In this lesson's episode, uncover the science behind habits and addictions.

Learn why automatic behaviors form to conserve energy and how reinforcement learning sets

the stage for unhealthy addictions.

Understand how paying attention to the true rewards of a behavior can transform negative patterns

into opportunities for healthier change.

Oh, you're going to describe. So for people listening, what is the actual, like, clinical definition of a habit? Because I think that setting the bas baselines people understand what we're actually speaking

about because I think people also, I mean, I don't want to jump too deep in before they even

understand how you understand a habit. Yeah. I'll actually give you a two-fer. Let's define

habit and let's define addiction as well so that we can differentiate those two. So habit is basically something that we do automatically.

You know, that's a simple operational definition that generally holds pretty well. And habits are

set up so that we can learn things and then have the energy the next day to not have to

relearn that and learn something new.

So most habits are extremely helpful, and it's an efficiency process for our brain.

You know, imagine waking up every morning and having to relearn everything from walking to making breakfast.

You know, we'd be exhausted before we'd even relearned how to make coffee.

So that's, you know, habit is

automatic behavior, something that we see a cue and that cues this process, this automated

process to just do the thing. In contrast, addiction, I think of habit along a spectrum,

and at the far end of that spectrum is addiction. And the definition

of addiction I learned in residency was continued use despite adverse consequences. And the reason

I bring that forward as well is that often people think, and they describe their addictions

in terms of a habit, I'm in the habit of smoking,

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