Friends – I would love input on the following…
Until recently, I didn’t realize that a drug can be anything you use that: will block pain, suppress pain, or hide the pain. Anything you use, or don’t use, to alter your state of mind, so you don’t think rationally and/or clearly.
And it doesn’t have to be a pharmaceutical drug. It can be anything perceived to be negative or unhealthy that you use excessively. This is very subjective obviously.
An example for me, is that I used to drink a lot; un-diagnosed alcoholic. I’ve also been addicted to gaming (for 10 hours a day); promiscuity; binge eating. The reason I did any of them is because it made me feel good; comforted me. And when I did each one, I forgot about suffering, my fucked up family dynamic, money issues, the reality that I am not living the life that I want to live. I had a belief that I was living in the moment and was careless of anything in my life that I didn’t want to address. I would have withdrawals from each of my addictions.
You learn you can hide from reality instead of facing the world head on.
Perhaps you do any of the following excessively, as examples: gambling, shopping, gaming, sex, alcohol, binge eating, cutting, pain pills, etc. How have you overcome your addiction?
I believe it takes an extreme amount of will power to limit yourself to your drug of choice. As cliche as this may sound, personally I have learned that you never make peace with your addiction unless you want to change.
Unless you want to live healthier. Unless you want the help from others.
I have also learned, that you shouldn’t be ashamed of it. Each of us have acquired coping mechanisms that we use to make it through the day. And only you can choose to get help. There is no stigma attached to wanting help for any illness.
Finding Happiness 