The Science Behind Doorway Affirmations

Ever had one of those frantic mornings where you’re rushing out the door, only to realize you’ve forgotten your car keys? You dash back inside, but the moment you step into the living room, you’re suddenly blank — what are you here for again? It’s easy to blame it on being distracted or having a bad memory, but there’s actually more to it. This mysterious brain blip is known as the “doorway effect,” a fascinating phenomenon that occurs when our thoughts are disrupted when crossing through a doorway, leaving you momentarily lost even in your own home. 

But what if we could harness this same doorway effect for something positive? Like supporting your journey towards quitting or cutting back on alcohol? Enter the power of doorway affirmations. Just as walking through a doorway can cause you to forget why you came into a room, it can also serve as a moment of reset, a chance to reinforce your commitment to change. By using positive affirmations strategically, we can transform these everyday transitions into powerful reminders of our goals. Let’s step into the science behind doorway affirmations to support our recovery journey.

The Science Behind the Doorway Effect

The doorway effect, also known as the location updating effect, is a psychological phenomenon characterized by short-term memory loss when we move from one location to another, physically or metaphorically. For example, it can happen when we literally move from one room to another or from one task to another. 

Researchers at the University of Notre Dame completed a study with three different experiments that involved completing virtual tasks within a video game. The game required participants to pick up an object at a table, walk to a different table to put it down, and pick up a new object. The object the participant was currently holding was invisible to them, similar to if they were putting it into a virtual backpack. The participants were then quizzed on which object they were currently carrying at different points in the game. All three experiments found that the participants’ responses were slower and less accurate when the task included walking through a doorway into a new room during the virtual task. There are three main reasons for this: 

• The way our memory works. It’s comforting to think of our memory as a continuous reel capturing every moment of our lives, but in reality, it functions quite differently. Our memories are organized around specific experiences, where context and environment play a role. This is known as encoding specificity. It’s also why seeing certain objects or being in a specific environment can evoke memories that were created there. But there’s more to the story. 
• We only hold so much information. Being in the same environment can help us recall previous memories, but what about those times when we go back to the same location and still can’t quite put our finger on what our aim of the game was? This is explained by the event model, which is based on the idea that we can only hold so much information in our working memory at one time. So, let’s say we’ve put the object we’re directed to pick up into our backpack. Then we’re asked to walk into the room and pick up a different item. Our brain may drop the memory of which object we’re currently holding in the backpack, thinking that it’s no longer relevant and to make room for the new information. 
• We’re moving through “doorways” of thought. We have different levels of thought, and when we move between them, it’s like going through different metaphorical doorways. Let’s say we need to go back into the house to grab our keys. This one action can have multiple levels of thought. An example of a thought that stems from the action of getting our keys can include walking to the living room, which is part of the strategy to get our keys. Other deeper levels of thought can include needing to leave quickly, going to work, and working to earn money. When our brain switches to these other levels of thought, our original aim to grab our keys can get lost or temporarily disrupted. 

All of these factors — how we encode memories, the limitations of our working memory, and the disruptions caused by shifting levels of thought — paint a complex picture of how our mind operates. Let’s see how we can turn this phenomenon into something beneficial by capitalizing on the positive effects of affirmations.

Benefits of Using Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations might feel hard to take seriously at first. What’s the point of repeating something if you don’t actually believe it? Well, turns out our brains aren’t as stubborn as we might think. Repetition helps our brain change and adapt to new patterns of thought and behavior, a concept known as neuroplasticity. So, even if we don’t believe them at first, using positive affirmations can have many benefits:

• Improves our mood. Positive affirmations foster a more positive mindset, which boosts our mood. As the wise inventor Alexander Graham Bell said, “When one door closes another door opens.” Instead of focusing on the negative such as not getting a certain job offer, we can see it as redirection to an even better job opportunity. 
• Helps overcome fear. When we repeat positive affirmations, we convince our brain that we can do something, casting away self-doubt and fear, and allowing us to tackle the challenges ahead. 
• Reduces self-sabotage. When we don’t believe in ourselves, we often engage in self-sabotaging behaviors. For example, if we’re going out with friends and we’re already expecting ourselves to fail at avoiding alcohol, we’re more likely to drink (possibly without any limits) because, why not? We already believed we couldn’t do it. Positive affirmations help us combat this destructive thought pattern.
• Reduces stress. Positive affirmations increase our self-confidence, which can reduce stress and anxiety that come from triggering situations or new challenges.
• Promotes openness to change. Positive affirmations help us believe in ourselves, making us more self-motivated and open to making positive change. 

