Biden directs feds to ‘keep looking’ for links between attacks as similarity emerges
New Orleans attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar acted alone and planted “remote detonator” explosives inside coolers in two nearby locations in the French Quarter, just a few hours before he drove a pickup truck at a high rate of speed into a crowd of people celebrating New Year’s on Bourbon Street, President Biden said at a news conference Thursday.
“We have no information that anyone else was involved in the attack,” Biden said during a news conference about his administration’s 235 judicial confirmations. “They’ve established that the attacker was the same person who planted the explosives in those ice coolers in two nearby locations in the French Quarter, just a few hours before he rammed into the crowd with his vehicle. They assessed he had a remote detonator in his vehicle to set off those two ice chests.”
NEW ORLEANS ATTACK: INSIDE BOURBON STREET TERRORIST’S HOUSTON HOME
Biden stated that federal agents are investigating potential links to the Las Vegas explosion, also probed as a terror attack, and urged them to “accelerate” their efforts. Fourteen people were killed, and Jabbar died in a shootout with police.
“As of now, they’ve just been briefed,” Biden said. “They have not found any evidence of such a connection thus far. I’ve directed them to keep looking.”
The FBI identified Jabbar as the driver who crashed a rented truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. The bureau told congressional lawmakers on Thursday that it had zero information about Jabbar prior to his attack. They also said that while Jabbar has said he was “inspired” by ISIS, investigators have not found any evidence that he was directed by ISIS.
INVESTIGATORS USE TATTOO, PHOTOS TO IDENTIFY SUSPECT BEHIND CYBERTRUCK EXPLOSION AT TRUMP HOTEL
New Orleans hospitals treated a total of 37 victims who were injured in Wednesday’s attack. LCMC Health has not stated how many of those injured have since been discharged, nor has it clarified the condition of those still hospitalized.
Authorities had been investigating a potential military connection between Jabbar and the Las Vegas suspect, who law enforcement identified to The Associated Press as Matthew Livelsberger.
“As you know, there’s also an FBI investigation in Las Vegas. We are following up on all potential leads and not ruling anything out,” FBI Deputy Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division Christopher Raia told reporters Thursday. “However, at this point, there is no definitive link between the attack here in New Orleans and the one in Las Vegas.”
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Jabbar, a U.S. native born in Texas, had previously served in the U.S. military. Authorities are still investigating how and when he became radicalized.
Photos reveal what investigators found inside terror suspect’s Texas home
HOUSTON — New photos taken by Fox News Digital provide a look inside Bourbon Street killer Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s home in Houston.
Photos of the inside of Jabbar’s mobile home in a majority-Muslim neighborhood in north Houston revealed multiple copies of the Quran, a book on Christianity and a book about teaching children about Islam.
Jabbar, 42, rammed a white truck into a crowd full of New Year’s revelers in New Orleans on Wednesday around 3:15 a.m. He then began shooting at law enforcement officers, who returned fire, killing Jabbar on the scene. The rampage, which is being investigated as a terrorist attack, left 15 dead, including Jabbar, and more than 30 people injured.
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Jabbar, who served in the U.S. Army for 13 years, including one tour in Afghanistan, was flying an ISIS flag on his truck during the attack and was inspired by the Islamic state.
The FBI and a Houston SWAT team raided Jabbar’s home early Thursday morning. The team left the front door off its hinges and cracked open, revealing much of the house’s living room, kitchen and a glimpse of a bedroom.
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From outside the front porch, Jabbar’s living room could be seen left in a state of disarray by law enforcement officers who searched the home. A black suitcase lay strewn on the floor and a dart board and fake fireplace could be seen on the far side of the wall.
Next-door neighbors described Jabbar to Fox News Digital as a quiet, respectful neighbor who was devoted to his Islamic religion. A bookshelf sitting near the front door seems to back his religious devotion, containing several copies of the Quran and books about Islam as well as one about Christianity.
On the opposite side of the house, Jabbar had an elevated desk with a computer set up and a can of pepper spray, as well as several other items. A green, military-style backpack also lay near the kitchen.
PRO-ISIS GROUP CALLED ON MUSLIMS TO CONDUCT NYE ATTACKS AHEAD OF NEW ORLEANS MASSACRE
Jabbar was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas, and was living in a rented mobile home in Houston. The house is in a neighborhood among several other mobile homes and RVs, just about a seven-minute walk from the Masjid Bilal Mosque and Darul Arqam Islamic school.
