Breaking Unhealthy & Unhelpful Habits

Habits are behaviours we've developed over time through repetition. While some habits may not have clear origins, others often act as coping mechanisms in response to stress. Unfortunately, these behaviors can stick around long after the stressful situations have passed.

Many habits can be embarrassing and tough to break, affecting our self-esteem, confidence, and overall quality of life. The good news is that we can change them by becoming more aware of our actions, learning new behaviors, and trying out effective coping strategies. No matter how long a habit has been part of our lives, change is possible and CBH is particularly effective for building new habits and breaking unhelpful ones.

Common Habits Include:

Nail and cheek biting
Skin picking
Stuttering
Procrastination

Hair pulling (trichotillomania)
Binge eating, overeating or undereating
Excessive screen time or social media use
Smoking, vaping, or excessive drinking

Additionally, certain anxious responses can become habits. For instance, avoidance is a common reaction to anxiety, where we avoid situations that make us uncomfortable. This can reinforce our fears over time, making it even harder to face those situations later on.

Some habits can be addressed in just 120 minutes with CBH —either in one session or split into two. However the number of therapy sessions needed can vary depending on the individual, your motivation levels, self efficacy and the specific habit.