We all have problems in our lives, but sometimes people have issues in their life and they don't realise it. We all get into bad habits at times.
However, those habits may not just be 'bad', but self destructive. And they can become destructive to those around you as well.
To explain what a habit is correctly, it is a “routine of behaviour that is repeated regularly and tends to occur unconsciously”, according to Wikipedia. That means that it is a pattern that we have made for ourselves through doing the same thing constantly, be it physical, emotional, or mental.
The trick with being able to break those habits is realising that you have created them in the first place. As the person with the habit, you don't always see what you are doing.
So, sometimes you need to take your cues from friends, family, and those around you. They can usually see what you are doing, and if they care, they will either tell you outright, or try to drop subtle hints.
We also have to be careful to distinguish a 'bad habit', from and 'addiction'. An addiction is a 'mental disease', habits are something we have mental control over and are able to change over time.
The biggest issue with self destructive addictive habits, is that, it's not until we reach total rock bottom that we usually begin to break them. Usually (that's not always the case, as it is possible to brea a serious addictive habit if you are prepared to admit that you have it.)
Sometimes we have to hit bottom to realise what we have been doing in the first place. The down side to rock bottom is that it's not the nicest place to be, but the up side is that there is only one way from there. Up.
Some people with these habits can continue for decades. And occasionally these people are known to take others down with them. To avoid that, all you can do is try to step back a little to protect yourself. That doesn't mean you can't help that person, but you will need to be very careful not to be pulled into their behaviour.
So, what we have to to is look out for these behaviours, and try to help those people where we can. Understand them. Give them subtle hints. Don't scorn them as being whatever you see them (drunk, lazy, etc.). Let them know you are worried about some of their behaviour. Help them search for those all important identifying factors that reinforce the habit (such as eating after a TV program finishes because you don't know what to do with yourself next). The routine has to be changed to 'break the habit'.
We can't change them!
They have to want to change for themselves.
But we can keep a lookout for them, and care for them when they hit that bottom level. All we can try to do, is be their family and friends that they need us to be.
And that's what friends and family, and loved ones do. They look out for each other.
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