Much of the neighborhood is in an extreme state of disrepair with dilapidated houses, parts of the road ripped up and trash and stray animals present throughout the street. Jabbar’s yard had several ducks and chickens wandering about and several goats were in another yard nearby.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT VICTIMS OF NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST ATTACK
A next-door neighbor, who asked not to be identified, told Fox News Digital he had seen Jabbar loading up a white pickup truck on Tuesday outside his Houston home, the morning before the attack in New Orleans, where he rammed the truck into New Year’s revelers. The neighbor said he spoke with Jabbar, who told him he had gotten a job and was moving to Louisiana. The neighbor said he was under the impression Jabbar had gotten another job in information technology.
“He said he got the job that day in Louisiana,” the neighbor said, describing how Jabbar was loading “very light stuff, handheld stuff, not heavy stuff” into the truck.
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“The morning he was moving, I asked him if he needed help moving out, as a neighbor, ‘Do you need any help for moving?’ He said, ‘I’m OK,'” the neighbor told Fox News Digital.
The neighbor expressed disbelief upon learning Jabbar was accused of the Bourbon Street bloodshed.
“Blow my mind, I was shocked, somebody seized the carpet under my feet, I was just like too shocked, unbelievable. ‘This really happened?'” the neighbor said. “Like I said, we still don’t believe, we still don’t believe that that’s the person, just there’s no way, it can’t be like that.”
US Army soldier suspected in Tesla Cybertruck explosion reportedly supported Trump
Investigators have yet to determine what drove an active-duty U.S. Army soldier to rent a Tesla Cybertruck and drive it to the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, where he appeared to shoot himself in the head before the vehicle exploded New Year’s Day.
Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill identified 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger of Colorado Springs, Colorado, as a person of interest in the matter, though he would not say with 100% certainty that Livelsberger is a suspect until DNA matches the remains of a body inside the Cybertruck.
But on Thursday evening, the Clark County Coroner identified the driver of the vehicle as Livelsberger, noting that the cause of death was intraoral gunshot wound and the manner of death was suicide.
At about 8:40 a.m. New Year’s Day, the truck was seen pulling up to the valet entrance of the hotel before stopping. Seventeen seconds later, the vehicle blew up, and fireworks could be heard shooting from the bulletproof truck.
Along with fireworks, McMahill said the truck contained camping fuel and gasoline. The explosion did not damage the body of the truck, other than glass and the bed cover, the sheriff noted.
SUSPECT IDENTIFIED AS FBI INVESTIGATES ACT OF TERRORISM AFTER BOURBON STREET ATTACK
He also said the glass doors of the hotel were not damaged, though seven bystanders sustained minor injuries.
While the subject’s body was burnt beyond recognition, McMahill also said the individual sustained a gunshot wound to the head prior to detonation, and a handgun was found at his feet inside the vehicle.
McMahill would not say Livelsberger was on a suicide mission, though he did call it “a suicide with a bombing that occurred immediately thereafter.”
WHO IS MATTHEW LIVELSBERGER? WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE TESLA CYBERTRUCK EXPLOSION SUSPECT
On Thursday, FBI agents searched Livelsberger’s home in Colorado Springs to try and piece together what his motive was and how he got to Las Vegas.
“We know we have a bombing, absolutely, and it’s a bombing that certainly has factors that raise concerns,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Spencer Evans said during a press conference Thursday. “It’s not lost on us that it’s in front of the Trump building and that it’s a Tesla vehicle, but we don’t have information at this point that definitively tells us … it was because of this particular ideology or any reasoning behind it.”
The Associated Press reported that Livelsberger had recently returned from an overseas assignment in Germany and was on approved leave when he died, according to a U.S. official.
A law enforcement official also told the AP investigators learned through interviews that Livelsberger may have gotten into a fight with his wife about relationship issues shortly before he rented the Tesla and legally purchased handguns found in the truck. The official spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.
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Livelsberger appears to have at one point been married to Sara Livelsberger, a 38-year-old who lives in Delray Beach, Florida. The Denver Post reported Matthew Livelsberger divorced in 2018 and remarried in 2022.
In Facebook posts from 2016, Sara said she was a registered Democrat and shared images that disparaged President-elect Trump.
Although Livelsberger lives in Colorado, he has connections in Ohio.
