Why we sabotage ourselves — even when we know better

A new UNSW study has found that some people keep making bad choices even when they know they lead to harm.

Led by Dr Philip Jean-Richard-dit-Bressel, the research shows these people struggle to link their actions to the consequences.

Dr Philip talks about how this could help explain why some behaviours, like addiction, are so hard to change.

Image: Image from Shutterstock

Produced By: Moemina Shukur

Featured In Story: Dr Philip Jean-Richard-dit-Bressel – UNSW Researcher

First aired on The Wire, Tuesday 22 July 2025