The expression "habit is second nature" was first used by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, although it became truly winged thanks to Blessed Augustine. Ancient thinkers believed that some habits could be so ingrained that they would not differ in any way from character traits.
Habit concept
Talking about human attachments, Augustine argued that giving up certain habits is sometimes no less difficult than changing personality traits. Indeed, not all people are able to unambiguously share established habits and character traits, often confusing one with the other. In order to understand what part of the personality is made up of internal beliefs, and what part is established habits, first of all, it is advisable to determine the terminology.
Augustine the Blessed was a theologian, preacher and philosopher who lived in the 4th century A. D. Considered the founder of Christian philosophy.
So, according to the dictionary definition, a habit is a course of action formed in the course of regular repetitions in a given situation. A characteristic feature of the habit is that a person begins to feel the need to act in this way, even if external circumstances do not require it. From a physiological point of view, this is due to the emergence of the so-called well-established nerve connections, which make it possible to react more quickly to a situation. Simply put, the performance of habitual actions does not require a person to have preliminary thought or reflection, but occurs automatically. At the same time, a person subconsciously experiences satisfaction, since emotional dependence is also characteristic of habits.
Do I need to give up the habitual?
Indeed, many people do not bother to analyze their own behavioral patterns based on the belief that the best is the enemy of the good. That is why it can be very difficult to separate a formed habit from an innate character trait. On the other hand, for most people, the presence of addictions is not a significant problem, so they do not need such an analysis. For them, habit really becomes second nature. However, if you intend to fully understand the motives for your actions, it makes sense to determine which part of your personality is made up of deeply rooted habits.
The word addictive has several meanings. So, in pharmacology, it means a gradual weakening of the reaction to a particular drug. However, there is a similar understanding of addiction in psychology.
The fact is that the presence of habits can slow down a person's personal growth. It is not for nothing that Alexander Pushkin called habit "a substitute for happiness." Often, people are able to give up tempting prospects in order not to disrupt the established way of life. This inability to sacrifice one's habits in favor of further development can have a detrimental effect not only on the formation of the personality in psychological terms, but also on career growth, social status, and personal life. No matter how ingrained a habit may be, you need to be able to give it up for something more meaningful - after all, you are just overcoming the addiction, and not at all trying to change your character.