The Columbus Dispatch in Ohio reported that Livelsberger was issued a speeding ticket in Franklin County for driving 70 mph in a 65 mph zone in September 2011.
BOMB DISPOSAL EXPERT BREAKS DOWN THE CYBERTRUCK EXPLOSION
Livelsberger reportedly had a Westerville address, the publication reported. He also owns property in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, according to property records obtained by The Columbus Dispatch.
He graduated from Bucyrus High School in Ohio, where he played baseball and football. But after reportedly getting injured while playing football, Livelsberger enlisted in the U.S. Army and worked with the Special Forces as a communications officer.
His uncle, Dean Livelsberger, told The Independent his nephew “was a 100% patriot” and described him “like a Rambo-type, for lack of a better term.”
The Independent reported Dean said his nephew had patriotic subject matter on Facebook and loved President-elect Trump.
Dean also reportedly spoke to the publication about his nephew’s skills with explosives.
INVESTIGATORS USE TATTOO, PHOTOS TO IDENTIFY SUSPECT BEHIND CYBERTRUCK EXPLOSION AT TRUMP HOTEL
“Matt was a very skilled warrior, and he would be able to make — if it was him, and if he did this — he would’ve been able to make a more sophisticated explosive than using propane tanks and camping fuel,” he reportedly said. “He was what you might call a ‘supersoldier.’ If you ever read about the things he was awarded and the experience he had, some of it doesn’t make sense, when he had the skills and ability to make something more, let’s say, ‘efficient.’ His skills were enormous from what he had been taught in the military.”
With those skills, Dean said, Livelsberger “could have fashioned a bomb that would have obliterated half of that hotel if he seriously wanted to hurt others.”
Livelsberger was a Green Beret operations sergeant who spent most of his time at Fort Carson, Colorado, and in Germany. McMahill said Livelsberger was approved leave from Germany, where he was serving with the special forces group. He also previously served in the National Guard and Army Reserve.
He also received several awards and honors while serving in the U.S. Army.
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U.S. Army Public Affairs told Fox News Livelsberger earned the Bronze Star Medal with Valor; Bronze Star Medal four times; Meritorious Service Medal; Army Commendation Medal with Valor; Army Commendation Medal three times; Army Achievement Medal two times; Army Good Conduct Medal five times; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star three times; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon three times; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; NATO Medal two times; Special Forces Tab; Combat Infantryman Badge; Parachutist Badge; and Freefall Badge.
Sugar Bowl sponsor slammed for ‘addiction to divisiveness’ video after at least 14 killed
Allstate CEO Tom Wilson ignited a firestorm of backlash on social media Thursday with a video statement addressing Wednesday’s terror attack in New Orleans that killed more than a dozen people.
Wilson’s statement came ahead of the Sugar Bowl, of which Allstate is the official corporate sponsor, after the game was postponed to Thursday due to the attack. In the video, Wilson suggested Americans have an “addiction to divisiveness” and must “accept people’s imperfections and differences.”
“Our prayers went to victims and their families. We also need to be stronger together by overcoming an addiction to divisiveness and negativity. Join Allstate working in local communities all across America to amplify the positive, increase trust and accept people’s imperfections and differences. Together we win,” Wilson says in the video.
Wilson’s words sparked outrage among social media users. The suspect has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar. The FBI is working to determine Jabbar’s “potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations,” after an ISIS flag was found affixed to the truck.
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Political activist Charlie Kirk spoke out against Wilson for his comments amid Jabbar’s suspected ties to ISIS.
Sean Davis, CEO and co-founder of conservative magazine The Federalist, suggested it’s time to cancel Allstate insurance plans.
Sports content creator Jon Root spoke out against Wilson and mocked his comments.
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Injury lawyer Adam Loewy not only condemned Wilson’s statement, he called out Allstate as a company in response to the controversy.
Other smaller social media users have expressed their own grievances and intent to end their insurance plans in response to Wilson.
“What was Allstate thinking with that statement[?] I have just canceled my policy and signed up with State Farm,” one user wrote.
“That limp-wristed Allstate commercial about the terrorist attack is just what I needed to know that I won’t give them my business,” another wrote.
And one user even called the commercial “The worst, most ill-conceived of the college football season.”
Allstate provided a statement to Fox News Digital in response to the backlash.
