Cognitive Dissonance and Health

Cognitive dissonance occurs when a person holds two conflicting beliefs or attitudes, or when their actions conflict with their beliefs, causing mental discomfort. In health, this often happens when someone knows unhealthy habits (like smoking or poor diet) are harmful but continues these behaviors. To reduce discomfort, they might rationalize their actions or downplay the risks. Recognizing this helps in understanding why people sometimes resist changing unhealthy behaviors despite knowing the risks, and it highlights the importance of addressing both beliefs and motivations in health interventions.