Achieving Behavior Modification - Term Paper Example

Behavioral Modification: Term Paper Proposal for Behavior Modification In order to carry out a personal behavior modification, I have set the goal to reduce my daily consumption of alcohol from four small pegs to one small peg. In case of achieving this goal I plan to reinforce myself positively by going for a three days vacation to my favorite place. To achieve this main goal, I have also set three sub goals. First is to have proper meals three times a day. This will help me in avoiding alcohol since my stomach will be full with healthy food, the need to drink might reduce. I plan to reinforce this by having a small peg of alcohol at night time if I eat proper meals all day. Second sub goal is to spend half an hour daily with my parents. Their company is healthy for me and it will definitely help me in reducing my alcohol consumption. To reinforce this, I will buy my favorite cone candy for myself on my way back. My third sub goal is to avoid going to the local bar for a drink. Each day I manage not to go to the bar, I will reinforce myself with a hot cup of cocoa on the balcony where I enjoy having it while enjoying the view of the city from there and observing activities on the road. For social support, I plan to let my close friends and my mother know what I am up to. I’m sure my mother will display supportive behavior and it will beneficial for me in achieving this goal. Journal Average first 5 days: I took proper meals twice, but I failed to take the third meal. I tried not to drink more than one peg but I ended up in 3-4 pegs each night. I avoided the bar though. I went there only the first night since I had forgotten to buy a bottle for home. I went to my parent’s four days out of five. Average next 5 days: I have lost some of my initial will and energy. I went to my parents only twice in last five days. However I am taking meals properly and went to the bar just once. I took an average of 2-3 pegs during these days. Average last 4 days: I am now beginning to feel that one peg was not a very realistic amount to set as goal. I am down to two pegs daily. I visited my parents regularly in the last 4 days. I also avoided the bar and ate three meals all days except one when I was too tired to make or buy it. Shaping Journal Day-1. I ate a nice big breakfast today. I felt nausea afterwards, so I took a drink. I managed one more meal during the day. I paid a short visit at my parents. It felt good to have a little chat with them. I could not stop myself from going to the bar again at evening, but I took only 2 more pegs there and got a bottle for home. Day-2. I ate a relatively small but nutritious breakfast. I still couldn’t manage lunch. I was quite nauseated by 3 in the noon and I took two pegs. I did not feel like seeing my parents since I felt sick. I did however manage a small dinner somehow, but I took two more pegs afterwards. Day-3. I ate breakfast and supper. I still couldn’t manage any lunch, and had a peg of alcohol instead. I had really missed my cone candy yesterday, so I did manage to go to my parent’s home and got myself a candy. I avoided the bar again so I enjoyed my cup of cocoa after supper. However, I took two pegs late in the night. Day-4. I managed two meals again. I went to my parents and earned myself a candy. I managed to avoid the bar also and earned my cup of cocoa. I took three pegs in a row at night with some friends who showed up unexpectedly. Day-5. I felt quite sick in the morning and I did not eat breakfast. I had to take a drink by brunch time which I did and that too at the bar. I went to my parent’s and had a nice lunch there. I ate my candy but did not drink any cocoa since I had gone to the bar. I took two pegs at night. Day-6. This morning I wasn’t feeling sick. I ate toast and fried egg in the morning with a nice warm cup of tea to wash it down. I also managed lunch and then dinner at my parent’s. I got myself a double candy on this achievement. I avoided drink all day and took just 2 pegs at night, after my cup of chocolate. Day-7. I had three meals again today but I felt nausea after lunch. I took a drink at supper time, before dinner. I did not go to my parents’ and missed my candy. I did however take hot chocolate since I had not gone to the bar. I took two more pegs at night. Day-8. I managed two meals only. I was really too tired when I came home to cook a decent dinner. However I took three pegs instead. So, I got no candy today only hot chocolate. Day-9. My mother called in the morning so I managed to visit her in the noon. I had a light breakfast at home and a big lunch at my parent’s. I got my candy and since I had avoided the bar I also took my hot chocolate after my small dinner. I took two pegs before bed. Day-10. I again woke up feeling sick. I managed tea and toast in breakfast, but by lunch time I was quite nauseated. I avoided lunch and had to