Bad Habits and Addictions
Could Bad Habits Become Addictions?

What is the difference between habit and addiction.

Addiction is often linked to the avoidance of challenging thoughts, memories, and emotions, a process known as 'emotion-focused coping' in psychology.

Claiming to be 'addicted to shopping' might stem from the thrill of discovering great deals, especially on clothes and shoes, and could simply be a habit. However, if shopping binges leave you feeling numb, as though your thoughts have shut down and you're operating on autopilot, it could indicate an addiction. In this case, shopping is being used as a coping mechanism, akin to a drug.

Habits can be frustrating, and we often wish to break them. However, it's not a matter of 'control' with habits; control is an aspect of addiction. We struggle with the behavior because, at our core, we recognize the loss of control. For instance, occasionally having a cigarette after a drink and later regretting it is a habit. But smoking every night, while insisting to friends and family that we've stopped, and reassuring ourselves that we'll quit soon and 'take control'—that's addiction.

Binge drinking and excessive alcohol