Gone Too Far

How do you know if you’re in the midst of a crisis connected to addiction? With all the recent attention given to celebrities whose lives are in extreme turmoil – to the point of being institutionalized (Britney), arrested (Paris, Lindsay, Mischa, Heather) and tragically overdosing (DJ AM) – it’s not an uncommon occurrence. And it’s not just celebrities…

We have all hit crisis points in our lives. And in looking back we always ask why it happened and if we could have avoided it. And did addiction play a roll? Here’s some insight on what to be aware of.

Spiritually speaking
Did you know that addiction comes from a spiritual source? An addiction is a repetitive pattern in a person’s behavior which has a physical manifestation (like taking drugs) but stems from a spiritual malady. There is an overwhelmingly powerful drive to escape the emotions of the present. And, it’s not as if you have to be a drug addict to have experienced this desire. Let’s face it, most of us have used substances more than we should have, spent a little too long in Vegas or we just happen to have enough ice-cream in the fridge to feed a nation. But when it’s taking over your peace of mind, it’s a problem.

Are you addicted?
Easy, just try to stop doing it. Don’t binge eat for a few weeks. Decide to just have a soft drink at the bar for a month. Put your credit cards in the freezer for a billing cycle or two. If it’s no big deal, then great! Most people go through semi-addictive behaviors but they don’t stay for any length of time. But, if you are counting the days till you can eat that gallon of ice cream (in one sitting!) you might have a problem. It’s the mental obsession of distraction that is the real test. Regardless of whether or not you can white knuckle it through a period of time, the obsession of the mind will be unbearable.

Reality vs. fantasy
Addiction is about staying unconscious. That’s why recovery is about coming into consciousness. Awareness is like a bright light shining in your face in the middle of the night. You can try to roll over and forget it, but you can’t get to sleep as deeply as you did before. Just know that hope is always just a click away! Simply throw your behavior into an Internet search engine and you’ll have a support group faster than you can say Google! Coming into consciousness isn’t for the weak. You’re going to need all the help you can get.

Take heart, many people live their whole lives in a state of semi-sleep and never get a wake up call that’s loud enough for them to seek full consciousness. Whether or not you have experienced addiction, giving yourself over to healing slides you into the slipstream of conscious existence. Let life in and get ready, being present is the sweetest thing on earth.