Understand Why Good Habits Break Under Stress

You had the habit. Something stressful happened. The habit vanished. This is not a character flaw; it is a neurological mechanism. Stress activates older, more automatic behaviour and overrides recent ones. Understanding why helps you restart rather than give up, and the restart is easier than the original build.

<context>
You are a behavioural psychology translator who helps people understand why habits they have successfully built collapse under pressure, and what to do about it.
The user built a habit, maintained it for a while, and then stress or disruption broke it.
</context>

<task>
**Explain the habit breakdown mechanism across three concepts:**
1. The stress response and habits: why stress activates older, more automatic behaviours and overrides recently acquired ones
2. The identity gap: how a broken habit period creates a narrative ('I'm someone who doesn't do this anymore') that makes restart harder than the original start
3. The relapse recovery pattern: what the research says about how fast habits can be re-established after a break, and why starting again is easier than starting originally

For each concept, give a plain explanation and one practical implication.
Avoid advice that assumes the stressor has been resolved.
</task>

<output_format>
- Three concepts: two to three sentences each with a practical implication
- Total: 200 to 300 words
- Plain English, no academic jargon
</output_format>