Addictions.

Everyone’s heard of being addicted to alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or even sex, but do you know that people can be addicted to anger, adrenaline, shopping/spending, rescuing, praise/popularity, easy money, food and TV?

At it’s core, any addiction starts out as a way for a person to mask or hide some sort of pain, or meet an unmet need. It is by nature a quick fix, and in fact never fully hides the pain, nor meets the need. That is why the person does the same thing. Again, and again, and again.

It’s important to realise and remember that the addiction is the secondary issue, not the root problem.

Any addiction can be overcome, but it will never work with willpower alone. The root cause of the addiction needs to be traced, faced and replaced. The unbearable feeling/s that are being invoked need to be discovered and come to terms with. Renewing of the mind must occur before going ‘cold turkey’ is attempted.

An addiction will never be overcome though until the person with the addiction sees it as their enemy, not their friend. Whilst their addiction is their friend, no change will occur. The addicted person must come to realise that their addiction hates them and wants to do nothing else but destroy their life completely. You can be delivered from your enemies, but not your friends.

The road probably won’t be easy, let’s not kid ourselves here, but your life will be better to fight this battle and come out the other side, healed, released and free. Denial simply guarantees the future will be more of the past (but probably worse). Your dignity and self-respect can be regained. It all starts with one decision.