Habit Formation for a Lasting Recovery in Los Angeles

The Greek philosopher Aristotle once said, “We are what we repeatedly do.” In a nutshell, this is what a habit is. Habits develop when we perform certain actions repeatedly over a period of time to the point that they come automatically to us. Meaning, very minimal physical or mental effort goes into performing them.

For instance, think of a typical morning in Los Angeles. When you are brushing your teeth, checking your phone, getting ready for a commute - some actions happen without much thought. That is the power of repetition.

While habit formation may seem very simple on the surface, understanding how habits are developed becomes key to developing healthy habits and breaking free from the negative ones.

A habit is a behavior that develops with repeated practice and becomes automatic over time. It is often triggered by specific cues in your environment and happens with little conscious thought, making it easier to repeat than to consciously decide each time. For instance, brushing your teeth did not always come naturally to you. With practice and repetition, it feels effortless today.

Of course, not all habits come by easily. Some need motivation and conscious effort, like you do when you want to eat healthy (for example).

Linda Whiteside, Clinical Supervisor at the NuView Treatment Center, explains, “When you choose to target a habit based on your principles and motivations, this sense of autonomy is what leads to interest and consistency. Habits chosen on the basis of personal value are more likely to become permanent.”

Understanding the four stages of habit formation, as given by James Clear, sheds light on how you can begin to develop habits that are good for you. The stages are as follows:

• The first stage is a cue. A cue is an indication that you are closer to a reward, which then facilitates a behavioral pattern that will lead you toward that reward.
• The second stage is craving. Craving is the drive you need to perform an action. No craving, no action.
• The third stage is response. Response is the action you perform - the real habit. Response must require little physical or mental effort, and one that you must be able to perform. Otherwise, you do not perform the response.
• The final stage is reward. Reward is what a habit gives you; it is the reason why a cue triggers a behavioral pattern that leads to habit formation.

To build positive habits, you need to find a way that they come easily to you and do not feel effortful. Here is how you can achieve the same:

• Set Specific Targets: Set a specific target for a certain goal that you want to turn into a habit. Let us say exercising regularly. You need to have a target that will give you a head start. For instance, you can begin with - “I shall exercise every alternate day for 15 minutes.” This is more specific than saying, "I shall exercise regularly.”
• Planning Needs to Be Cue-Based: Cues need to be present for your brain to notice that certain behaviors will lead to a reward. This is how habit formation begins. For instance, “I will exercise every alternate day for 15 minutes after I have had my juice.” So, the juice becomes your cue.
• Make the Action Fun: Sheer willpower and a cue cannot lead you toward a habit. Inject a bit of fun into it so that your brain craves it. For instance, the brain craves fun and games. So, instead of starting off on a treadmill all by yourself, you can make exercise fun by jogging every morning with your partner or a friend.
• Try to Be Flexible: Following rigid patterns can deter you from performing actions repeatedly. So, a bit of flexibility is good for you. For instance, if you miss your exercise for one day, do not consider it a failure. Consider it a challenge, and motivate yourself for the next day.
• Social Support: Social support is often overlooked, but it is vital when it comes to cultivating healthy habits. Find those in your life who have cultivated healthy habits in their lives and can motivate you toward them as well. They can provide you with encouragement and support.

There are many tools and techniques you can use to build new, healthy habits . For instance, technology can enable you in this journey. You can download apps explicitly meant for habit-forming purposes.

Consider Habitica. It is a game-type app wherein you can play as an avatar and earn points by performing the habits you have set your mind to. Or, there is HabitShare, where you can even bring in your friends and family to support you in habit formation.

With new, healthy habits, you also need a strong social support system around you that can motivate and encourage you. You can have accountability partners who can enable you to stay committed to your habit formation goals. They inspire you, encourage you, and keep you on track.

In recovery from substance use and co-occurring mental health concerns, one of the main steps to sustaining your recovery is to develop healthy habits. Here are some common healthy habits in your recovery:

- Goat Setting: To begin with, you need to set goals. But goals need to be S.M.A.R.T goals, which are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time-bound

- Time Management: Only when you are able to manage your time in such a way that you can devote some time to these habits can they become consistent and permanent.

You can use the Eisenhower Matrix to manage your tasks, which looks something like this:

- Nutritious Diet and Sleep: Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein in your diet. Also, a consistent sleep of 7-9 hours a night is good for your brain and body.

- Exercise: Daily physical exercise of your choice is healthy for your mind and body. It rejuvenates you and releases endorphins, so that you experience heightened feelings of well-being.

- Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness in your daily life. It draws your attention to your present and keeps away thoughts of negativity.

Linda Whiteside informs, “If any of the four stages of cue, craving, response, and reward are missing, a habit will not develop. This is key to breaking unhealthy or negative habits.”

When you eliminate a cue, the behavioral pattern leading to a habit will never begin. Similarly, when you reduce or eliminate craving, there will be no drive to get the reward. Or, by making responses difficult, there is diminished reason to perform the behavior.

For instance, say you want to break the habit of eating unhealthy food while watching television in the evening. The cue here is television. Instead, if you lay your walking clothes beside your television, it becomes a cue for you to go for a quick walk outside.

To reduce craving, replace unhealthy foods with healthy snacks. These are some things you can still munch on, but they are good for you. Slowly, you can start thinking of replacing it with something healthier. Let us say going out for a walk.

Next, to make the response difficult, remove all unhealthy (albeit delicious) foods from your vicinity. This will make it difficult for you to acquire them.

Now, a reward can be something tricky to achieve immediately, but when you replace unhealthy foods with healthier options, you get something tasty to munch on while sticking to healthy options. Moreover, when you go for a walk, you can treat yourself to a healthy smoothie - not only is it healthy and tasty, but it serves as a reinforcement.

Recovery from substance misuse and co-occurring mental health conditions is not just healing; it is about starting your life anew. Building healthier habits is crucial to this. But here is where it gets tricky - breaking out of unhealthy patterns and building new, healthy habits can be very tricky. In early recovery, it can become overwhelming, too. But you do not have to do this on your own.

At NuView, we provide the tools and skills you need to identify cues, build an alternative reward system, and plan ahead in a safe environment where you can work on developing habits that are good for you based on your needs and goals - and where you are in your recovery.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at (323) 307-7997 to connect with your experts today!

1. Why do habits feel harder to maintain during early recovery?

Early recovery often comes with a lot of challenges, so creating a structure and support where you can build habits might feel harder during this period.

2. Is it normal to lose motivation even after a habit feels established?

Yes, motivation can rise and fall. This is why personal value, rewards, and routine will matter in sustaining your motivation.

3. Can stress and environment in Los Angeles affect habit formation?

Yes, high stress and fast-paced lifestyles can disrupt consistency, making habit formation difficult.

4. Can professional support help with healthy habit formation in Los Angeles?

Working with licensed mental health specialists can help you identify triggers, reinforce rewards, and prevent relapse into old patterns.

5. What can I do if a habit stops feeling rewarding?

Adjusting rewards or refreshing the routine can help reapply what you have built and become more consistent.