Help me find the word?

[HEChicken]

For days now I have been trying to come up with a word and while its on the tip of my tongue, it never quite comes to me. The word I am looking for describes a pattern of behavior wherein one continually repeats the same negative behavior. An example might be a woman who goes from one abusive relationship to the next because its all she knows. This would be described as her ......?

Anyone? I know this word exists and that I'll know it as soon as I hear it but I just haven't been able to quite say the word aloud and even googling a variety of terms didn't get me the result I needed, so I turn to y'all instead.

 

[Sjisty]

Would it be "paradigm"?

 

[SamuelMcF]

it could be an incessant behavior or compulsive idk i'll keep thinking

 

[MandyH]

Tough luck? Stupidity?

 

[redhen]

Moronski??

 

[Dutchgirl]

Oh... I feel like it's on the tip of my tongue too... I don't know!

 

[yinepu]

self-destructive behavior?

 

[dewey]

Nemesis? (A source of harm or ruin.)

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

I would just usually refer to this as her pattern of self destructive behavior.

We could refer to it as a negative coping mechanism or coping strategy.

 

[dewey]

Oh, it's gotta be nemesis.

Her nemesis (the opponent that cannot be overcome) is her own self defeating, negative pattern of behavior.

I keep editing, lol.