Nail biting, procrastination, and avoidance are often framed as bad habits that we can’t control, but they are new habits. psychology books They claim it’s similar to the survival strategies that may have protected us in the past.
In his book Managing Outbursts in Mental Health, clinical psychologist Dr. Charlie Herriot Maitland examines why people continue to engage in bad habits that seem to be against their best interests.
Based on years of clinical research and therapeutic practice, experts reveal how the brain prioritizes predictability and safety over comfort and well-being.
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“Our the brain is a survival machine“It’s programmed to keep us alive, not to optimize our happiness or well-being,” he told FOX News Digital.
For much of human history, studies have shown that being caught off guard can be fatal. “The brain prefers predictable pain to unpredictable threats,” Herriot-Maitland says. “It doesn’t like surprises.”
When faced with uncertainty, the brain may choose smaller, self-destructive actions rather than risking larger, more unpredictable actions.
The book claims that “the brain uses these small harms as protective doses to prevent further harm.” For example, procrastination can cause stress and frustration, but it can also delay exposure to high-stakes fears of failure and judgment.
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“The central argument is that the behaviors we label as ‘self-destructive’ may actually be attempts.” by the brain It’s about managing discomfort,” Thea Gallagher, a psychologist and wellness program director at NYU Langone Health, told FOX News Digital.
In modern life, threats are often more emotional More than physical. Experts say rejection, shame, anxiety and loss of control can activate the same survival systems as physical threats.
“Our brains have evolved to prefer the perception of threat, even when no threat is present, in order to elicit a defensive response in us,” Herriot-Maitland says.
Behaviors like self-criticism, avoidance, and nail biting can function as an attempt to cope with “danger.”
Gallagher pointed out that the book is based on clinical insights rather than empirical research.
“That doesn’t mean it’s wrong, but it does mean that the claim is more interpretive than scientific,” she said, noting that more data is needed to determine what’s happening at a “mechanistic level.”
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Mr. Gallagher also said that external factors, ADHD etc.trauma, chronic stress, or socio-economic pressures can shape these behaviors in ways that are not just a response to threat.
Rather than viewing patterns like procrastination as flaws, this book encourages people to understand their protective functions. That being said, people should ask professional support Destructive behavior that can cause severe distress or self-harm.
“I encourage my patients to think about short-term pain for long-term benefit, because if you only react to discomfort and pain in the moment, you can end up in long-term patterns that you don’t like or want,” Gallagher said.
“I don’t think I can explain everyone’s motivations because everyone is different, but I think it certainly applies to some people.”
Herriot Maitland pointed out that everyone has the right to choose how to deal with their own potentially harmful habits.
“We don’t want to fight these acts, but we also don’t want to appease them and allow them to continue to control, dictate and interfere with our lives,” he said.
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Gallagher shared the following practical tips for people who may notice these patterns.
Instead of asking yourself, “Why am I the way I am?” try focusing on the function of your behavior, she advised. For example, does it help alleviate, numb, or distract from other fears and threats?
“Watching behavior with curiosity can help reduce automatic threat responses,” Gallagher says.
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This may mean depending on grounding techniquessupportive relationships, predictable routines, and self-soothing habits.
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“If your brain fears uncertainty, you can retrain it by gently introducing controlled uncertainty,” experts recommend.
