not to quit and that it’s all mind over matter. I know that smoking is a problem and an economy issue for me with being a single parent and all, but I really don’t know what other way to go about on quitting.
My personality is mixture of both behavioral and social/cognitive.
Growing up as child I was pretty much told what to do and how to do it. I would see my brother and sisters do things without getting in trouble and figured, hey I could do it too. I would say that up to my adult teen years, I have learned how to adapt with different situations within my environment. I’ve realized that one has to be their own person in life, that’s what differentiates one’s personality. So me realizing that everyone is different, I told myself I don’t have to follow anymore and become my own leader. My personality is what makes me today, I was once that quit person who was dictated to do what I was told. Now because of the experiences I’ve been through in my life, I’m who I chose to be not what others want me to
be.
After analyzing my habit of smoking, I’ve come to realize that smoking is a habit that I cannot seem to let go or change and that it does has its faults. I know that it really doesn’t benefit me in anyway, but I also know that I can if I do chose to quit, that with doing so the benefits and rewards of it would be wonders for me and my family. Also for some reason I’ve learned to built my character and personality for the better throughout my life. I am my own person and I’ve realized that’s what we have to be for ourselves not to please anybody else or the world.