Understanding Bad Habits and How to Replace Vaping or Smoking: Part 3

01/07/2024

Key Takeaways

01. Bad habits form through a loop of cue, routine, and reward, and breaking them requires disrupting this cycle with healthier alternatives.

02. Habits are ingrained in the brain through neuroplasticity, which allows for the formation of new, positive routines to replace old ones.

03. Replacing vaping or other bad habits involves identifying triggers, practicing consistency, and leveraging tools like the Komuso Shift.

04. Sustainable success comes from addressing subconscious barriers, focusing on small, consistent actions, and seeking support when needed.

05. Komuso’s Quit Vaping and Smoking Course course can also help as it uses modern neuroscience and Cody Isabel’s proprietary Tapering Method to change your mindset and behavior.

Welcome to the third installment of our bad habits series, where we explore the science, psychology, and strategies behind habits. Today, we’re diving into habit creation, or what Cody Isabel calls “Starts.”

Habits are the invisible architecture of our lives. From the moment we wake up to the second we fall asleep, much of what we do is dictated by automatic routines stored deep within our brains.

Some habits, like brushing our teeth or exercising, improve our quality of life. Others, like procrastination or vaping, can hold us back, damaging our physical and mental health. Understanding these patterns and learning how to change them is essential for growth—and that’s where science can guide us.

In this third installment of our series, we delve into Cody Isabel’s research. Cody is a brain scientist who dedicated over 22,000 hours to studying the brain and helping people rewire their routines. Through his expertise, we’ll continue to explore the neuroscience of habits: how they form, why they persist, and, most importantly, how you can break bad habits and replace them with healthier ones.

If you’re joining us for the first time, we highly recommend checking out Part 1 and Part 2 to grasp the foundation we’ve already covered fully. In those sections, we explored the anatomy of habits and the challenges of breaking bad ones. Now, we’re pivoting to building new, positive habits that can transform your life.

Whether you’re trying to figure out how to replace vaping, build positive habits, or simply understand the mechanisms behind human behavior, this guide will provide you with actionable tools rooted in science.

What Are Habits (Including Bad Habits), and Why Do They Matter?

The Definition of a Habit

At its core, a habit is a routine or behavior that is repeated so often it becomes automatic. Habits are formed through a process called habit looping, which consists of three key stages:

Cue – A trigger that initiates the behavior.
Routine – The action or behavior itself.
Reward – The positive outcome that reinforces the behavior, making it more likely to occur again.

Over time, this loop becomes ingrained in your brain, allowing habits to run on autopilot. This efficient process saves brainpower by reducing the need for conscious decision-making.

Why Bad Habits Are So Hard to Break

Bad habits often form for the same reason as good ones: they provide a reward, even if it’s temporary or harmful in the long run.

For example, vaping may give you a dopamine boost, creating a fleeting sense of relaxation or focus. Unfortunately, these rewards reinforce the habit, making it difficult to stop—even when you’re aware of the negative consequences.

The Neuroscience of Habit Formation

The Role of the Hippocampus and Habit Memory

Habits are created and stored in the brain through a process involving the hippocampus and the neocortex. The hippocampus is responsible for forming short-term memory pathways, which are crucial during the early stages of learning a new habit.

Each time you perform a new behavior, your hippocampus generates a neural pathway, often called a “baby memory.” It then ties these pathways together with the action so that it’s easier and more streamlined to complete later, which can be incredibly helpful!

With repetition, this pathway strengthens, solidifying the habit and moving it into long-term storage in the neocortex.

The Importance of Neuroplasticity

The brain’s ability to adapt, known as neuroplasticity, plays a central role in habit formation.

Neuroplasticity allows neurons to “fire together and wire together,” meaning repeated actions create stronger neural connections. This process not only forms new habits but also makes it possible to replace bad habits with healthier ones.

For example, if you always eat snacks while watching TV, your brain starts linking those two activities, turning them into a habit. The good news is that this same process can help you break bad habits. By consistently practicing a healthier behavior in place of the old one, your brain can create new connections for the positive habit while the old ones fade with time—a process often described as "pruning."

The Obstacles to Habit Change, Such as How to Replace Vaping

Limbic Friction: The Internal Resistance to New Habits

One of the greatest challenges in forming new habits or breaking bad ones is limbic friction—the tension between what you want to do and what you feel like doing. This friction is strongest when starting a new routine, as your brain resists change and gravitates toward familiar patterns.

For instance, if you’re trying to figure out how to replace vaping with a healthier coping mechanism like using an anxiety breathing necklace, limbic friction might manifest as cravings or the urge to “just do it one more time.” Overcoming this resistance requires intentional effort and consistency.

Context-Dependence and the Power of Environment

In the early stages of habit formation, context plays a crucial role. Habits are often tied to specific environmental cues, such as time, location, or even emotions. For example, if you always vape while out with friends, having a night out on the town becomes a powerful trigger.

Understanding these triggers can help you design your environment to support positive habits and disrupt bad habits. For instance, if you’re trying to figure out how to replace vaping, use a breathing necklace while you’re out with your friends instead.

Tools for Building New Habits and Ditching Bad Habits

1. The 21-Day Method

This method encourages consistency without overwhelming you.

