 Hey Psych2Goers, welcome back to our channel. Do you have habits you wish you could lose? Some small, some much bigger than others. You may think learning some healthy habits will make you happier. That certainly is a smart idea, but there are some habits that you could do without. Working towards losing them may just be a step to improving your happiness. So here are six habits that can make you miserable. Number one, judging yourself too harshly. Do you judge yourself too harshly? Sometimes you can fall into the trap of believing all your thoughts are the truth. If you often pick at every detail or a negative thought that comes your way, more of this habitual way of negative thinking can follow. It can become a habit to judge yourself too critically all the time, but trying to push them away entirely might make matters worse. Instead, acknowledge that these thoughts are there, but make your best attempt to question them before believing them entirely. Some of our thoughts are not true. They're just, well, thoughts. Practice some compassion for yourself and those harsh self-judgments may start to dwindle down. Number two, too much social media. Do you use social media like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram too much? A 2013 study from the University of Michigan published in the journal PLOS One found a correlation between Facebook use and dissatisfaction. For two weeks, researchers text-messaged subjects to see how individuals felt each moment and how satisfied they were with their lives. As the research published states, results indicate that Facebook use predicts negative shifts on both of these variables over time. The more people used Facebook at one time point, the worse they felt the next time we text-messaged them. The more they used Facebook over two weeks, the more their life satisfaction levels declined over time. That habit of checking your social media notifications every half hour, it's time to go. Number three, comparing yourself to others. Are you in the habit of comparing yourself to others? It could be a frequent thought to compare yourself to other people, but it can also leave you feeling miserable. Why? There will always be something seemingly better out there for everyone, and many people often want what they can't have. When really, looking at what you have and what you value is a much healthier habit. We all have our own journey we must take in life, our own circumstances, and our own qualities that make us unique. So remember to show compassion for yourself and look at what positively makes you, you. Number four, devoting yourself to your favorite TV show. Okay, so there's nothing wrong with devoting yourself to your favorite TV show once in a while, right? We've all been there. But research from Emily Moyer-Goose, PhD, assistant professor of communication at Ohio State University, found that when your favorite show comes to an end, you'll likely experience distress. Due to the parasocial relationship you formed with the show's characters, the research published in mass communication and society surveyed 403 college students during the notorious 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike. This was a time when television writers from the Writers Guild went on a strike, seeking out higher funding for writers as compared to the high profits of the studios they were writing for. Many TV shows were canceled, which means plenty of disappointed viewers. The research found that those who watched TV to escape feelings of pressure, to relax or to simply enjoy the companionship of their show's characters were more likely to be distressed than those who watched TV simply to pass the time. Individuals who watched for companionship were the most distressed when their favorite shows ended. Sound familiar? Back in 2011, many Harry Potter fans reported feelings of desertion and unhappiness when the beloved franchise ended. Whether you're a Slytherin or a Gryffindor, that must have hurt. Nothing wrong with getting sucked into your favorite TV show, but just make sure that you make a habit to have a companion with you for the final role of the end credits. Oh yeah, and bring a box of tissues. Number five, believing you can't change anything. Accepting who we are can be healthy, unless you're ignoring the negative habits that you can change. We aren't always set in stone. We are always changing. Our opinions, beliefs, habits, and actions can change for the better. So it's best to let go of the belief that you can't change anything. There are some things where change is possible. Researchers suggest that seemingly permanent parts of your personality can indeed be changed. In their 2017 review article, published in the journal Psychological Bulletin, researchers reviewed 207 studies that had tracked changes in measures of personality traits during interventions, including true experiments and pre-post change designs. They found therapy could cause change in an individual's personality in as quick as four to eight weeks. As the review states, emotional stability was the primary trait domain showing changes as a result of therapy, followed by extraversion. So when you think all hope is lost, or if you've been discouraged with some of your behaviors, know that positive change can happen. It is possible to change for the better. And number six, often arguing with your siblings. Do you often quarrel with your siblings? A 2007 study in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that males are at higher risk for depression if they have a poor relationship with their siblings. So which topics seem to cause the most problems? In 2012, researchers at the University of Missouri found that teenagers may be at higher risk of going through depressive symptoms, anxiety, and low self-esteem if their frequent arguments with their siblings fall into two categories. Those categories were violations of personal domain or conflicts over fairness and equality. M.U. Assistant Professor of Psychology Science, Nicole Kampong-Bar, found that conflicts over issues of equality and fairness are correlated to greater depression one year later, according to her research results. So is it fair to argue with your brother or sister about who gets the last cookie? It's up for argument, but it's best not to fight about it now. So which habits are making you miserable? Now that you know you can change some of your behaviors for the better, will you change your habits? Do you often fight with your siblings? Share with us in the comments and let us know what your favorite TV show you were disappointed to see come to an end was. Do you watch The Past Time, or did you form a parasocial relationship with one of its characters? Ugh, Harry Potter, how you will be missed. If you enjoyed this video, don't forget to click the like button and share it with a friend. Subscribe to Psych2Go and hit the notification about icon for more content like this. And as always, thanks for watching.