on something like flow, but flow depends on smoothly running habits. Being a good driver requires good habits, to give choice a chance (paraphrasing John Lennon). Being a good ex-junkie or ex-drunk also requires good habits, if you're going to stay on track. First we try to build up those habits, then we simply do our best to make good choices, whenever the road takes an unexpected turn. 19 Responses to "This is your brain on choice" Excellant, spot on but how do we ex's form those good habits? Replacement? Extinction? This seems to be the key to recovery. George Vaillant beleived alcoholism was both an ingrained habit and a disease. When he followed alcoholics for 60 years* he found substitute dependencies the top factor in recovery. He also cited supervision, poor health, new love interests and AA as important factors. Supervision included things like risk of loss job, loss of marriage etc. Supervision, a new love interest and poor health seem like life style changes that change one's outlook and allow new habits to be formed. A substitute dependency or joining AA seem to require a conscious choice. All would effect neurobiological systems. Perhaps you could explain how these work? How do we form new habits? That is the million dollar question. The situations Vaillant describes have one thing in common: and not necessarily a substitute dependency, because a new love isn't a dependency (yet) and neither is poor health. Rather, each of these situations gets you to take