“To be clear, Allstate CEO Tom Wilson unequivocally condemns this heinous act of terrorism and violence in all forms. We stand with the families of the victims, their loved ones and the community of New Orleans. The reference to overcoming divisiveness and negativity reflects a broader commitment to fostering trust and positivity in communities across the nation,” the statement read.
Jabbar’s younger brother told the New York Times that he and his Army veteran brother were raised Christian in Beaumont, Texas, before the now-deceased attacker converted to Islam as an adult.
“What he did does not represent Islam,” the younger brother said. “This is more some type of radicalization, not religion.”
Retired FBI agents Scott Duffey and Chris Swecker told Fox News Digital that Wednesday’s attack could embolden ISIS, other terrorist groups or individuals who have been radicalized.
“This is a time where ISIS is under extreme stress and their existence is being threatened in Syria and elsewhere. It would make sense for them to double down on their message to radicalize Americans to put them into action and activate any cells that they have in place,” Swecker said.
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Days before the attack, a pro-ISIS outlet called on Muslims living in the U.S., Europe and Russia to conduct attacks on New Year’s Eve.
“Oh monotheists in Europe, America, Russia and other lands of the Crusaders, we know that you are eager to join your brothers in the land of Jihad, but the paths have been cut off for you,” a translated version of the post read on Sunday. “The Crusaders are among you. Their security has been prolonged, and your brothers are being killed.
“The time has come to take out the swords from their sheaths and to hamstring the horses in their places that Allah loves and is pleased with,” the post continued. “They are preparing for the feast of their polytheism, so turn their feast into mourning and their joy into a calamity.”
The outlet asked Muslims, or “Crusaders,” if they felt safe in their homes as their brothers and sisters were in detention centers and camps before calling on them to “repeat the attack on them and repeat the days of those who preceded you on this path.”
The attack in New Orleans comes nearly two weeks after a suspected terror attack on a Christmas market in Germany.
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DEI leader’s rude awakening as DeSantis policies decimate revenue: ‘We’re in trouble’
Multiple diversity, equity and inclusion consulting companies have been struggling in Florida in the years following the “Stop WOKE Act.”
Roni Bennett, the Executive Director of South Florida People of Color, told the Miami Herald on Thursday that she has seen her annual revenue of nearly $300,000 be cut in half thanks to Florida’s new policies.
“We’re in trouble,” Bennett said.
The “Stop WOKE Act” or the “Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act” is a law that was passed in 2022 by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. It targeted critical race theory in work and educational programs. Bennett found that many businesses stopped requesting services from her organization despite a slight boost during the pandemic.
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Bennett added how even prior to the act she saw shifts in some clients’ attitudes, suggesting their original interest was “performative.”
“One client had a president change, and the new president wasn’t into DEI training,” she said.
Consultants like Bennett are now trying to remind current and potential clients that, regardless of the national concerns about the “Stop WOKE Act,” the bill does not actually target private businesses.
“It’s important because the Stop Woke Act for businesses became very prominent after passing,” Alexander Rundlet, a Brickell lawyer and public policy consultant, said. “It made every business fearful it couldn’t [participate] in DEI training in fear of the act. Since March, it’s clear this doesn’t apply to businesses.”
In March, a federal appeals court ruled that the workplace portion of the law violated the First Amendment.
“We cannot agree, and we reject this latest attempt to control speech by recharacterizing it as conduct. Florida may be exactly right about the nature of the ideas it targets. Or it may not. Either way, the merits of these views will be decided in the clanging marketplace of ideas rather than a codebook or a courtroom.” Judge Britt C. Grant wrote at the time. “The First Amendment keeps the government from putting its thumb on the scale.”
A federal judge later granted a permanent injunction against that portion of the law in July. However, the portion of the law focused on education has been allowed to remain intact.
Despite the favorable ruling, DEI consultant businesses continue to struggle based on the growing anti-woke culture, Rundlet said.
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“A lot of deep and widespread harm has been inflicted over the past few years,” Rundlet said. “People like Roni Bennett have to do a lot of work to undue that harm.”
The Miami Herald reported that Bennett nevertheless “remains steadfast in her work,” though she is looking for an angel investor to help her business.
“We owe it to the next generation to make progress for them,” she said. “I want to be able to dismantle systematic racism in America.”
