How do you define willpower? How do you get more of it?

[SlackerInc]

@monstro

OK, I got you. We have both misunderstood each other. No harm, no foul.

Cool.

[Superhal]

@dofe

There are some studies that suggest “willpower” can be depleted the longer we resist temptation. The idea is that by giving in to temptation in a small way, we can replenish willpower during the day.

The London School of Economics had an interesting lecture on this issue.

Hmm, that sounds really weird.

In all the research on addiction I’ve read, abstinence is the only option. Having a little meth now and then will lead to a full blown recurrence. If you want to stop doing something, you have to avoid it forever. And, this is not an unusual state of living either. I’m allergic to penicillin, so I’ve had zero penicillin over 40 years. When I stopped smoking, having an occasional cigarette led to full blown smoking again.

[SlackerInc]

It’s an interesting question. My dad was an anthropologist who studied, among other things, drinking. He believed that the “abstinence only” approach of AA was not the best one, and considered something called (IIRC) “Drink Watchers” (in the spirit, obviously, of Weight Watchers) to be better. This was of course highly controversial and the conventional wisdom is certainly as **Superhal **described it.

From what I’ve described upthread, it would sound as though this is my approach as well. But there is a caveat: I’ve promised myself that if I get my blood pressure under 120/80 with this hardcore eating plan, I will reintroduce back into my diet some of the beloved but “forbidden” foods I’ve eliminated, and allow myself a little more salt–as long as the BP stays down. This makes it feel like I’m not just doomed to never enjoy most of my erstwhile favourites again.

I don’t yet know how hard that will make it to go back on this diet, though, if I go this route and my BP heads back up again. But it seems I’m getting closer to potentially finding out, as earlier today I registered a 136/89, when for months before starting this diet–though I was exercising and eating pretty healthfully–it was hovering around 170/110 (really bad, I know–hence the radical diet regime).

[Frylock]

@Superhal

Hmm, that sounds really weird.

In all the research on addiction I’ve read, abstinence is the only option. Having a little meth now and then will lead to a full blown recurrence. If you want to stop doing something, you have to avoid it forever. And, this is not an unusual state of living either. I’m allergic to penicillin, so I’ve had zero penicillin over 40 years. When I stopped smoking, having an occasional cigarette led to full blown smoking again.

I didn’t look at the link, but I’m almost certain the idea wasn’t that if you have a little drink every now and then this will keep you from being tempted to get drunk. Generally, I don’t think the willpower discussion applies to addictions like that.

I think the idea was if you have that candy bar for a snack instead of the veggie sticks (or whatever), you’ll have saved up a little willpower, and this will help you prevent yourself from buying the new gaming laptop you don’t need.