Addictions And Atachment To Everything

[kkk]

Hello 

Sence the last Leo's video, I have been looking at problems diferent. One of my problems are addictions. Sence 6 grade when parent let me have a computer, I have been addicted to all kinds of stuff. So offcorse everything started with videogames....after while i had some disputes with  my parents because they didnt like that i play those killing games...Then next addiction was Photoshop, aftereffect etc...Then in 9 grade when i moved away from family because of school...I started to smoke and drink a lot....

And now I m having the same addictions periodically. And just now caught myself, that when i droped smoking, i started video games, when I droped video games i started to watch rap battles, when I droped rap battled I started to watch a lot of movies  ...And this is how my life looks like...

Periodically I drop something that I feel i m addicted to...

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Things that i have been doing a lot periodically: Videogames, movies, episodes, shows, alchocol, junk food, smoking(3years), weed, porn, rsd stuff, Leo's staff, documentaries about nature or recognizable persons ....

 

Maybe someone here had same problems, and have some advice how to deal with addictions generaly?! 

P.S. I know that people with addiction problems generally have some deeper problems, and then they unconsciously try to cover up their eyes with all kinds of addictions. But problem is that I dont know where to look for solution. 

Edited March 5, 2016 by kkk

[Henri]

All addictions of this planet promise joy, but they never deliver. Let's take the simple addiction of smoking. Smoking does not bring any joy, but not smoking gives you pain, suffering, and problem.

How to get over it?

There are three things that you do to get over addictions:

Fear of disease: If doctor says, if you take one more peg of alcohol you will be dead.

Greed. If someone tempts ...you for something bigger. If you stop your addiction for a month you will get a million dollars.

Love for something higher.

I would prefer love over fear and greed. Love can elevate your body-mind complex and stop the craving. Having a bigger addiction - something that can intoxicate you. This is love for the creator, love for God or love for freedom. A higher ecstasy that you can find through meditation and pranayama.

[kkk]

2 hours ago, Henri said:

All addictions of this planet promise joy, but they never deliver. Let's take the simple addiction of smoking. Smoking does not bring any joy, but not smoking gives you pain, suffering, and problem.

How to get over it?

There are three things that you do to get over addictions:

Fear of disease: If doctor says, if you take one more peg of alcohol you will be dead.

Greed. If someone tempts ...you for something bigger. If you stop your addiction for a month you will get a million dollars.

Love for something higher.

I would prefer love over fear and greed. Love can elevate your body-mind complex and stop the craving. Having a bigger addiction - something that can intoxicate you. This is love for the creator, love for God or love for freedom. A higher ecstasy that you can find through meditation and pranayama.

Thanks, @Henri  

Now I will practice meditation more!

Actually ever sence first Leo's video about enlightenment a have been doing research about everything around this topic.  Not long ago I started meditation for 30min every day, till now didnt feel any gains, maybe I becomed a little more calm and peacefull.

At the same time I know persons who dont practice meditation or any consciosnes work, and they just dont have this kinds of problems. Basicly I got addicted to smoking by going out with my friends...we all smoked pretty much the same doses, but I was the only on who after time got addicted.

Now I heavent smoked 9 months. But anyways i feel that smoking is actualy not that bad habit, maybe i should test again how I feel when I m addicted to smoking  

Edited March 5, 2016 by kkk

[Kelley White]

19 hours ago, kkk said:

Maybe someone here had same problems, and have some advice how to deal with addictions generally?! 

P.S. I know that people with addiction problems generally have some deeper problems, and then they unconsciously try to cover up their eyes with all kinds of addictions. But problem is that I don't know where to look for solution. 

 Hi @kkk, Its nice to meet you, thank you for sharing. 

Addiction usually stems from childhood trauma.  Not always...but quite often.  You might begin looking in your childhood? 

Usually addiction is related to intense emotional pain. 

I am a recovering addict.  I used to smoke cigarettes, I stopped.   I used to be addicted to prescription opiates.  I've been clean now since 2009.

Balance is still a challenge

5 hours ago, Henri said:

All addictions of this planet promise joy, but they never deliver. Let's take the simple addiction of smoking. Smoking does not bring any joy, but not smoking gives you pain, suffering, and problem.

I have to agree with @Henri on this one.   For me?  Self inquiry helped me with many of my addictive behaviors before I knew the process was called self inquiry.   

For example with smoking? 

I made a conscious choice to bring into my awareness the impact smoking a cigarette was actually having on my body. 

I observed when someone was unkind to me or I was faced with a stressful event my reaction was to default to self harm.  Smoking.  

My next thought? "How odd." "Why do I hurt me in response to someone else hurting me?" 

I had this illusion it alleviated the suffering in the moment and than habituated the practice.   It became self comforting. Its then faulty causation and correlation but my brain feels stress, reacts, craves a cigarette, alleviate suffering.   (Like Pavlov's dog? )

Once I realized how the smoking actually made  my body feel?  I felt sick.  I no longer wanted it.  I was aware that the physical addiction was gone after three days.  I knew if I can make it 72 hours without one?  I had it beat physiologically.  The rest?  Its all in my head.  THAT?  I can change.

It was the same with opiates.   I kicked them originally because I knew if I kept doing what I was doing I was going to die.  It was literally that simple.  

I had to understand I was killing myself and desire to live. 

