An old habit can be broken by replacing it with a new, more desirable habit.

Azrin and Nunn (1977) use this approach to controlling habits (see chapter 4).

A similar concept is used in two other situations: (l) more acceptable responses can replace unwanted habits, e.g. one could listen instead of give advice or chew gum instead of smoking, and (2) a better way of meeting one's needs could be found, e.g. one could handle loneliness by learning social skills rather than by watching TV or by joining a support group rather than merely complaining to relatives about having nothing to do. 

Purposes

To find a better response than the current one and start using it. 

To break an old habit by replacing it with an incompatible new one. 

Obviously, there is a similarity to method #2. This is more a simple substitution at the time the old response starts.

There is a lot of advanced preparation in method #2. 

Steps

STEP ONE: Become highly aware of the unwanted habit. Learn to recognize when the unwanted habit was about to begin. Watch the habit occurring, note which muscles move and how they move.

Attend to when and under what conditions the habit occurs. Do this over and over and for a few days keep a record of every time the habit happens. You need to know the habit well, including its base rate. 

STEP TWO: Select a substitute behavior and be prepared to use it. Think of a desirable substitute. Make the necessary arrangements to carry out the new behavior.

Example: if you are going to eat celery instead of a regular meal or jellybeans instead of smoke cigarettes, the celery must be bought and cut and the jellybeans bought in advance. 

To overcome a habit, the new response should be (l) not distracting to others, (2) able to prevent the old response and ideally (3) something you can do for 3 minutes while carrying on normal activities.

Examples: feel the change in your pocket instead of the bad habit of pulling your hair or pressing your foot against the floor instead of the habit of nervously shaking your leg (see chapter 4).

Sometimes the substitute behavior can't be held for 3 minutes, for instance if one has an eye blink tic, the new behavior might be gently and discretely closing the eyelids for only a few seconds. 

As with any other well ingrained habit, it is difficult, in the beginning, to try to satisfy well established needs or behavior patterns in another way.

Even when substitute activities are already organized and welcoming you to use them, it may be hard to change: it is considered so hard for alcoholics to go to Alcoholics Anonymous that many people believe they must "hit bottom" before they are desperate enough to join AA.

Many of the same social needs for camaraderie and power and acceptance are satisfied in AA or in church as were met in the bars, but not all of them.

It's still hard to go. Similarly, it is hard to seek out self-help groups, like a club for single parents, or a therapist.

Although it's difficult, consider the consequences of not changing. 

STEP THREE: The substitute response may need to be practiced. Exactly what competing behavior you intend to use must be well thought out.

The overriding response, say pressing your foot against the floor (so no one notices), to an urge to perform a habit, such as anxiously bouncing your leg, may need to be done in front of a mirror until you look natural and can do other things, like talk, at the same time.

Action designed to replace the bad habit must be so well planned and practiced, so it can be used immediately (before the unwanted habit occurs). 

STEP FOUR: Make the substitution at every opportunity. Every time you feel the slightest tendency or urge to do the old habit, perform the new response.

Be especially watchful when you are in the situation where the habit usually occurs, e.g. if you bite your nails while studying, be alert for the first tendency--say just touching your face--to bite the nails and immediately carry out your competing response which might be making your hands into a fist instead of extending your finger into your mouth. 

In many self-help projects to overcome a bad habit, it may be helpful for the person to continue the substitute behavior for a minute or two after it has overcome the unwanted urge. Try to stop the unwanted habit every time.

Don't give up too quickly... habits do not die easily. 

Time involved

Relatively little time ordinarily is involved in this simple method, just thinking of an alternative, practicing it, and assuring that you faithfully substitute the alternative behavior.

On the other hand, don't expect quick results in every case. Often the unwanted habit decreases in a few days but it ain't dead yet. If you stop the habit reversal at that point, the old habit is likely to come back.

Don't be surprised if it takes two or three months to truly conquer the old habit. Remember old habits may never die completely--millions of smokers have gone back to smoking weeks or months after "breaking the habit." 

Common problems with this method

Sometimes the substitutes have unwanted consequences, e.g. eating instead of smoking may increase your weight (usually by only a few pounds--and that can be guarded against).

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of this method involves the fact that many unwanted habits occur when we are occupied by some other activity...or when we are tired, sleepy, and not alert.

Becoming aware enough to catch the onset of the bad habit may be hard, requiring special attention and effort until the habit weakens. Each relapse or failure is like dropping a ball of string you are winding; it is a challenge (but important) to keep the old habit from occurring at all. 

Effectiveness, advantages and dangers Azrin and Nunn (1977) claim the method is very effective, successful over 90% of the time. This success rate was with people who completed a therapist-administered treatment of this kind.

How many people actually complete a strictly self-help project, as recommended in the their book, is unknown. However, a 90+% success rate is impressive.  This is a simple way to break certain simple habits.

Even in more complex situations you may find ways to meet pressing needs in more acceptable ways.

This doesn't require a radical modification of one's needs. Yet, there is ample evidence that people resist learning new behaviors: many refuse to go to AA and psychotherapy.

Consider how many marital problems and parent-child conflicts are never dealt with in counseling or marriage enrichment programs.

Also, relatively few people seek help in helping themselves. We don't know why.

From Ch 11 of Psychological Self-Help
http://www.psychologicalselfhelp.org/Chapter11/chap11_41.html