Summary

The website content discusses the nature of addiction as a misguided search for happiness and meaning through external sources, advocating for self-awareness and internal fulfillment as a path to breaking free from addictive behaviors.

Abstract

The text explores the concept of addiction beyond its conventional understanding, presenting it as a pursuit of happiness, security, and deeper meaning through external pleasures. It emphasizes that addiction is not about the object or activity itself but the temporary pleasure derived from it. The article suggests that reliance on these external factors leads to a loss of self-control and a cycle of dependency that negatively impacts health and overall well-being. It argues that true joy and fulfillment come from within, and that seeking external pleasures is an escape from our inner experiences. The author shares personal insights on managing the temptation of sweets by listening to the body's signals and maintaining awareness of the temporary nature of pleasure. The article concludes by emphasizing that awareness is the key to freedom from addictive behaviors and that creating a better world starts with understanding ourselves and fostering healthy relationships within society.

Opinions

The author believes that addiction arises from seeking happiness outside oneself, rather than from the object of addiction.
Addictive behavior is seen as a detriment to one's health and life, leading to enslavement by the pleasures provided by external factors.
Pleasure is distinguished from joy and fulfillment, which are states that should originate from within the individual.
The author suggests that habits can turn into addictions, and that life should not be reduced to the pursuit of temporary pleasure.
In times of stress or difficulty, the author acknowledges a tendency to seek comfort in external pleasures like sweets, but also emphasizes the importance of self-control and listening to one's body.
The text posits that the release of tension from indulging in addictive behaviors is merely temporary and does not address the underlying need to handle and release stress.
The author advocates for changing or taking breaks from habits to maintain awareness and control over one's actions.
Awareness is described as a form of freedom that allows individuals to break free from addictive patterns and create healthier external realities through introspection and self-understanding.
The author, identifying as a Life & Business Coach and Business Mentor, offers to share more insights through their website, inviting engagement through newsletters, coaching sessions, and consultations.
There is an optimistic view that collective self-awareness and personal growth can contribute to making the world a better place.

Addiction and Awareness

Addiction may have many different faces. In the simplest explanation, it means that we are seeking a sense of happiness, security, or deeper meaning outside of ourselves. We tend to think and expect that something or even someone is the source of our happiness and deeper meaning in life.

The source of love.

As the objects of addition may be various, it is not the object itself making us addicted. It is the feeling of temporary pleasure we experience. We get addicted to this temporary pleasure and we want more.

This is how the circle is turning.

As with every addiction, if we don’t stop it, it may destroy us. It affects our health and life, our general well-being.

When we give away power and control over something outside of ourselves, we become controlled by that factor. Whether this is food, caffeine, alcohol, sex, shopping, sugar, work, certain activity, even a person or institution. When we can’t control ourselves, our own instincts start to control us. We create our own enslavement because our brain is addicted to the state of pleasure it gets from a certain outside factor. When we don’t have that outside factor, we can’t experience a state of pleasure, just like that.

Pleasure is the meaning of joy and fulfillment that comes from within.

So, we may say, that addiction is a way of escaping our own inner experience. On the other side, it may be a search for deeper meaning.

When we seek pleasure, we seek joy and fulfillment that will last.

Addiction with its compulsive actions provides only a short-term pleasure, that is why we need that thing, that factor, again and again.

As we need habits and routines in our lives, our brain loves them, we need to remember that every habit may become an addiction. We like to experience pleasure in our lives. It is good to remember that life is not just temporary pleasure. But perhaps in difficult times, we may seek pleasure even more, often outside of ourselves, to compensate for stress and insecurity about the future.

I have this with sweets. I like them and I am absolutely aware of how unhealthy sugar is. I have not resigned from sweets, but I am controlling my need for them. If I eat sweets a few days in a row, my body shows me that it is time to stop and I listen to it. My skin gets worse and I feel less energy and I start to feel an even stronger need for something healthy. I have noticed two aspects of this in my own life.

REWARD

When I want to celebrate something in my life, something sweet is a reward.

RELEASING TENSION

When I am stressed or have a sense of insecurity in difficult moments, I think of having something sweet. I also remember the moments when I ate something sweet immediately after a stressful situation and I felt an immediate release of tension. However, the release of tension is of course just illusionary and temporary, it is on the surface.

Handling and releasing stress and tension cumulated in our bodies is a different aspect and can’t be compensated by any compulsive behaviors.

Therefore, it is good to change our habits from time to time or even take a break. Just to be aware of that fact.

Awareness is freedom.

I truly believe that how we co-create the world together, depends on who and how we are within ourselves. The creation comes from within. This is not just talking, it is science.

I love encouraging other people to reflect and understand themselves on deeper levels as I believe every experience in the so-called external reality starts within ourselves. When we are aware of ourselves, we create healthy relationships with others and therefore, healthy societies.

I am a Life & Business Coach and Business Mentor and I would be happy to share more with you through my website. Feel free to sign up for a Newsletter there to track news and events. You are welcome to book a coaching or mentoring session with me or a free 30 mins call if you need guidance in your life changes. You will find my contact details here.

I believe we can make this world a beautiful place again together 🌍💚

Thank you for reading my posts, for every comment, and for being connected.