Awareness of the pattern

To give up any addiction successfully you do not have to abstain from the object of your addiction. In other words the first step in giving up any addiction (contrary to popular belief) is not about abstaining from the food when full, the drink or drugs, gambling etc. 

The first step in to be AWARE of your pattern of behaviour. 

That means you become aware of when the craving kicks in, and you become aware of your thoughts drifting towards indulging in the object of your addiction. You reach out for the glass of wine. You catch yourself arranging to have that cheesecake even though you are physically full. You reach for the cigarette or vape. This awareness then needs to be extended as it were, you need to be aware of how you are doing emotionally at that specific time the craving kicks in. In this awareness of how you feel emotionally comes the  ability to actually find an alternative means of coping with that emotional dilemma other than just suppressing / numbing it with food when full, drink etc.

So in simple easy to follow terms:

Forget about forced denial of the object of your addiction.

Focus on becoming aware of when you crave the object of your addiction and check in with how you are doing emotionally

Pinpoint the emotional dilemma - Ah yes this is what I am dealing with, this is how I am feeling.

Actually know that you can find a solution to this dilemma and that that indulging in your addiction is only numbing it.

Ask yourself: Given the fact this is how I feel emotionally and this is what I am 'running away from' through my addiction, I now am wiling to face up to, feel and heal this issue for good. So Given the fact I feel this way what would I like to do now? Follow up on any healthy inner promptings of action to take. This is your inner guidance helping steer you away from addiction

Through taking your focus from depriving yourself of your dysfunctional coping mechanism you are focusing on healing the root cause of you needing a coping mechanism of any sort in the first place.

This involves healing trauma and in the healing of trauma the tendency towards addiction diminishes and / or disappears


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Integration

There is something about having healed a situation or trauma that empowers you.  Maybe you suffered from some abuse for example, a tone of voice or a manner that a parent had that triggers you to this day. If your spouse or a shop assistant or friend even, displays this same behaviour it can be very upsetting for you if you have not healed that original culprit. You may drink or overeat to numb the issue and carry on allowing that person to behave that way, you carry on being around that person never calling out that behaviour that may be rude or abusive to whatever degree. Either way you are  stuck in that situation with that person until you heal the original culprit, the parental behaviour that was your first experience or wounding of that kind.  So through giving up eating when full, drink etc and allowing yourself to be fully aware of how that behaviour makes you feel, if you feel it is abusive or rude or overstepping boundaries and even you may be dismissive of it a...
Read more

London

 At the end of another London trip I look back at the memories, sights, experiences and teachings with relish: Form the train to Richmond I see a large fox sitting on the sloping embankment staring towards the trains and I think of the ability to adapt to one's surroundings. The wild fox adapting to city life and thriving, after all, it really takes something to be able to live in London rent free. This tame landscape, moulded and shaped by human hand throughout the centuries. Beautiful iconic statues, fountains and buildings on lay lines of great power. Harrods, Fortnam and Mason etc. The lovely Indian family on the bus to Crouch End. The father answering his daughter's questions with kindness and genuine interest. The mother beaming with love for her child. My heart expanded witnessing such parental love. Again they adapted to being parents and devoting time and energy to their offspring. In contrast I moved train carriages when a father on the tube was trying to control his ...
Read more