Why do we resist doing things that we know are good for our well-being while craving things that are detrimental to our well-being?

[saggittarius039112]

[standingUP]

Because doing something new and unknown is scary and uncomfortable.

I was addicted to drugs and alcohol most of my life. The fun and excitement of doing it and partying was long gone. The agonizing obsessive addiction was a monster that couldn't be satisfied. No matter how hard the turmoil and circumstances affected my life and others close to me it was a lying comfort.
Anything less than that was not acceptable to attempt to live without.

Until it robbed every last moral fiber of my soul and all other options to continue.
*** Sober 15 years and counting by the Grace of God.

[Jean-Marie_Céline]

Because things that are bad for us are always too alluring to resist.
That's why I always jumped in with bad women and get tempted by the most outrageous requests.
I'm an idiot, I know.

[katjmj]

We might possibly like the thrill of doing what we shouldn't be doing

[maceygirl]

Because the bad things feel good and the good things feel bad.

[saggittarius039112]

In what sense?

[maceygirl]

Bad things like sex without a condom (you asked this in the sex section after all) feel good, and good things like exercise and eating healthy aren't satisfying.

[saggittarius039112]

Meant to put in social. More subjective that way but good point anyway. can't those good things be satisfying in the long run?

[maceygirl]

True, they're good in the long run, but are unpleasant in the short term. A lot of us only think about feeling good now.

[saggittarius039112]

I suppose then in a sense sometimes instant gratification is good. Right?

[maceygirl]

Yes, sometimes instant gratification is good. We never know when we are gonna die, and I think that's part of it. Experiencing as much pleasure now as possible.

[saggittarius039112]

Hmm. Perhaps I've been doing the right thing for too long🤔 never really done something for myself...

[buddies]

We crave things that hurt us because we are human. Instead of seeing that the forbidden fruit is rotten in its core, we tend to see that it is pretty, shiny, and that everyone else wants it too. We tend to reject what is good for us because it is ugly, or because nobody else wants it. Humans are social creatures, and if everyone wants it, chances are, we do too, or if they don't, neither do we. So the reason we crave the bad and despise the good is not because it is good or bad... it is because of the way it appears, and it's current demand.

[Talysworld]

Because forbidden fruit is often the sweetest 😊

[saggittarius039112]

Whats sweet in the moment may cause harm later

[Talysworld]

True but what the heart wants is what the heart gets 😋

[saggittarius039112]

Even if you knew it would hurt? If so. Then why?

[Talysworld]

Well because it's a desire. We really don't care about as long as we have it