Question

Referring to the “Zest & health psychology lecture” and the ‘change model’, what are the reasons why individuals refrain from or struggle to change an unhealthy behavior”

Answer 1

Health and lifestyle are closely associated to each other. Changes in lifestyle for the betterment of one's health are often difficut decisions for people to take and abide to. It strongly depends n the willingness of the indivisual to change or put efforts in the direction of change. According to the change model, all individuals are considered to go through 5 stages while pertaining to the decision of changing their Unhealthy behavior. These are:

The restrictions ususaly occur in the first three stages highlighted with red, although they also exist in the stage of action and maintenance but the various positive physiological changes brought by adoption of healthy behavior might be the motivating factors for some to maintain the particular behavior for long. The restrictive factors can be as follows:

1. Lacl of awareness of the existing unhealthy behavior.

2. Laziness in adopting new behavioral changes, considering them to be too taxing to change a particular unhealthy behavior.

3. Less availability of the required resources to adopt to newer healthy behavior, like socioeconomic status, age, work culture, family environment.

4. More chances of relapse due to constant availablity of the factors that lead to unhealthy behavior like easily available alcohol at home, for alcoholics.

5. Withdraal symptoms in cases of serious addictions.

6. Lack of motivation for change, as the changes by adoption of healthy behavior occur slowly and late.

7. Optimistic bias that nothing wrong can happen to one, considering oneself to be invincible.

8. Taking inspiration from false examples from the society considering that all do the same and nothing happens.