How to Recognize and Break Addictions

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By coachgirl
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Recognize and Break Addictions

When we think of addictions, we often think of drugs and alcohol. But addictions come in many forms. If you are sexually promiscuous, abuse prescription drugs, gamble, constantly view pornography, or shop excessively; you most likely have an addiction problem.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Step 1

Addictions come in many forms.

*Do you have indiscriminate sex or constantly view pornography?

*What about shopping? Do you buy things you don’t need, spend more than you can afford, and feel “special” when purchasing? Does shopping give meaning to a life that feels “meaningless?”

*Do you spend hours on-line playing poker? Do you leave work early to play or get up when everyone has gone to sleep to play more?
Step 2

All addictions serve to anesthetize you and are about not feeling.

*Initially you get a high from an addiction, but that does not last for long.

*Addictions zone you out; they keep you from feeling and in essence flat-line you.

*The problem with addictions – you need more and more of the addiction to get the same result. More sex to feel zoned, more shopping to get rid of the feelings of loneliness, and bigger bets to blot out the feelings on inadequacy. It never ends and sends you in a downward spiral.
Step 3

Without commitment and discipline, you cannot break an addiction.

*Breaking an addiction is an attitude change, first and foremost. You must make that commitment to yourself.

*Discipline means doing things you are not used to doing. It means doing things that are out of the ordinary, things that initially do not feel natural to do.

*Without making a plan, and setting up a support system, you cannot break and addiction.
Step 4

You must be willing to bear “the anxiety” in order to break an addiction.

*Breaking an addiction means you are leaving one way of life and entering into another.

*Entering the unknown always produces a sense of anxiety, a feeling of being out of control. This is normal and natural for us all.

*As you feed your addiction less and less, your feelings will begin to rise to the surface. You are not used to feeling so these feelings will make you uncomfortable. You need to bear this, as it will pass and you will feel more whole in the process.
Step 5

You cannot think your way out of an addiction - you must feel!

*Feeling is the key to healing.

*Thinking always keeps you one step away from the action.

*Eventually you get “addicted” to feeling your life, the same way you were addicted to gambling and shopping.

© 2009 by Chandra Alexander and Coaching for Authenticity, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Comments

bjs1979 said

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on 8/27/2009 This is a great article and I hope it helps someone break an addiction. 5* and rec'd

RENorton said

on 2/9/2009 Excellent article. Very well-written with some great advice. Great tips for recognizing addictions and breaking them. Excellent work! Thanks for sharing this!