Tag Archives: addiction

Gambling Addiction

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We addictionists divide addiction into substance addictions (alcohol and other mind altering drugs, food, even cigarettes) and process addictions (shopping, gambling, exercise, work, and sex). In and of themselves, none of these substances or processes is “bad”. The problem is the addict and what the addict does with the substance or process. The way an addict is affected by anything potentially mind altering is always different from the way a non-addict is affected. The problem is the addict, not the “drug of choice”. Continue reading →

Willingness

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Last year I wrote about the H and O of H.O.W., the HOW of change, of recovery from addiction or from anything else.  Honesty, Open-mindedness, and Willingness are some of the ingredients necessary to move along this pathway. If you are stuck, physically, emotionally or spiritually, take a look at these three pieces and see if you can progress by paying more attention to your HOW.

Willingness. Willingness to change, progress, recover from anything. Webster’s dictionary defines willing as: 1.inclined or favorably disposed in mind, ready, 2. prompt to act or respond, 3. done, borne, or accepted by choice or without reluctance, 4. of or relating to the will or power of choosing, volitional, voluntary. Continue reading →

Where does sex fit in?

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Sex. Important word. Troublesome subject for many. If anyone were to do a research study on recovering addicts, they would undoubtedly find that much distress and many, if not most relapses are around relationships, usually sexual relationships. Difficult for anyone, intimate relationships are especially problematic for alcoholics and addicts. Healthy relationships require unselfishness, not a strong suit among addicts, even if the addiction is work, television, skiing or other sports, or something else “acceptable”. Continue reading →

Sex and Fear, Finish that Inventory!

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Fear, a damaging and corroding thread that can weave its way into and take over our lives, causes inordinate trouble. The ironic and sad part is that many of our fears have little basis in reality and are often related to something that has not happened and probably will not happen and lives only in our heads. No course in elementary school, junior or senior high school, or college prepares us to deal with our fears. Rarely are parents astute enough to help us acquire the tools at home. What then? A common “solution” is to become angry; cover the fears with anger and protect our fragile ego and scared little inner person. Result? We lash out at whoever is in front of us, usually family or significant other. We stay isolated and separate, never forming close relationships. The undealt with fears and anger keep us self absorbed, obsessively ruminating and absent from our own lives. Continue reading →

Spiritual beings?

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The question has been posed: Are we human beings having a spiritual experience or spiritual beings having a human experience? The skeptics among us will say, “neither, we are just human beings, nothing before or after this life we are in now and spirituality is bogus.” If that is you, consider changing how you think…pretend for a while. What if this life on planet earth is just a blip in our being? Maybe before we came here, we were spirits; part of, yet separate from God. Maybe we are sent, or decide, to arrive on earth for a period of time and accomplish God’s mission for us. We get here and get distracted. Activities, people, stuff, all become wedges between us and our spiritual selves…we become our bodies, our behavior, our thoughts, neglecting our spirit and growing ever separated from our God. After some time existing in this separation, we begin to hurt. Continue reading →