How Do I Handle Addiction?

[OnceMore]

On a purely practical level, how do I handle addiction?

I've realised that I have many addictions. 

They include: 1. Junk food,  2. Smartphone & Internet,  3. Porn & Masturbation

I know that I'm running away and am masking my problems with these addictions. These addictions occur as a way to escape my suffering. I never had these addictions before, but because I have been suffering in recent years, I've created these addictions to help me cope. 

When I partake in these behaviours, it is a welcome distraction from the reality of my life. My life is not a place that I like or enjoy, and that's why I like to use things like porn and junk food to get away from my life, just for a little while. I actually look forward to these things when I'm suffering. My thinking can be "Ah, I'm suffering right now, but at least I get to eat that snack later on / at least I get to watch porn later on".

These addictions make me feel better in the moment, and then terrible after. 

They allow me to procrastinate and waste time so that I don't have to do the real work to improve my life. 

 

I don't want this anymore. I don't want to be held hostage to these things. 

I want to return to the state where I never had these addictions. 

How do I go about this on a practical level? 

 

[ajasatya]

@OnceMore enhance and expand your life. do something for yourself. start something new like painting or dancing.

http://upliftconnect.com/the-root-cause-of-addiction-and-how-to-heal-it/

[Toby]

Educate yourself on what an addiction is. Read about 12 steps or something. Might seem that this applies only to alcoholics but the approach is actually very spiritual. I played a bit with it with "thinking addiction" which everyone is addicted to more or less as well. The most important thing imo is: fighting it in whatever form doesn't help.

[Joseph Maynor]

What's your daily meditation habit like?

[Nahm]

@OnceMore Lately, I’m finding the perspective of love & connection is most powerful. 

 

 

[Jedd]

@Nahm thank you for sharing that video it really resonated with me .