The Truth About Willpower & What it has to Do With Addiction
Have you ever told yourself that if you only had more willpower you might be able to resist temptations and achieve your goals? We all have at one time or another, and in part, we would be right in believing this. However, the science of willpower (yes there is a science behind it) would explain the reasons we might not always be successful in controlling our behaviour. In this post, we will review the very interesting concept of willpower and explain how it may play into addiction, especially with regard to maintaining sobriety.
What is Willpower?
Roy F. Baumeister has dedicated much of his career to studying the fascinating phenomenon of willpower, and understanding the mechanisms by which it influences human behaviour. At the core of his research is the concept that willpower is a limited resource, which we all possess, and its reserve is easily depleted by ordinary, everyday activities. It is the force that drives our executive functioning and allows us to make decisions, big or small, carry out our daily goals, and function in society. For instance, let’s assume we begin the day with a full reserve of willpower. Consider the following, seemingly mundane activities that begin to drain this valuable resource the moment we wake up; deciding what to wear and eat for breakfast, driving to work in traffic, and looking for parking in the city. These are all commonplace activities that make demands of your willpower reserve before you’ve even started your day. Now imagine adding demanding work assignments, irritating colleagues, or personal stressors to the mix, and your susceptibility to road rage (or general irritability) on the commute home increase dramatically. Ever notice how much harder it is to resist temptations at the end of a hard day or week? This is often because we are running low on willpower. Interestingly, one of the most taxing activities on the willpower reserve is making decisions, be they big or small. You will notice that high performing individuals will try to limit the number of trivial decisions they make in a day, in order to save their energy for more important activities – there is a reason Steve Jobs wore the same thing every day. So, the next time you find yourself struggling to reach your objectives or resist everyday temptations, ask yourself what kind of day you’ve had, and how impactful it may have been on your willpower reserve.
What does this have to do with addiction?
Firstly, it is a damaging misconception that addiction involves a lack of willpower. That is, it is wrong to assume that willpower is a skill or trait that some of us have, and some of us don’t, and that those who are addicted to any given substance, simply lack it. As we’ve seen, everyone has willpower, but the course of one’s life, and daily experiences have the power to drain the reserve for some more than others. It is not a coincidence that alcoholism and drug addiction often follow emotional or physical disturbances. Harboring trauma or pain, be it emotional or physical, will undoubtedly drain our natural coping resources.
This theory of willpower has important implications for addiction recovery. For one thing, controlling our environment is very important in sustaining a new, healthier lifestyle, as is managing our thoughts and emotions in a healthy manner. If we are not careful to avoid our triggers, and respect our personal boundaries, we are liable to fall back into unhealthy coping strategies in order to compensate for our depleted willpower reserve. It is always easier to fall back into negative habits when we are over-stimulated and under-resourced, and the context of recovery is no exception.
Consider how Baumeister’s theory of willpower might resonate with you and your life. When do you find yourself most likely to give into temptation or fall off course in the pursuit of your personal goals? How can you restructure your life to strengthen your willpower reserve?