As we can see, there are many benefits of using positive affirmations. But how can we use that positivity to transform the scatterbrained feeling of the doorway effect? Let’s explore the novel approach of using doorway affirmations.

Best of Both Worlds: Doorway Affirmations

“Doorway affirmation” is the practice of saying positive affirmations when we walk through a doorway. This can be literal, such as saying them as we go out the door to leave the house or, more figuratively, when we transition between tasks. 

We often hear the suggestion to practice positive self-talk in front of a mirror, but that might not work for everyone. Combining the practice of using positive affirmations with the doorway effect helps us implement the practice more routinely, which can have a stronger impact. Using positive affirmations when changing environments or tasks starts us off on a positive note, promoting the development of other positive thoughts and habits. 

While using positive affirmations in front of the mirror or during our morning routine is helpful, we may change tasks and move around more frequently throughout the day. Doorway affirmations can disrupt negative thoughts and behaviors that may come up throughout the day, capitalizing on the disruption of thought caused by the doorway effect. 

Fun fact: American swimmer Michael Phelps shared in a talk show that he struggled with anxiety and depression throughout his career. One of the strategies he learned from his therapist was doorway affirmations, which he attributes to improving his mental well-being.

When we’re in recovery from alcohol misuse or alcohol use disorder (AUD), these incremental habit changes can have a profound impact. Let’s see exactly how.

Doorway Affirmations: Opening the Door to Successful Recovery

Let’s take a look at alcohol recovery science to understand why doorway affirmations can boost our success. Recovery from AUD often includes these steps, and doorway affirmations can bring a boost of positivity along the way:

• Identifying the need for change. The first step to developing a healthier relationship with alcohol is identifying that we have a problem. Doorway affirmations can increase our awareness of negative thought patterns, such as using alcohol as a coping mechanism, and they can help us acknowledge that we may be misusing or depending on alcohol. 
• Flushing it out. During alcohol detox, when our brain and body adjust to not having a certain level of alcohol, we can experience difficult mental and physical symptoms, adding to the challenges of quitting or cutting back. Positive affirmations, which are beneficial to our mental and physical well-being, can help us navigate these challenges. 
• Identifying root causes and triggers. While we can become dependent on alcohol due to the way it hijacks our brain’s reward system, there are often underlying reasons for our drinking. Doorway affirmations can increase our self-awareness, helping us identify the root causes or triggers for drinking. Once we’ve identified them, we can develop skills to better navigate them.
• Creating a personalized recovery plan. Since AUD is more than just a bad habit, the work doesn’t end after we detox from alcohol. AUD is characterized by physical and neurological dependence, which can require positive coping strategies and other healthy habits to overcome. Doorway affirmations not only boost our confidence to develop these positive habits, but also make it easier for us to develop other healthy habits when we already have some. 
• Embracing a life free from alcohol. The final stage of recovery is embracing a booze-free life. Doorway affirmations can help us maintain this by keeping us in a positive mindset and reminding us how far we’ve come and that we want to maintain our progress.

At the end of the day, quitting or cutting back on alcohol isn’t just that. It’s a lifestyle change that includes developing healthier habits, including those surrounding alcohol. And to help us along the way are doorway affirmations, which not only boost our mental well-being but also remind us to maintain these healthy habits.

Stepping Into Change

In our journey to a better relationship with alcohol, small changes can make a big difference. Doorway affirmations tap into the science of how our brain processes transitions, turning ordinary moments into powerful opportunities for positive change. By using affirmations strategically, we create a subtle, yet impactful way to reinforce our commitment to recovery. Every time we cross a threshold, we’re not just entering a new space — we’re taking one step closer to a healthier, alcohol-free life.