Here’s how it works:

Choose six new daily habits to practice for the next 21 days. These can be small, manageable habits you’d like to incorporate into your routine.
Aim to complete 4-5 habits each day. It’s okay if you don’t accomplish all 6—missing a few is part of the process, and there’s no penalty for skipping.
Focus on building consistency rather than perfection. The goal is to discover which habits feel natural and sustainable for you.
Try to create momentum with 2-day streaks. Focus on completing your habits for two consecutive days, then another two days, and so on for the full 21-day period.
At the end of 21 days, evaluate what feels natural.
Stop actively pushing yourself and see which habits stick on their own. Test what worked and explore new habits for another 21 days. Keep practicing the habits that feel sustainable and experiment with fresh ones, repeating the cycle to build lasting routines.

2. Dopamine Spotlighting

A powerful strategy for overcoming limbic friction while building new habits is a method called Dopamine Spotlighting, also known as Task Bracketing. This technique uses dopamine, a feel-good chemical, to increase adrenaline (norepinephrine) levels, helping you push through the resistance often accompanying new behaviors.

How It Works

Dopamine and adrenaline are released together in the body. You can boost the dopamine linked to a specific habit or task by intentionally engaging in Task Bracketing. This creates a mental framework that makes the habit feel more rewarding, reducing the effort needed to start and sustain it.

Steps to Use:

identify the habit or behavior. Choose a specific habit you want to establish.
Reflect on the lead-up. Write down your thoughts, feelings, and actions 10–15 minutes before starting the habit.
Visualize leaning into the challenge. Picture yourself overcoming the resistance and putting in the effort needed to start.
Reflect on the aftermath. Write down how you feel and what you experience 10–15 minutes after completing the habit.
Visualize the reward. Imagine the sense of accomplishment and positive emotions that come with finishing the task. Be honest with yourself, too!
Create a mental blueprint. Use these reflections to visualize the entire process, from beginning to end, framed positively.

Keep Repeating the Process

Practice this method as long as resistance to the habit persists. Consistently applying Task Bracketing can reduce limbic friction, making it easier to build habits that stick, no matter the circumstances.

3. Focused Vision Tool

This method uses the connection between your visual and circulatory systems to help you overcome limbic friction. Focusing your vision can activate the sympathetic nervous system, which triggers a state of action and reduces the resistance you feel toward starting a task.

How It Works

Your optic nerve sends visual information to the brain, and when the sympathetic nervous system is activated, it primes your body for action. By intentionally focusing your vision, you can increase your blood pressure and release adrenaline, giving you the push you need to get moving on your goal.

Steps to Use the Focused Vision Technique

1. Identify your goal. Think about the task or habit you want to accomplish.
Find a focal point. Choose one spot in your environment, such as an object or a fixed point on the wall.
Focus your vision. Stare at this point for 60 seconds without distraction.
Move into action. As soon as the 60 seconds are up, immediately start taking steps toward your goal.

Why It Works

Focusing on a single point for a full minute causes your body to respond by increasing adrenaline and raising blood pressure, which can help you overcome resistance and start the task.

Let’s say you’re struggling to tackle a pile of dishes after dinner. Stand near the sink, pick a point on the faucet or backsplash, and focus on it for 60 seconds. Once the minute is over, begin washing the dishes right away.

This simple process helps you move from procrastination to action!

How to Replace Vaping With a Breathing Necklace

If this is your first foray into our breaking bad habits and figuring out how to replace vaping series, you’re probably wondering what in the world a breathing necklace is and how it can help you.

The power of a breathing necklace is due to its ability to stimulate the vagus nerve, thus activating the parasympathetic nervous system. This system is essential for calming the body, and when used, it can counteract the intense cravings and stress often associated with nicotine withdrawal and habitual use of the product.

How a Breathing Necklace Helps Replace Vaping and Smoking

The act of slowing your exhale while using a breathing necklace sends a signal to your brain that it’s safe to relax. When cravings feel overwhelming, or stress levels soar, instead of reaching for a cigarette or vape, you can use the necklace to take slow, intentional breaths. This practice engages the vagus nerve, which plays a key role in reducing stress, helping you regain calm and find mindfulness in the moment.

Over time, this substitution helps rewire the brain to associate stress relief or whatever the trigger was with deep breathing rather than nicotine use. The simple habit of reaching for the breathing necklace becomes a healthier way to cope, gradually reducing dependence on smoking or vaping.

Additionally, the physical action of using the breathing necklace mirrors the habitual hand-to-mouth motion that many smokers and vapers are accustomed to.

Overcoming Subconscious Barriers For Breaking Bad Habits And Figuring Out How to Replace Vaping Successfully

Sometimes, the biggest obstacle to change is your own mindset. Limiting beliefs, like “I’ll never be able to figure out how to replace vaping and quit nicotine,” can sabotage your efforts. To overcome these barriers:

Practice Self-Awareness: Journaling or mindfulness can help you identify negative thoughts.
Rewrite Your Narrative: Replace limiting beliefs with positive affirmations.
Seek Professional Support: Therapists or coaches can provide personalized strategies.
Celebrate Every Win: Whether you went a few hours, a whole day, or a whole week without reaching for a vape, celebrate those wins!

Create a Community For Success: Share your goals with a friend, join a community, or seek guidance to stay motivated. Apps like Loosid’s Sober App can also encourage and track your progress.

Creating Long-Term Success

Breaking bad habits and replacing them with healthier routines isn’t just about willpower—it’s about understanding how your brain works and using science-backed strategies to create lasting change. By focusing on consistency, leveraging tools like the 21-Day Method, and addressing the underlying triggers for your habits, you can take control of your behavior and build a healthier, more fulfilling life.

Whether you’re working to quit vaping or striving to develop new positive habits for a healthier life, remember that progress takes time, and every small step brings you closer to your goals.

Which habit will you start today?

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