Have you ever felt that you might have an "addiction" issue with something? An odd question I guess, but one I have thought about lately as I wonder if I have an slight addiction to something. Usually, and I think the dictionary definition of addiction supports this notion, we think of addiction as a physical addiction to a type of drug, usually a narcotic of some sort, or alcohol. There's a physical reaction that draws the individual to continue to feel the need to have that substance.
I'm not talking about any of that, but an addiction to an activity itself, which I guess stretches the definition. Maybe a better characterization...do you have a bad habit, that you know is a bad habit, but it draws on you or your mind so much that you struggle with not letting it overtake a part of your life, or struggle maintaining any type of balance between that activity and the rest of your life? The past couple weeks have given me an opportunity to think about this question as I have such a habit, one that makes me a worse person, yet I have trouble not letting the activity overrule everything else in my life. Ultimately, I don't have a problem stopping "cold turkey," which is further proof its not really an addiction type issue. But once I get wrapped up in the activity, I have trouble not thinking about, not engaging in it for hours on end, even be woken up by thoughts of it in the middle of the night.
I wish I could understand the psychology that goes into such an attraction to a self-defined bad habit...what the draw is and so on. The activity is harmless, but my engagement in it prevents me from being a better person, to put it simply, which is why I call it a bad habit. Its truly a silly thing, but I wonder, anyone else ever have these types of "addictions" to a bad habit?
I'm not talking about any of that, but an addiction to an activity itself, which I guess stretches the definition. Maybe a better characterization...do you have a bad habit, that you know is a bad habit, but it draws on you or your mind so much that you struggle with not letting it overtake a part of your life, or struggle maintaining any type of balance between that activity and the rest of your life? The past couple weeks have given me an opportunity to think about this question as I have such a habit, one that makes me a worse person, yet I have trouble not letting the activity overrule everything else in my life. Ultimately, I don't have a problem stopping "cold turkey," which is further proof its not really an addiction type issue. But once I get wrapped up in the activity, I have trouble not thinking about, not engaging in it for hours on end, even be woken up by thoughts of it in the middle of the night.
I wish I could understand the psychology that goes into such an attraction to a self-defined bad habit...what the draw is and so on. The activity is harmless, but my engagement in it prevents me from being a better person, to put it simply, which is why I call it a bad habit. Its truly a silly thing, but I wonder, anyone else ever have these types of "addictions" to a bad habit?
Well...we all know that I've struggled with some of that...sort...of thing in the past. But ultimately have found a happy medium for the most part...where there are psuedo re-lapses every so often, but overall no longer an out-of-control habit. Is it something that there can be a middle ground with? If there is, then I would suggest the happy median point of view.
ReplyDeleteIn theory, its absolutely something that there should be a middle ground with, just a matter of will power and self control, as with so much. Part of my issue with finding that ground is that I think engaging in the activity prevents me from doing things that I think are better, or more productive, or more worthwhile activities, if that makes sense. So while I think the happy median should absolutely be a solution, I think I would have to first resolve whether its something I even want to spend my time doing in the first place. Hand wringing.Thanks for sharing some thoughts.
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