ABSTRACT
Changing any behaviour is usually not a simple switch between two options; ‘Today I usually do this – but tomorrow I’m going to change completely and do this instead’. There are usually many steps in between, depending upon our circumstances, the environment, other people’s demands, what we see as the pros and cons of changing and whether we feel confident that we can accomplish change. There are several psychological models that describe how people change their behaviour. In this section we discuss what is known in theory about change, especially relating to major life-affecting decisions. Addictive and compulsive behaviours can be particularly difficult to change, as adaptations and anomalies in automatic brain processes can obscure the underlying issues.
