Bad habits are different from addictions; yet they are similar as well. Habits are things we do without thinking out of routine. Generally it takes 21-28 days to break a habit. They are both ingrained patterns of behavior, but the difference between a habit and an addiction is that an addiction creates a chemical reaction in the brain that sets up a craving or a desire for some substance such as alcohol, drugs, or food, or for a behavior such as gambling, sex, or shopping. The obtaining of this creates a chemical reaction in the brain that either produces increased dopamine, cortisol or serotonin in the brain which immediately creates a sense of well-being.
Habits are patterns of behavior that are learned such as making one's bed, brushing one's teeth, or eating a certain food every day at the same time. Habits can turn into addictions when one becomes preoccupied with the behavior and continues to engage in the behavior despite attempts to stop or cut down and despite negative consequences. Once an addiction is established, neuropaths in the brain have been permanently wired to receive the stimuli from the addiction. To recover, new neuropath ways need to be formed for the addiction to be arrested.
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