Don't Blame Yourself: Your Willpower Problem May Be Physical

"We all know someone, perhaps a family member, a friend, or even ourselves, who struggles to resist unhealthy food or who finds it difficult to quit smoking, drinking, or using drugs. In daily life, these behaviors are often judged harshly. Society tends to view such struggles as moral failings and labels those affected as lacking self-discipline or willpower. In contrast, people who demonstrate strong self-control are admired and take pride in their ability to resist temptation."

"Is self-control an illusion? Do we truly possess the ability to make moral choices? Recent findings in neuroscience have challenged this traditional view. One of the most famous studies, the Libet experiment (1983), suggested that our brains show activity associated with a decision before we are consciously aware of making it. This has led some scientists and philosophers to argue that free will may be an illusion."

"They propose that our choices are shaped by factors beyond our control: our genetic makeup, epigenetic influences from before birth, and the broader historical and geographical circumstances into which we are born. In this sense, we are not entirely the authors of our own actions. However, the idea that free will does not exist raises profound ethical and legal concerns. If individuals are not truly responsible for their actions, how can we hold anyone accountable?"

Many people struggle to resist unhealthy foods, quit smoking, drinking, or drugs, and such struggles are often judged as moral failings or lack of willpower. Neuroscience findings, including the Libet experiment, show brain activity preceding conscious awareness of decisions, prompting debate over free will. Genetic, epigenetic, historical, and geographical factors shape choices beyond individual control. Metabolic health directly influences brain circuits that govern self-control. Chronic inflammation and insulin resistance reduce the efficiency of brain effort-allocation systems. Willpower therefore reflects biology as much as personality and mindset, with physiological states affecting capacity for self-regulation.

Read at Psychology Today