by katiekitten 34 Replies latest jw friends
Habits, cravings and addictions, all on a scale of human behaviour (sociological, psychological and physiological).
I have a strange addiction to sleeping some every night, and eating every day. Can't seem to throw it. Breathing is the real bugbear, especially when I want to Scuba dive for longer that the air in my cylinders will permit! It's a hard life
Have you looked into a really good Twelve Step program, Little Toe?
Keep the bubbles going upwards...
Twelve steps is all I need from the shoreline, before I get to kick out and enjoy the sub-aqua world
"I've heard the term "addictive personality" many times, but I'm not sure that some people are more prone to that than others. What I am sure of, from at times bitter personal experience, is that anyone who uses an addictive substamce, whether it be alcohol, tobacco, herion, cocaine etc often enough will become addicted in some way. As for sex, I guess that's addictive as well, maybe in a similar way to how gambling is addictive, you get hooked on the act (though I find sex is more fun).
I am not sure that is true; I know some people who use for years, and don't become addicts.
This is a topic I am familiar with; I have some years clean.
A saying in recovery is, I am not responsible for my being an addict, but I am responsible my recovery.
I understand that to mean that some of us are addicts, whether born with a predisposition to it (my father, sister, uncle, 2 sons, etc.) and that we had no choice in the matter. When an addict first begins to use, the payoff is so intense that they keep right on using.
That is NOT an exuse, or a way to hide from the consequences. It does remove the shame and guilt from being an addict.
When I stopped feeling guilty over behavior related to addiction, and saw the reality of what I was, it changed for me completely.
My take on the matter.
I agree with Frannie's take on it.
Alcohol, like any drug, can create addiction in the user if used enough. Some drugs are instantly addictive; heroin, nicotine (maybe the worst).
But for Frannie to back away slowly, I know NO addict who could do that, or reserve the option to
drink socially. I rode that horse to ruin.
I think it is helpful for those around addicts to realize that recovery principles do not blame the issue on other factors, or try to excuse the addict. The point is to see the similarity between all addicts; it is amazing to hear someone tell their story and realize it is also your own.
Addiction is not a personality defect; it comes with all manner of unacceptable behavior, but usually when the addiction is under control, the behavior stops and recovery can begin.
