The Cause and Curse of Addiction

The Addictive Mind

We’re all addicts; we’re all addicted to something, it’s the only way we can survive — some of these addictions are good, and some of these addictions are not only destructive, they’re deadly.  In this brief article, I want to explain to you how to break the “destructive cycle” of the addictive mind.

…Why are some people addicted to alcohol, food, sex, and drugs?

In short, it’s so that they can cope with the many complications of life.

Addicts aren’t crazy….they’re just trying to cope, they’re just trying to survive. And so they rely on undesirable addictions to provide them with a “temporary loan,” to help them deal with the emotional debt and pains of life.

Unfortunately, the interest rates on these “addiction loans” are extremely high. In fact, the interest rates are so high, that if something isn’t done, the loanswill eventually bankrupt the borrower, this much is certain.

So what is the cause of this pain that drives people to emotional bankruptcy? What causes individuals to seek solitude away from their family and friends,so that they might pursue and enjoy the pleasures of their addictive mind.

The Cause

The reason people struggle with an addiction is because somewhere along the way, their emotional needs were not properly met, and so to avoid an emotional and nervous breakdown, they substituted the pain of loneliness, for the pleasures of addiction…that they might balance and stabilize their emotions.

And as life became more and more difficult, and as they began to feel increasingly isolated and lonely, they realized that they could only depend on their addiction for happiness. The addiction never failed to provide the necessary pleasure…it never failed to make life okay.

The Problem

The problem is that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  Addictive pleasures don’t make your problems go away, they only postpone the issue…while it festers at a compounded rate. 

The problem is that addiction comes with a great price. It promises, and delivers, joy in the present…all while methodically destroying your future.

The Answer

So what is the key to breaking the addictive mindset?

The answer may surprise you….

The key to breaking the cycle is…happy fulfilling relationships, it’s being accepted, it’s being productive, and it’s being part of a community….it’s all about your relationships.  When your “real” relationships are in order, there is no need to look for substitute relationships to ease your discomfort. When your“real” relationships are out-of-order, who can bear this pain?

In Closing

This article is not written for the addict, …it’s written for the family and friends of addicts. It’s written as a reminder for you to love them a little harder, it’s written as a reminder for you to show them you care a little more, because somewhere along the way they didn’t feel like anyone cared. It’s written as a reminder to reach out and comfort the comfortless, …so that their addictions bind them no more.