Why does the brain destroy itself and its body? Taking into consideration how evolution works, might help with difficult questions like this one. Only those characteristics that lower a person's chance of reproduction or the chances of survival before reproduction, get eliminated by natural-selection processes. Hence, not all bad habits are left out by evolution. For example, although unpleasant, nail biting doesn't restrict a person's chance of reproduction or survival up to the age that they can reproduce. Smoking and bing eating or drinking are in the same category; although really harmful, they do not affect reproduction chances hugely.