I realized what my addiction was doing to others I loved.  I felt tremendous remorse and attempted to make amends. 

Then I began to deal with why I was self medicating all the pain and avoiding it and begin sitting with some really uncomfortable feelings for awhile.

I personally suspect addictions are so challenging to kick because they mean sitting with feelings we've avoided and if allow all those feelings to surface at once?  That might feel even more unsafe.   Why I suspect its a process;  the feelings surface as you gain the tools to cope with them so you can continue to function.  A internal balance of healing and self preservation.   Not all resistance is negative, sometimes we are not afforded the luxury of feeling when survival is more critical.

When I first attempt a significant change related to addiction?  I expect a non linear process.  Addiction to substances, gambling, so many things, very high relapse rates even within 12 step groups.  There may be relapses.  Will you allow the relapse to be an excuse or will you get up and begin again?

Small daily steps focusing on a few items at a time until you attain mastery, new habits and can shift focus to  a different facet or aspect. 

Are you willing to do the self actualization work and deal with the traumas or issues that are the causation behind the addiction symptoms? 

Will you merely abstain and eventually just become addicted anew to either the same or a different substance/activity? 

I can only speak for myself but I am observing the self worth self love thing to be at the core of the addiction issue; a desire to make very intense daily pain subside for awhile.  Unfortunately, it just makes things worse which reinforces the original faulty self talk and negative logical consequences which continue a vicious cycle.

Mediation, music, self inquiry, self actualization research and exercises, creativity and artistic endeavors;  all these tools can assist with the process of observing the minds inner landscape to identify the roots of the core issues.

3 hours ago, kkk said:

Actually ever since first Leo's video about enlightenment a have been doing research about everything around this topic.  Not long ago I started meditation for 30min every day, till now didn't feel any gains, maybe I became a little more calm and peaceful.

Feelings are not facts.  It can take 20 to 30 days just to make something a habit.   It can take longer when dealing with core issues to feel paradigm shifts which lead to epiphanies for internal corrections which manifest outward lasting changes.

Be patient with and kind to yourself.  It actually sounds like you are doing a  great job and on the right path for you.  Best wishes and keep us posted on your progress.

[kkk]

OMG @Kelley White thanks for help and sharing 

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Addiction usually stems from childhood trauma.  Not always...but quite often.  You might begin looking in your childhood? 

Usually addiction is related to intense emotional pain. 

 

Did you have childhood trauma? If so then how did you look back so far back and recognized where it all started?  (self-inquiry?)

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Feelings are not facts.  It can take 20 to 30 days just to make something a habit.   It can take longer when dealing with core issues to feel paradigm shifts which lead to epiphanies for internal corrections which manifest outward lasting changes.

Since this quote 1h everyday it will be  

 

P.S. How its possible that Alan Watts could have a marrige, smoking, drinking problems? 

 

 

 

[Kelley White]

6 minutes ago, kkk said:

OMG @Kelley White thanks for help and sharing 

You are very welcome and thank you @kkk

7 minutes ago, kkk said:

P.S. How its possible that Alan Watts could have a marrige, smoking, drinking problems? 

I can only say as someone who is wholly comprised of flaws stitched together with good intentions; shit happens, we seek healing from  our inner demons, we achieve some epiphany and we attempt to point to others so they can step out of their individually self created cages?  Or I could be full of shit?  I'm not Alan watts, but just a guess.  Alan, like all of us, loved much because he was (self) forgiven much?  What do you think?

[kkk]

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I can only say as someone who is wholly comprised of flaws stitched together with good intentions; shit happens, we seek healing from  our inner demons, we achieve some epiphany and we attempt to point to others so they can step out of their individually self created cages?  Or I could be full of shit?  I'm not Alan watts, but just a guess.  Alan, like all of us, loved much because he was (self) forgiven much?  What do you think?

we seek healing from our inner demons?  I dont know  

Alan Watts was enlightened, teacher and he lived agaist his own teachings. Maybe he just couldnt wait till all this life shit will end   or maybe he just wanted to rest in peace...sorry if insulted some fans here

[Kelley White]

I Like Alan Watts and you aren't offending me. 

I like reading Bukowski... brilliant poet; I wouldn't want to live with him. Giggles.

On 3/5/2016 at 0:55 PM, kkk said:

Alan Watts was enlightened, teacher and he lived against his own teachings. Maybe he just couldn't wait till all this life shit will end   or maybe he just wanted to rest in peace...sorry if insulted some fans here

@kkk I found this:  I suspect he had a different outlook on substances than others.  I'm listening to it along with you, so I guess we will both figure out what he thinks?  LOL  I've never done Acid, I know lots of folks who have or do.  He does seem to have different notions about drugs.

 

[Richard Alpert]

excercise, video games, online poker, gambling, weed, porn, internet, nicotine, coffee

I have been addicted at least to those. Nowadays probably internet is the only one. But i still feel yoga, meditation, sports are still a lot of times method of trying to get "high". But arent we all looking pleasure or good feelings some way?

[Richard Alpert]

 

 

 

 

[Kelley White]

10 hours ago, Richard Alpert said:

But i still feel yoga, meditation, sports are still a lot of times method of trying to get "high". But arent we all looking pleasure or good feelings some way?

I think this is a great question to ask.  Thank you for asking it @Richard Alpert.  I am going to listen to your shared clips now.  Thank you.