Why Your Bad Habits (and Addictions) May Be Getting Worse - and How Mindfulness Can Help | Dr. Jud Brewer

Pandemic Stress

The pandemic has significantly increased stress levels, which is a major predictor of addiction relapse. Dr. Jud Brewer explains that stress and anxiety can push individuals along the addiction spectrum, leading to the formation of new habits or worsening existing addictions 1. He notes that societal anxiety has risen, diminishing our ability to cope with stress, which can lead to behaviors like stress eating or increased substance use 1.

Whether it's people who've been suffering with addictions, their addictions getting worse, or people who haven't suffered with addictions starting to form habits or addictions.

--- Dr. Jud Brewer

This universal stressor has made it more challenging for people to manage their mental health, leading to complex relationships with food, alcohol, and other substances 2.

   

Addiction Spectrum

Addiction manifests across a spectrum, from benign habits to severe dependencies. Dr. Brewer describes addiction as a survival mechanism gone awry, where habits persist despite adverse consequences 2. This spectrum perspective helps in understanding that everyone is susceptible to addiction, not just those with severe dependencies 3.

Addiction seems to be at this far end of a spectrum of habit formation.

--- Dr. Jud Brewer

By recognizing this, individuals can better address their habits before they escalate into full-blown addictions 3.

   

Mindfulness Benefits

Mindfulness offers a powerful tool for managing addiction by helping individuals become aware of their habit loops. Dr. Brewer shares research showing that mindfulness can be as effective as traditional treatments for addiction, helping people decouple urges from actions 4. This approach has shown success in reducing cravings and anxiety, proving beneficial across various addictive behaviors 4.

Mindfulness seems to be able to help people notice these habit loops and then be able to ride out those urges to act.

--- Dr. Jud Brewer

By focusing on the present, individuals can manage their responses to stress and cravings, reducing the likelihood of relapse 5.