Encouraging absence of the problematic behaviour

Abstract

Certain problematic behaviour can, in some ways, be thought of as like any other human ‘bad habit’ — effective in the short term, but troublesome in the long term. While it is important to take away the need for the ‘habit’ (Chapter 5), to learn other ways of achieving important results (Chapter 6) and to experience the positive benefits of using more appropriate actions (Chapter 7) rather than inappropriate behaviour, there is also an inportant place in the therapeutic package for direct encouragement to give up the habit — the provision of powerful incentives for ‘giving up’.