Changing Behaviors That Are Costly and Detrimental to Our Health

by Laz Mbulo

Every day we deal with problems of over indulgency in some activities that are detrimental to our health. We smoke, we use alcohol, we take drugs, we have unsafe sex, we drive without seat belts on, and we drink and drive and so on and so on. These behaviors we indulge ourselves in are not genetic; they are consciously learned behaviors which we have let to run away from our grip.

These are changeable behaviors which we fear to change for unknown reasons. We have seen several people who have suffered or are suffering from over indulgence in these behaviors or failure to restrain ourselves from these behaviors. Yet we have stayed the course ignoring all the cues to change our behaviors.

Occasionally or may be routinely for some people, we have experienced costly, embarrassing and sometimes near death occasions because of these problematic behaviors. We have shown up at the emergency room with serious injuries for not driving with a seat belt on when an accident occur. We have shown up at the physicians' office with a dose or crap of sexually transmitted disease embarrassed to tell the nurse our health concerns only to announce it to the doctor. We have had to call in someone to bail us out of the detox center after we were brought in dead drunk the night before. We have had to make a reverse call from a police cell to get our friend to bail us out because of being caught driving under the influence. These and many other cases have brought insurmountable amount of stress and avoidable costs to us and to our loved ones.
Yet, after weathering through the stress and costs involved in the consequences of our behavior, we go back to our indulgencies. We go back to drinking and driving, smoking, using drugs, having unsafe sex and so on and so on. After weathering the stress and costs financially and otherwise, we need to face the reality squarely and ask ourselves how we can change our behaviors. There are several counselors, groups, organizations and tons of information that could help us change our behaviors. However, the most important thing is to take that conscious decision to change. Once we make that decision to change, we can begin to act. Make a goal to stay away from smoke, alcohol, dangerous driving, unsafe sex, away from drugs and other indulgencies that are detrimental to our health.

Once we make the decision to change, we can seek help and support from others. Help and support from others including counselors will work if we have made that conscious decision to change. Several materials such as books, audio tapes, dvds, cds and internet website provide tremendous amount of helpful information to help change our behaviors. Occasionally we may brash aside these supportive individuals and materials but once we make that conscious decision to change we will get every help that is available.

It is never too late to change and there is no problematic behavior that may be unchangeable. First make that decision to change and then begin to seek help from professionals, friends, relations, and use informational materials. Take the first step to set a goal for yourself for a behavioral change and you will be on course to changing everything else.


About Laz Mbulo
Health behavioral researcher