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Ohio State quarterback says he wasn’t allowed on Rose Bowl celebration stage
Will Howard played a huge role in Ohio State’s 41-21 victory in the Rose Bowl, but his celebration was cut short.
After the eighth-seeded Buckeyes advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals, members of the team took the stage with roses in their mouths.
However, Howard was too late to the party and was never able to join his teammates and head coach Ryan Day.
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Several people, including some Buckeyes, tried to inform those in charge that he was the quarterback who had just thrown for 319 yards and three touchdowns. But a man blocking the entrance stood firm in not allowing Howard on board.
“They’re blocking me over there,” Howard said. “There’s a weight limit, apparently.”
The Buckeyes handed top-seeded Oregon its first, and only, loss of the season after getting out to a 34-0 lead.
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Howard was 17-for-26 and threw three touchdowns, two of which went to Offensive MVP Jeremiah Smith. Smith’s two touchdowns were a part of his seven-reception, 187-yard performance.
Oregon had defeated the Buckeyes, 32-31, earlier in the season.
Ohio State is headed to the Cotton Bowl Jan. 10 to face No. 4 Texas for a berth in the national title game. The Longhorns barely advanced earlier Wednesday, holding off Arizona State 39-31 in a double-overtime Peach Bowl.
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The fourth and final spot in the semifinals will go to either No. 2 Georgia or No. 7 Notre Dame after Thursday’s Sugar Bowl. The contest was postponed a day after a terror attack in New Orleans, less than two miles away from the game’s location, Caesars Superdome.
Tributes pour in after founding member of The Osmond Brothers dies at 73
Wayne Osmond, brother of Donny and Marie Osmond, has died at the age of 73.
“Wayne Osmond, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully last night surrounded by his loving wife and five children,” the Osmond family said in a statement posted Thursday on the Facebook page of Wayne’s daughter, Amy Osmond Cook.
“His legacy of faith, music, love, and laughter have influenced the lives of many people around the world.”
“He would want everyone to know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true, that families are forever, and that banana splits are the best dessert,” the family added. “We love him and will miss him dearly.”
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On Thursday, Merrill Osmond confirmed that his brother Wayne died of a massive stroke on New Year’s Day.
“When I learned that my dear brother Wayne had a massive stroke my immediate response was to fall to my knees and pray for him to receive the assurance that his mission had been accomplished, and he was successful in this endeavor in many ways,” he wrote on Facebook. “I immediately drove to the hospital in SLC to see him and I was able to say my goodbyes.
“My brother was a saint before he came into this world, and he will leave as an even greater saint than he came in,” Merrill added. “I’ve never known a man that had more humility. A man with absolute[ly] no guile. An individual that was quick to forgive and had the ability to show unconditional love to everyone he ever met.”
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“His departure from this earth will be a sad moment for some, but for those who are waiting for him on the other side, there will be a massive celebration beyond anything we can imagine. My brother Wayne endured much. He gave it his all. His legacy will go down as someone who was not only a genius in his ability to write music, but was able to capture the hearts of millions of people and bring them closer to God,” he continued.
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“I will miss him tremendously. I am so grateful to have grown up with one of heavenly father‘s greatest sons.”
Donny took to Instagram to pay tribute to his older brother.
“My dear brother Wayne passed away peacefully last night from a stroke,” Donny wrote. “I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to visit him in the hospital before he passed. Wayne brought so much light, laughter, and love to everyone who knew him, especially me. He was the ultimate optimist and was loved by everyone.”
“I’m sure I speak on behalf of every one of us siblings when I state that we were fortunate to have Wayne as a brother,” he continued. “Even though we are separated in this mortal life, I know that by the grace and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we will have the opportunity to be with Wayne for eternity.
“I love you, Wayne.”
Wayne’s daughter Amy wrote that she is having a hard time accepting her father’s death but is grateful for the time spent with him.
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“I am having a hard time expressing the depth of my sadness that I won’t have my ‘twin’ in my life for a while,” she wrote on Facebook. “But I am so grateful for the time I was able to spend with him. I am grateful for the incredible memories. I am grateful for his strength, loyalty to our family, incredible talent and energy, and most of all, his love. I look forward to the day when I can see him again on the other side. I love you, Dad.”
The Osmond family has created a Wayne Osmond Celebration of Life Page on Facebook for fans to share memories, photos or a funny joke in remembrance of Wayne.
