The Behavior Chain

The Behavior Chain

Have you ever wondered where our behaviors come from?  Put another way, why we do what we do?

The Behavior Chain is a powerful concept used in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to understand the sequence of events that lead to a specific behavior.  The events are a mix of external occurrences and internal sensations/thoughts that lead to a certain behavior.

Analyzing our own behavior chains can shed light on the events and emotions leading up to engaging in gambling activities.  If we can identify the triggers, then we’re one step closer to developing effective strategies for change.

In this lesson we’ll explore the concept of the behavior chain, and how it can be helpful in achieving lasting behavior change.

The Behavior Chain in Action

A mundane example of a behavior chain is:

You work out → you feel sweaty → you shower → you use a towel → you brush teeth → you put on deodorant

You do this regardless of the time of day, regardless of whether you just had dental surgery (Ouch! Don’t brush your teeth!).  It’s a sequence on autopilot, informed by external events and internal feelings, and hammered into your brain and body through repetition.

In the context of our gambling, a behavior chain might look something like this:

You have a stressful day at work. Maybe your boss yells at you, or you spill your coffee on your new shirt, or you lose a big deal you’ve been working on for the last few months…Whatever our job, we’ve all been there.

Your day is especially crappy, and you feel overwhelmed. This feeling triggers your natural desire to escape those unwelcome feelings.

Seeking a distraction from your feelings, you turn to an activity that has previously offered an escape from whatever is going on in your life - gambling. So on your way home from work, you stop by a casino or open your favorite gambling app.

Once you start gambling, you initially experience a rush of excitement and anticipation. Thanks, dopamine!

As you gamble, you quickly become absorbed in the activity, losing track of time and spending more money than intended. Fast forward 3 hours. You’ve now lost 2 weeks of pay gambling, significantly overstepping your limits.

You’re mad that you just fell into the gambling trap again. Not only that, you feel guilty and regretful for your impulsive behavior because you know better! You had stayed within your limits for 3 weeks!

So now here you are. Knowing you just took your day from bad to worse. Asking yourself “How the heck did I end up here?!”

Let’s break it down:

The Stages of the Behavior Chain

We like to think of the chain in 6 steps.

Trigger

The behavior chain starts with a trigger, which is an event or emotion that initiates the sequence of events leading to an action.  In our example, the trigger is experiencing stress at work and feeling overwhelmed.

Thought

The trigger leads to specific thoughts.  These thoughts can be conscious or subconscious and are influenced by the trigger. In our example, our thought is a desire to escape or find relief from the negative emotions caused by our bad day.

Behavior

The thoughts then prompt a particular behavior. In this case, it’s the decision to gamble, seeking a distraction and relief from the stress.

Consequence

The behavior leads to consequences, which can be both immediate and delayed. Initially, we experience excitement and anticipation as we engage in gambling. That’s the immediate consequence of our gambling.

Further Behavior

The consequences can further influence behavior. The rush of excitement from gambling leads us to continue gambling, losing track of time and spending more money than intended.

Final Consequence

The final consequence of the behavior chain is experienced after the event. In our example, it’s our feelings of guilt and regret for our behavior and the financial consequences.

The Good News

Just like a series of falling dominoes, if you remove one link in the chain, you can stop the reaction. We’re going to teach you how to do just that!

Let's Reflect

We have different methods for recognizing the chain and stopping the domino effect.  The first is analyzing. Thinking through one of your recent gambling sessions:

Trigger: What triggered the desire or opportunity to gamble?

Thought: What thought or sensation came up as a result of that trigger?

Behavior: What behavior did you engage in?

Consequence: What was the immediate consequence of your behavior (positive or negative)?

Further Behavior: What additional behavior did that consequence lead to?

Final Consequence: What happened at the end of all this?

Now ask yourself: was this an overall positive, or overall negative experience? What was enjoyable or positive, and what was uncomfortable or negative?

YOUR CHOICE: Now, what is one change you could make next time you’re in that situation that would change the course of events and lead to a more positive experience?

Closing Thought

A great place to stop the domino effect is right after the trigger, which is why we’ve put so much effort on understanding where our urges come from, and developing strategies for combating them.

If you ever feel yourself experiencing an unwanted urge to gamble, open your Toolkit to explore different strategies to manage the urge, and stick to your goals!