What's your addiction

Do you have an addiction that is out of control?  What do you do to make the pain go away?  What do you do to stop yourself from thinking about it and feeling the pain? 

So what is an addiction?  An addiction is a non-specific hunger for something that seems to be missing in your life or … a gnawing emptiness within that is never filled”

(Mittiga, 2008, p.17)

I don’t think that any of us can honestly say that we have never suffered from an addiction.  The reason I say this is because I know that addictions are ineffective things we do to help us cope with the pains, hurts and worries we have in our lives.  I know that there is not one of us that have never been hurt, worried or suffered.  Therefore it is just the degree and type of addiction which varies between individuals.

Addictions can be severe or they can be mild, just like the problems, pains, hurts and worries we have.   Sometimes we like to use our addictions as a reason why we do what we do.  It’s like a licence to say why it’s OK.  I’m an alcoholic because….  I’m a drug user because….  I’m a gambler because… I’m a smoker because ….I’m a shop-a-holic because… etc.  It’s like people are saying well if you had to deal with what I deal with you’d need something to get you through too.  The stronger an individual connects or identifies with their addiction, shows the depth of their pain.  Addictions allow others to visibly see our pain.  Emotional wounds cannot be seen.  They aren’t like a broken leg or broken arm, which is obviously visible and immediately gets you sympathy and you are given time to heal.  

So what does an addiction do for you?  It gives you attention and sympathy and gives you a nice warm feeling of love, belonging and acceptance.  Most of all it gives you a break from thinking about all of your pain and stills your mind.  It takes you away from reality to a place where everything is perfect and quiet and nothing can interrupt your thoughts.  Why do you think so many of us are addicted to reality TV?

Just to give you another glimpse of my book, here is a small excerpt about my own addiction;

“So how did I fulfil my unmet need to discover my identity?  I did what anyone with an unfulfilled need does, turns to an addiction.  So! I hear you are screaming out to me, what was your addiction?  What was it that filled the void inside you and made you feel whole again?  What was it that made you feel better?  Once again the answer was simple; I was at my happiest when…”

Oops sorry I can’t give away all my secrets on my blog.

To help better understand addictions you might want to ask yourself some of the following questions?  What are my past pains, hurts or worries that I want to avoid, forget or get away from? What are my unfulfilled needs?  What things trigger my addictions?  What does my addiction give me?  Can others see my pain through my addictions?  Who am I really hurting? 

 

My entire book is about my own struggle with an addiction.  I am looking forward to sharing with you how I have worked to overcome my own addiction.  

Please check out these empowering and useful links:

You Gotta Be Strong - George Warumpi Band
New Therapy for Gamblers - ABC News Adelaide