Behavioral and Social Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits

Behavioral and Social Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits

In this paper, the writer will describe a habit that I have dealt with most of my life. This habit has caused embarrassment to friends and family to be around me. When you have a fear of germs and my body being contaminated can make things difficult. I have been told I have a condition known as OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).

Analyzing one of my many habits, I would have to say my OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) is the best or worst habit that I have. OCD is not a disease of the body. It’s mainly triggers the mind. It’s not due to mental illness or drug use. Early in life, maybe around 5 or 6. I would help my mother clean the house and she would want everything perfect. For example, you just don’t place the cans in the cabinet anyway you want. What my mother would do is line the cans up alphabetically and make sure the labels are turned outwards so you can see the names of that can. If those cans are out of place she would take them down, clean the cabinet and rearrange those cans all over again. I didn’t acquire the can arrangement, but I believe my habit is not so deep. I acquired the habit of constantly washing or sanitizing my hands daily. It’s having the fear of having germs on me constantly. I know we live in an environment that is polluted from the air we breathe to the places we frequent. I can’t touch things without a napkin, and I am always sanitizing my hands. I don’t like other people driving my vehicle, I would have to wipe it down completely. Even my desk is arranged and cleaned.

I continue this habit because it makes me feel safe. I’m comfortable in knowing that the things I wipe down with Clorox wipes are sanitized and clean. When I go to restaurants, I sometimes ask for plastic ware because I am afraid to eat off the silverware because of the different mouths that has touched that same silverware. Even though it may be washed with extreme hot water, my OCD kicks in and I become anxious and nervous. I also prefer to have my drinks in a “to go cup” so I won’t utilize the glasses that are offered at the restaurants. Most restaurants don’t allow that and sometimes I bring them myself. There has been several times I attempted to break this habit, but it seems as though when I begin to let my guard down, I begin to see things that grosses me out.

The thought behind the behavioral approach is that the environment we are in causes us to react differently, explaining behavior through observation. My environment introduced