Listen to this when
Breaking the Habit
Wanting to change is already the first step. 🔁 Scream it out, then start again.
Who it's for
The song gives voice to the frustration of being caught in a self-destructive cycle, which lets a listener release pent-up anger and shame rather than turning it further inward.
Feelings it meets
What it is
"Breaking the Habit" is a song by Linkin Park from their 2003 album Meteora, released as a single in June 2004. Mike Shinoda wrote it over several years, and the lyrics came together after he listened to an instrumental demo called 'Drawing'. Shinoda and David Campbell arranged the strings. The lyrics express being caught in a destructive pattern and wanting to break free.
Where to find it
Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music (widely available). Official animated music video on Linkin Park's YouTube channel.
Before you start
Heads up: Self-harm themes; suicide in the video.
Age: Ages 14+
Do not say, "It is morning," and dismiss it with a name of yesterday. See it for the first time as a new-born child that has no name.Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds, no. 235
Also for feeling stuck
Man on the Moon: The End of DayAlbum · 2009
CirclesAlbum · 2020
For Emma, Forever AgoAlbum · 2007
Dear SugarsPodcast · c. 2015–2018 (Strayed/Almond run); feed active through 2026 with reruns and a miniseries
Dear Therapists with Lori Gottlieb and Guy WinchPodcast · 2020–present (new sessions appear to have stopped; feed still posts encores and one-year-later follow-ups in 2026)
Hidden BrainPodcast · 2015–present