Psychologist spills 3 clear secrets to breaking any bad habit
More than a third of Americans report making New Year’s resolutions, statistics show, many of which are focused on kicking bad habits.
Whether it’s smoking, overeating, drinking excessive alcohol or “doom-scrolling” on social media instead of sleeping, 72% of U.S. adults report having at least one unhealthy behavior, according to data from the United Health Foundation.
Dr. Adi Jaffe, a California-based psychologist, knows firsthand the dangers of unhealthy habits, as he once struggled with drug addiction himself.
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“I got trapped in the world of drugs and alcohol, from the middle of high school until a few years after college,” he shared with Fox News Digital during an on-camera interview.
“Addiction doesn’t separate by gender or age or race or income — people from all walks of life are impacted.”
Jaffe ultimately spent time in jail before getting clean and returning to school, earning two master’s degrees and a PhD in psychology.
“I wanted to understand what happened to me — and then what I’ve done over the last 15 years, hopefully, is bring those lessons to others who are struggling,” he said.
“Addiction doesn’t separate by gender or age or race or income — people of all walks of life are impacted.”
Today, Jaffe focuses on helping people beat addiction and improve their mental health. In his upcoming book — “Unhooked: Free Yourself from Addiction Forever” — he shares a step-by-step program to help people free themselves from harmful habits.
Jaffe shared with Fox News Digital some of his tips and insights.
Recognizing the behavior
While many people think of addiction as involving drugs or alcohol, Jaffe noted that it can take many forms.
“If you engage in a behavior of any sort over long periods of time that robs you of your ability to be fully present in your life — and it bothers you, but you can’t find yourself stopping it, even though you’ve tried over and over — to me, that qualifies,” he said.
In addiction to substance abuse, addictive behaviors might include “doom-scrolling” on your phone for hours a day, binge-eating, gambling or indulging in other unhealthy activities.
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People can be addicted to work and success, too, Jaffe noted.
“When things get hard and get tough, they want to go to work,” he said. “They believe success or performance will make them feel better, but it can cause damage just like other addictions.”
Social media is another form of addiction, the expert said.
“When your phone buzzes or pings, you don’t know what’s there, so it’s a novelty that’s interesting, and it releases dopamine,” he said. “You almost literally cannot help yourself.”
Identifying the ‘hooks’
Many people assume that the behavior itself is the problem, Jaffe said — but there is almost always an underlying reason for those unhealthy or harmful choices.
“The behavior was actually a medicine of sorts for a problematic undercurrent.”
“The reason you do it is that at some point earlier in your life, there was pain or struggle or emotional discomfort,” he said.
“And you discovered that when you engaged in the behavior, that discomfort went away. So the behavior was actually a medicine of sorts for a problematic undercurrent.”
For Jaffe, when he was 14 or 15 years old, his “hook” was social anxiety.
“And when somebody handed me a bottle of vodka at some sleepaway camp, I drank it because I didn’t want to look awkward,” he told Fox News Digital.
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“Once I started drinking, I had no anxiety and felt like I belonged. I felt like I could talk to people. And so I realized that alcohol had ‘solved’ this problem.”
Everyone has different hooks, Jaffe said, but there are similarities and patterns.
“We start living our lives trying to escape the discomfort of the hooks,” he said.
Replacing the habit
Once people have identified an unhealthy behavior, one of the biggest mistakes they make is just trying to stop it without a plan, according to Jaffe.
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“We try to stop ourselves from doing what we don’t like,” he noted. “Especially around New Year’s, people might say, ‘I’m going to stop eating bad foods or I’m going to stop being lazy.’”
Research has shown, however, that the most important aspect of kicking a bad habit is to replace the negative behavior with a positive one, the psychologist noted.
“We have to stop trying to just eliminate bad habits — it doesn’t work,” Jaffe said. “We have to replace them with something else.”
For example, if someone wants to quit smoking, they might keep gum or sunflower seeds in their pocket, he said.
“You just have to keep going.”
Or, if someone is too focused on work, that might mean letting go of some tasks and delegating them to other people.
Jaffe also emphasized that the process of kicking a bad habit isn’t always perfect or seamless, and that slipping up from time to time doesn’t equate to failure.
“It’s okay to fall flat on your face a number of times while you’re working on changing this,” he said.
“You just have to keep going.”
Jaffe’s book, “Unhooked: Free Yourself from Addiction Forever,” will be available on Jan. 7.