Habit disorders and compulsive behaviors: Eating and tobacco use disorders, gambling, internet addictions, shopping and other destructive compulsive behaviors.
A habit disorder is a chronic condition in which individuals feel bound by a substance, or engage in behavioral activities that initially gave them pleasure but now have become habitual and destructive to their everyday life.
Compulsive behaviors can temporarily provide a sense of wellbeing or relief, but at the expense of true contentment and happiness. Once established, chronic habit disorders operate semi-autonomously through the limbic system in the brain, also known as the “brain’s reward system.” This part of the brain is responsible for producing feelings of desire and pleasure and are driven by thoughts such as, “I have to have this,” “I have to do this”, or, “I can’t live without this''. In the case of harmful habits, these thoughts are considered deceptive brain messages; they are not true, yet they trigger the habit and reward system into a continuous cycle of destructive repetitive behaviors.
But the good news is that there are effective hypnotically augmented treatment methods to change how you think, feel, and respond to these challenges, changing too the underlying brain circuitry and chemistry that support healthier ways of living.