Why do we say "Old Habits Die Hard" ? - A Psychological Perspective

Habits have both positive and negative impacts.

"Habits help us do everything, every day. Our unconscious mind eliminates the need for us to think consciously about each small step and action involved in everything from making a latte to operating the photocopier. Our mind wants to make a memory and make the thinking and behavior automatic so our conscious mind can deal with more immediate and complex things. That's the good news. 

The bad news is that habits can also have a negative grasp on our mind and behavior. Bad habits die hard, are easy to resume, even when we think we've stopped them, as many reformed smokers or alcoholics will attest to."

Breaking the habit is not only difficult; the brain sets up defense mechanisms to prevent you from changing what is automatic and unconscious. One study of heart patients who were heavy smokers or seriously overweight, showed that even after quadruple bi-pass surgery, a majority of the patients returned to old patterns of lifestyle behavior.

Conclusion

1. Habitual thinking and behavior are a result of powerful neural pathways in our brains, and memories that are automatically and unconsciously accessed; we get brain chemistry rewards every time we access those memories;
2. Unconscious thought processes can predetermine, without an individual's awareness, decision-making bias and actual decision-making;
3. Emotions are the key driver to decision-making, not logical, analytical thought; our logical processes are often only rational justifications for emotional decisions;
4. Your brain will put up defensive mechanisms that will try to protect you from change;
Because the brain operates in a quantum environment, our perceptions and self-talk alters the connections and pathways in our brains. Whatever we focus our "attention" on changes or creates new brain connections;

Yes Sir,it's true that we are bundles of habits. (good & bad- both habits resides in everybody).
Thanks for referral, Muralidharanji.

Another habit which is mostly seen in indian culture is the habit of defaming a person without evidence. This can be seen vividly in case of 2G scam in India where lots of people accused the Indian Prime Minister of looting and being involved in the scam 'directly'. These people are accusing the PM without an iota of evidence. In india you can defame the weak and yet get away with it. I am not saying that the PM is 'clean' but when you make a defaming statement, you need to substantiate it with verifiable impartial evidence. Yes, this is a habit which could have been inoculated into these people by their elders, parents and culture to falsely accuse a person when you are not in a winnable situation. Yes, old habits die hard! 

We need to understand that there are good habits and bad habits. This saying that "old habits die hard.." is seen from a negative sense and 'yes' it is about habits that are considered to be negative. I beg to differ that habits are set by the age of thirty and that habits cannot be changed. If habits couldn't be changed then all deaddiction centers would have been closed down.

The old that habits that we are talking about are introduced into a man's life some where in childhood. For example: Even though India got independence in 1947, we still have a violent mode of protest, be it bandhs, strikes, hartaals etc. People burn buses, smash its glass windows, throw stones etc etc. The people who do these kind of activities have been trained for a long time so that it ultimately becomes a habit. Then, we have people who kill each other during riots and political clashes. These people too have been trained for a long time. Then, we have the so called poor people who use poverty as a means of manipulation and to lie to get ahead and get what they want. These people too have been trained by their families to be manipulative so that they become what we call as the 'anti-socials'. So, ultimately these 'traits' are trained knowingly or accidently to form a habit -  Yes, old habits die hard!

What we learn as kids we carry through to adulthood. This is the root for all mental ailments according to Freudian psychoanalysis. Chance events or even events that arise intentionally can cause root complexes unless free associated with a psychanalyst can maintain neurosis in a person and according to Professor Freud 100/100 people have this neurosis.

People try and try and try.....but eventually we always acknowledge that hardly do they get rid of old habits.... U are very true sir....thank you for referring.

Yes Muralidharan I agree old habits die hard. I am of the opinion nothing can change the habbits in most of the persons.

Thanks,Mr Muralidharan. This is not a proverbial truth any more.All species adapt to conditions available for their survival.Unless the stakes are high,possibility of change is very remote.

Habits can be changed by counselling and training. however the subject should be willing to change