Epicurean strategies for dealing with bad habits and urges.

Hi, I'd like to ask you about the methods the Epicureans taught for improving our habits and avoiding unnecessary emotions.

Surely, each of us is sometimes influenced by an impulse that, if acted upon, leads to bad consequences (for example, eating junk food, smoking cigarettes), or we experience emotions that cause us to do something we shouldn't.

In such cases, the Stoics recommended working on judgments because they believed that all emotions are the result of individual judgments. But what did the Epicureans think about this, and what can we think about it when we combine it with modern scientific research?

Quote from Cassius

My first response would be that Epicurus would never look at life from this perspective. Life is all about feeling and Diogenes Laertius says that Epicurus held that the wise man will feel his emotions more deeply than will others, and this will not be a hindrance to his wisdom.

I would start by listening to the emotions and making sure you know what they are telling you, and being glad that you have them.

I understand what you're saying, and looking at various studies on people, they show that a lack of emotion usually results in an individual being unable to make decisions. But sometimes, certain strong emotions can also be harmful.

For example, fear can lead to discouragement from engaging in a specific activity. Anger can lead to unnecessary harm and hostility.

From an Epicurean perspective, I would say that in some cases, certain emotions cause no more pleasure than pain.