The Verywell Mind Podcast How to Break Free From Unhealthy Patterns By Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief Published on July 30, 2021 Print Verywell / Julie Bang Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Friday Fix: Episode 92 More About the Podcast Every Friday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern. Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Friday Fix: Episode 92 Have you ever thought about how you deal with uncomfortable emotions? Do you start scrolling through your smartphone whenever you feel the slightest bit bored? Do you text an ex who isn’t good for you whenever you feel lonely? We usually don’t think much about these habits we’ve established in life. And we rarely reflect on how those little habits affect us so much in the big picture. The way you respond to uncomfortable emotions establishes patterns in your life. You might not even recognize that you’re doing them, even though you reach for the same go-to solutions every time. And it’s quite possible some of those solutions actually introduce new problems into your life or make your existing problems worse. That’s just one reason we establish unhealthy patterns in our lives. In this week's Friday Fix, I share the other reasons why we get stuck relying on tempting shortcuts or avoiding the things we need to face. I also share how to break free from those unhealthy patterns so we can create the kind of life we actually want to live. Maintaining Healthy Habits-In Five Simple Steps More About the Podcast The Verywell Mind Podcast is available across all streaming platforms. If you like the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too. Links and Resources Follow Amy Morin on Instagram Check out Amy’s books on mental strength Healthy Coping Skills for Uncomfortable Emotions 7 Things to Do if You Feel Emotional How Rituals Play a Role With Addiction By Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Speak to a Therapist Online Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Verywell Mind receives compensation.