Addiction is a crushing and often painful, discouraging experience. Addiction can strangle the life out of us, slowly and relentlessly. Some people call addiction self-inflicted slow suicide. And the truth is that addiction does often do exactly that.
Nobody really wants to be addicted and no one really starts out on the path of addiction thinking that they will end up addicted to something, whether it is drugs, alcohol, sex, work or porn. It seems so harmless to smoke a joint or have some fun at a party and drink with friends and snort a little coke. Then suddenly it becomes a lifestyle and a daily need.
I can speak from experience on this as I started drinking and smoking pot at age 13. I spent all of high school stoned. All me and my friends did together revolved around buying a bag of weed and getting high. That was the focus of everything we did. Alcohol was always part of our weekends.
Then I spent 20 years playing in rock bands. I rarely met any musicians who were not addicted to something and most usually had multiple addictions. Most didn't really think they were addicted though..it was just sex and drugs and rock'n'roll...I quit drinking one New Year's because the question that kept going through my head was: Are we musicians who get together and play music and have a few beers or are we alcoholics who play music?
There is a way forward for those who really want to change their lifestyle and their habits. Addictive personalities don't stop being addictive - they just learn to find better and more rewarding addictions. Work is often an addiction and many have to learn to find another set of positive activities such as time with friends and family.
I hate to say it but often addiction is pretty self-centered and one of the things addictive people need to learn is to live life for others instead of always focusing on self. Addiction is often all about my needs and my fix and my happiness. Learning to focus on the happiness of others is a game changer for many.
Anyway, just a few thoughts. I know there are many of you out there who can relate to this. ❤️💐
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