Symptoms of Addiction:
How to Tell if You or a Loved One Has
An Addiction (and What to do Next)
by www.Sedona.com The first thing that comes to mind for many people when talking about addiction is drugs and alcohol, and, indeed, this is a topic that has affected the majority (upwards of 63 percent) of Americans. But addiction, so powerful in its ability to impact our lives, reaches far beyond drugs and alcohol to things like food, the Internet, work, gambling, pornography and even saying “yes” to every request made of you. When viewed in this light, addiction surely affects a staggering number of people, either personally or indirectly. Remember, it is possible (and quite easy) to be addicted not only to things (alcohol) but also to behaviors (putting yourself down). Is it Really an Addiction? We all have habits, tendencies and routines that we like to follow. How do you know if you or a loved one has really crossed into the realm of an addiction? Following are some of the common symptoms of addiction to keep an eye out for: • You use the addiction to escape from reality (such as binging on junk food because you’re bored).
• You do it more and more as time goes by.
• You always make sure that you have it on hand.
• You will do the suspected behavior at any cost (working late even though it’s your wife’s birthday).
• When you give in to the addiction, you feel happy or secure (though later may feel guilty).
• You feel you need the addiction to get through the day.
• You have tried to stop the addiction in the past, but weren’t able to.
• Your personality, interests or goals have changed (for instance, you’ve given up your gym membership and your weekly card game because you’re spending so much time on the Internet).
• The addiction is interfering with your relationships.
• You find it difficult to stay away from the thing or behavior for several days.
• You hide the addiction from your friends and family. Recognizing You Have an Addiction: The First Step
Often, people who are addicted know deep down that they have a problem, but on the surface are in denial. The deceivingly simple step of recognizing you have a problem, says Hale Dwoskin, CEO and director of training of Sedona Training Associates, is also the hardest. “Recognizing that you are addicted – and then knowing that you can take your control back – is the hardest part of overcoming an addiction,” Dwoskin says. “Most of pretend that we are not addicted, which prevents us from knowing that there is a problem and then doing something about it.” If you noticed one or more of the symptoms of addiction listed above in yourself or a loved one, there’s a good chance that an addiction is present. I Have an Addiction … Now What? At the heart of any addiction is a feeling of helplessness, a lack of control and any number of additional emotions that are contributing to the behavior. Now that you have identified an addiction is present in yourself or a loved one, the next step is to get back in control. “It is important to recognize that no substance or behavior can control you. If you feel you’re not in control, it’s because you have given your power away to the substance or habit,” says Dwoskin. But there is good news. “Because you gave it the power over you, you can take it back by letting go of the feelings that are motivating the behavior,” he continues. Take Back the Power, Break the Addiction Getting back in control is really as simple as deciding to do so. But you may be thinking right now, “I want to control the addiction, but I just can’t.” The reason you may be feeling doubt, anxiety or stress about overcoming the addiction is because you are holding on to negative feelings. The scientifically proven Sedona Method is an elegant, easy-to-learn system that will show you how to tap your natural ability to let go of any negative thought or feeling on the spot – including the motivators for all forms of addiction. When you feel you are about to succumb to the addiction, Dwoskin says, first, simply stop and notice the habit or tendency arising in your consciousness. “By simply stopping and recognizing what is going on you are already interrupting the problem. Next decide to let go of the feeling that is motivating you to do something you know you will later regret,” he says. With The Sedona Method, whenever you feel you are losing control you’ll repeat a series of simple questions that will allow you to release. When you let go of negative thoughts or feelings, you will instead be filled with a sense of empowerment, confidence and freedom – everything you need to get immediate relief from the effects of addictive behaviors.
Sources
JoinTogether.org
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