Habits and addictions

Habits and addictions from nail biting to chronic lateness to alcohol and other drugs to sugar and shopping can be changed by discovering how they make sense on a deeper emotional level. This page is designed to help you discover the emotional truth of your habit or addiction that will open your way to change.

We will begin with some exercises that will ask you to complete a sentence. Please read the sentence-stem either aloud or silently and then let the sentence finish itself without trying to pre-think an ending. Feel free to change the sentence-stem in order to make it feel more true. Repeat the exercise over and over until you are not getting any new endings before going on to the next one. If you become overwhelmed at any point, just stop and rest. You may discover some uncomfortable truths about yourself in doing these exercises. Try to be nice to yourself, and schedule a session if you want some help or support.

1. Begin by feeling the urge to engage in your habit or addiction. You may imagine a place or time in which you would usually do it, in order to get in touch with the urge. Name what it feels like in your body. Now in this scene, say the sentence, "I NEED to ___________ (name your habit or addiction here) because..." and let the sentence finish itself without pre-thinking an ending.
Keep doing this until you are getting no new endings.
When you are finished, write down some of the sentences that felt strongest.

This site is maintained by Tim Desmond, MFTI 51287 :: Supervised by Bruce Ecker, MFC 21355
copyright © 2007 Tim Desmond, MA. Last updated 31March2007.