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does in Psych Central (http://psychcentral.com/netaddiction/). For
tion/).
Lack of Exercise can become a serious health problem, especially
if you are over weight. If you are a couch potato, a regular exercise
routine is hard to start. Many never start. About 50% drop out of a
new exercise program within the first three months. Think about the
negative consequences of not exercising and the positive ones of
exercising. Arrange things so you will start; make it fun, then a habit.
But once established as a consistent habit, a "need" for exercise
develops which makes it easy to continue exercising. Professionals
consider Cooper's books (1970; 1988), one for men and another for
women, to be the best guides to exercising. Dishman (1993) focuses
on learning to stick with an exercise program. More discussion and
Homosexual tendencies have been reduced by punishment
(Feldman & MacCulloch, 1971), by increasing heterosexual interests
and skills, and by religion. But it is rare to change sexual orientation.
It would usually be easier to accept the sexual behavior and focus on
coping with the problems of being gay or lesbian, especially if there
are physiological predilections. Each person must choose.
Homosexuality is discussed in chapter 10.
Lack of motivation and underachievement have been covered in
the motivation section in this chapter. Miller & Goldblatt (1991) and
Mandel & Marcus (1995) also discuss psychological reasons for
advantaged young people underachieving. Covey's (1989) The 7
Habits of Highly Effective People is recommended by professionals
(Santrock, Minnett, & Campbell, 1994). His new book, First Things
First, emphasizes developing a "mission statement" for your life and,
thus, having worthwhile goals to work toward (Covey, 1994). Also see
chapter 3 and Method #7 in chapter 14.
Lonely and want to find love? Look over chapters 9 and 10 (see
Raphael & Abadie, 1984).
Nail biting and thumb sucking have been punished with a bitter
substance from the drug store applied to the fingers. The bad taste is
also a warning signal to stop.
Obsessive-Compulsive disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorders often involve obsessions that
lead to ritualistic behaviors, like hand washing. The rituals relieve the
