Addiction

Addiction can mean so many things!

What does an addict look like?

An addicted person is often less obvious than ya might think.

From the strange video culture, the information's available that people can be addicted to so many different substances & behaviors!

The most common addiction which has snaked its insidious ways into every country in the world ~ addiction to a cell phone! Along with that is video game / alter ego program addiction.

These 2 major addictions are a pervasive social cancer.

Video games & over exposure to TV used to be more of a childhood malady.

In todays world where media has become so much more sophisticated, it's affecting people of adult age. The addiction to video games & alter ego programs is affecting families, relationships, diminishing social skills.

Even preventing people from further developing social skills.

~ Guys in their 20s, 30s, 40s and up are so addicted, they are failing as husbands to help their wives. Their addiction has a firm hold.

~ Mothers will either tend to their addiction or innocently start their children on TV, video games, to keep the child occupied.

Wrong move.

Keeping a child occupied while failing to teach them how to self limit themselves does more harm than anything. Without a balance of socializing, this is a set up for addiction that may last a lifetime!

~ VR, alter ego, role playing, are all fine until the addict phase is reached.

Like a delicious snack, just one bite is never enough.

This opine may be unpopular, possibly because it's truth.

This STNG episode is classic foreshadowing.

(Copy & paste if you're curious!)

https://youtu.be/ilIhdTG_UmQ

Moving on, getting real!

Having struggled with addiction, I can say that I understand.

It wasn't mainstream addiction such as cigarettes,

video & role play online, tobacco, alcohol, sex, prescription meds, porn.

Yes, they all have something in common.

These activities interfere with health, relationships & social skills.

My prior addiction(s), you may ask?

You may ask.

Foremost, I was addicted to food. A tough one, for sure.

Food is essential for life, it's everywhere, it's a social activity, it's offered as gifts, turned to for celebration.

It's everywhere, mostly in abundance in the USA!

I ate to fight depression, ate to fight boredom, to celebrate, then, for nutritional needs. With my predisposal to obesity in my genetics, this was a triple threat to my health.

It took time, as curing an ailment does.

Slowly, over time, I re-adjusted my attitude toward food. Fortunately, I also adjusted my attitude toward exercise at the same time. 

So, it began. My recovery from addiction to food. AKA my fitness journey toward losing the weight naturally.

Prior attitude toward food:

" I like it, it makes me feel good so I'm going to eat a lot of it!"

Current attitude?

"I eat because I have to eat, for nutrition. Everything I put in my mouth or the main gateway to my body will either feed future disease or fight future disease. It's a choice."

I tend to follow the 80/20 idea. Eat healthy 80% of the time.

Some of the prior attitude tries to slip in occasionally, mostly, it stays away. Having control over it feels so empowering!

A current "addiction" or maybe it's just an unhealthy habit is picking at my finger cuticles. EW!

I'm working on it!

Slowly, I'm stopping. 

Taking good care of myself, mind, body & spirit is very important to me.

Having attractive feet & attractive hands is part of taking care of myself.

Call it vanity if you wish.

I call it taking care of myself.

Having decided that I was going to stop this disgusting habit, I'm stopping. Little by little. I have to wrap my finger-tips in surgical tape when I go to bed or I will pick my cuticles in my sleep.

Maybe, soon, I can do without surgical tape!

Identifying your own personal unhealthy habits, substances, is the first step!

It's a new year!

GO!