Are you in there somewhere…

Addiction, it’s a fact of life and at some level we’ve all had one or have one, even if we don’t call it or recognize it as addiction. It used to be when you said the word, “addiction” you were referring to smoking, drugs, alcohol or gambling, but that’s not so, addictions come in all forms e.g., self medicating, phones, food, shopping, hoarding, sex, social media, gaming, OCD etc., there’s no end to what a person can be addicted to and as we already know, some addictions can be worse than others, some addictions are self-evident while others are taking place, but the person isn’t self-aware, either way addictions changes the human personality’s landscape. We don’t intend for it to, but it does. Thus, are they still in there somewhere…

If you’ve ever lived with a person with an addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling etc., then you know how it consumes them and can change their personality and outward appearance. It’s heartbreaking to watch the decline and usually causes the loved ones watching no small amount of anxiety. It slowly takes over and becomes their main focus because the satisfaction their brain chemical make-up gets from it, is driving the train, unfortunately it’s usually a train wreck waiting to happen. A person that was a model citizen will suddenly lie, cheat, steal, distance themselves from family and friends and suddenly have an outlook that just isn’t their personality at all, in fact, they suddenly start barking very loudly about how the people that love them the most, “just don’t understand” or what they are doing is “no big deal” or the most common, they place blame for their actions on the shoulders of another, again all to hold fast and justify the addiction, that in their mind makes them whole or gives them satisfaction. Addicts will and do ruin relationships in the name of their addiction. It’s a very vicious cycle.

The real question, however, is why do we end up in addictive circumstances in the first place. It’s my humble opinion that some event usually triggers the need to feel better and usually the addiction helps accomplishes that. It doesn’t need to be a traumatic event, it can be as simple as not feeling worthy or the absence of self-esteem. No matter your addiction of choice, there’s a chemical event that makes you feel better — but only temporarily. Usually, addiction starts off small and then WHAM before you know it, it has consumed your life in some form and not in a good way. It interferes with work, relationships and normal day-to-day life.

Addiction can be conquered like anything else, there just needs to be the right motivation – and in my opinion this is important – only the person experiencing the addiction can dig themselves out. Family, friends, doctors, therapists etc., are all a good support system, but in the end, it’s up to the individual to admit and face whatever demons led them down a destructive path. Healing from addiction is no easy task and it’s easy to judge from the outside, however, it’s the inside of the person that’s broken. Fixing that is the hard part.

Addiction is real and rampant in this country. It often goes undiagnosed and I’m talking all forms. It takes an extreme amount of courage and self-love to face and conquer addiction.

I pray for all those that suffer and it is my sincerest hope that they will dig deep and manifest the strength to get their life back, repair relationships and ultimately live their best life.