Dr. Judson Brewer - Neuroscientist, Addiction Psychiatrist & Bestselling Author | The Science of Habits

Defining Habits

Judson Brewer explains the clinical definition of a habit as an automatic behavior triggered by a cue, which helps conserve energy for new learning. He contrasts this with addiction, defined as continued use despite adverse consequences 1. Habits can range from survival mechanisms to comfort behaviors, such as emotional eating, which Brewer terms 'hedonic hunger'—eating driven by emotions rather than physiological need 2. This emotional eating often starts as a habit and can evolve into an addiction, driven by both positive and negative reinforcement loops 3.

Eating is life. We have to eat to survive. And so you can look at it from this, the entire spectrum of survival, all the way to comfort, to habits, to addiction.

--- Judson Brewer

Understanding these definitions is crucial for recognizing how habits form and potentially become addictions.

   

Breaking Habits

Breaking bad habits involves a three-step process: understanding how habits form, recognizing the behavior, and evaluating its reward value. Brewer emphasizes that recognizing a habit is the first step to changing it 4. Once identified, the next step is to assess how rewarding the behavior is, which can help in breaking the habit loop 5. Techniques like the RAIN method—Recognize, Allow, Investigate, and Note—can operationalize curiosity and aid in this process 6.

We've got to start with recognizing. It's like, oh, I am in a habit loop.

--- Judson Brewer

This approach helps individuals become disenchanted with their habits, making it easier to change them.

   

Mindful Eating

Mindfulness can significantly aid in changing eating habits. Brewer's research shows that paying attention to the results of eating can quickly reduce the reward value of overeating 7. This mindfulness approach helps individuals become aware of emotional triggers that lead to eating, such as boredom or loneliness, and can shift these habits 3. By understanding the spectrum from survival to addiction, people can better manage their eating behaviors 1.

When people see very clearly that something is not rewarding, it makes it much easier to stop doing the behavior.

--- Judson Brewer

This method is even recognized by the CDC for its effectiveness in diabetes prevention.

   

Willpower Myths

Brewer debunks the myth of willpower as an effective tool for habit change. He explains that no scientific evidence supports the existence of willpower as a mechanism in the brain 8. Traditional willpower-based approaches often fail because they don't align with how our brains are wired for reinforcement learning 9. Instead, Brewer advocates for a neuroscience-based approach that leverages awareness and curiosity to change behaviors 10.

From a neuroscience perspective, nobody has found a pathway, a mechanism, a brain region, a brain network involved in willpower.

--- Judson Brewer

This paradigm shift offers a more effective and sustainable way to break bad habits.

   

Curiosity's Role

Curiosity plays a crucial role in understanding and changing habits. Brewer differentiates between deprivation curiosity, which feels like anxiety, and interest curiosity, which feels like the joy of discovery 11. He emphasizes that curiosity can counteract anxiety and aid in habit change by making individuals more aware of their behaviors 12. This approach also helps in reducing self-judgment, making it easier to adopt new, healthier habits 13.

Curiosity feels better than anxiety.

--- Judson Brewer

By fostering curiosity, individuals can more effectively break free from harmful habits and improve their overall well-being.