Everyone has habits, it is part of life, we couldn’t possibly get through all the things we do in a day if we didn’t have habits. Imagine if we had to think about every action we performed – it would take forever to get ready in the morning – so things like getting up and brushing our teeth, getting our clothes on even tying up shoelaces become second nature. All this learning is done whilst very young which is why babies sleep so much – their brains are taking in so much information.
Other habits such as nail biting, teeth grinding, hair pulling (trichotillomania), blushing, tics, swearing are not so helpful. They are just a few examples of unwanted behaviours that clients experience. Very often these actions are carried out unconsciously. The more we do them the more they are seen by our brains as a solution to a particular situation. It may be that the habits are linked to lack of self-esteem, confidence, or something else entirely.
Breaking unwanted habits can be difficult, especially if you’ve been engaging in them for a long time. But understanding how habits form in the first place can ease the process. The good news is that we continue to change throughout our lives and our brains are more Playdo than porcelain – this means that we are malleable – like plastic and we can change these unwanted habits through neuroplasticity.
Through psychotherapy and solution focused hypnotherapy we help to identify the source and work collaboratively on breaking down the cycle so that clients can take back control without these unwanted habits.
For more information on how I can help please contact me angela@angelabrownhypnotherapy.com or call 07795 547 070