take one peg of drink. I did not go to my parent’s house but I did manage a small supper and felt better afterwards. I took two pegs before peg and after hot chocolate. Day-11. I found myself quite out of spirits today. I managed a small breakfast but I took 2 pegs afterwards. I ate a tiny lunch at my parent’s home and got a candy afterwards. I managed a light dinner also and my earned cup of cocoa for avoiding the bar. I slept for the first day, without further drink. Day-12. I felt good in the morning so I cooked an enormous breakfast. I had to skip lunch after that, but I ate a double candy after I visited my parents. I felt inclined towards drink in the evening, but I got busy in cooking dinner for a friend instead. I enjoyed dinner and cocoa with my friend. Afterwards I took just one peg before sleep. Day-13. I ate three meals today and went for a very short visit to my parents as I was feeling a bit sick at that time. I took a peg at supper time. But I managed not to drink before sleep. I took my candy and cocoa, and just one drink though out the day. Day-14. I ate three meals but I did not have the time to visit my parents so I missed my candy. I avoided the bar and thus earned my cup of cocoa. Despite my attempts to stop after one peg at night, I ended up with a score of two pegs in total. Number of pegs per day: 1-Three Pegs 2-Four Pegs 3-Three Pegs 4-Three Pegs 5-Three Pegs 6-Two Pegs 7-Three Pegs 8-Three Pegs 9-Two Pegs 10-Three Pegs 11-Two Pegs 12-One Pegs 13-One Pegs 14-Two Pegs Charts and Graphs (Number of Pegs v/s Days) (Comparison of performance on the three sub goals) Summary This assignment seemed easier than what it turned out to be. While setting my goals I felt that this was too easy and quite possible to achieve in two weeks; but as I worked on it, I realized that it was quite impossible. I never knew when I started drinking so much but it can’t be undone unknowingly. It requires a lot of effort and will power. The first few days were fun. I was quite motivated and was in high spirits. The main problem I faced was that of sickness. It was easy for me to go to my parents but I just could not take three meals a day because my digestive system wasn’t used to it. Still I kept on trying. But there wasn’t any remarkable reduction in drink due to this initial sickness I felt. Still, I kept on going somehow. The cone candy was a good idea. It really motivated me a lot and the coca cup helped a bit in reducing my sickness also. I noticed that the nights at which I took the cocoa I felt less sick afterwards. Avoiding the bar was much easier since I had told my friends about my plan. They encouraged me and did not invite me to the bar. The mid five days were the toughest. I felt so overwhelmed and generally tired and sick. I paid very few visits to my parents during this period because I felt too out of spirits and in bad mood. The candy suddenly did not seem a very big reward for a half an hour’s visit to my parents and cocoa appeared to be nothing against the temptation of drinking at the bar. I missed my friends too but they showed up at home one day and I drank more than I was allowing myself to drink that day. I then realized that the efforts I was making were definitely making some difference and were developing at least some tiny level of control in my personality. My spirits were a bit re ignited in the last few days. As my 14 days were ending, I speeded myself up. Still I failed to achieve my goal completely. It was not possible for me to cut down to one peg a day. But I believe that coming down to 2 from 4-5 pegs per day is definitely one big time achievement. I plan to carry out this routine for a few more days and come down to one peg daily. After that I will definitely reward myself with the vacation I promised. I have already started saving for that trip. I’m hopeful that sooner or later I will reduce my drink down to occasional dose of one peg. Discussion This assignment on the whole was quite effective. I now realize that what I have studied under the title of behavioral modification has proved to be quite useful and will continue to benefit me throughout my life. It seems impossible in theory, but once you practice behavior modification with small, well distributed sub goals, it seems to work out. It requires a lot of will power though and there are times during the exercise when one feels inclined to quit there and then, but it is so rewarding that one doesn’t quit easily either. The two important things are that the goals set must be realistic and achievable and the reinforcement system must be effective. To devise such a plan who can be better than one’s self? Since we are aware of our own behavioral patterns and of items that can prove to be effective reinforces. To conclude, I can say that via this assignment, I have learnt about the real essence of behavioral modification and have not only read but experienced it. Read More