They say an addict will always stay an addict. Do you think that's true? I'm almost a year clean and to stay clean I feel I've replaced my addiction with another one, the Internet! I think it's okey, because atleast I'm clean from drugs. What is your opinion about this? Will an addict always be replacing one addiction with another?
Actually, yes I think this is true. Some people just have an addictive personality. Even if it's not drugs... It's always something. I have an addictive personality, all my life I've been addicted to things. When I was a teenager I started with drugs. I've spent a small part of my life addicted to pretty much every drug there is. Even drugs you're not supposed to be able to get addicted to... like, pot because it's not physically addictive and MDMA (ecstasy) because it's supposed to loose its effect after consecutive uses, which I've found to be untrue if you increase the doasge. Which, is a horrible idea and is dangerous... very, very dangerous. But, even when it's not drugs it's something. A new TV show, a book series or pretty much anything. It's always something and go crazy without it until I move on to something new.
I don't know if it is true or not. I hope that it's not, I don't want to replace my addiction with any other one. I want to completely kill this addictive personality, state of mind, or whatever the hell this is.
Instead of killing it, try training it and make it an advantage! http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7812/addictive-personality-how-i-made-it-my-healthiest-trait.html
Of course not. This is an interesting concept although I'm not sure it'll work in most cases. I find completely killing the addiction way easier than 'training' it which should really be called finding a way to cope with it. Will give the article a read though, thanks for providing it.
It's more about training an addictive personality than a certain addiction. Like, focusing on a healthy habit rather than a dangerous one.
I believe it is true but if you are replacing it with something that is less harmful like the internet then you are better off then using drugs. The internet is just a temporary replacement. Overtime and the longer you are clean you will realize that you don't need a replacement. You have control. Congratulations on getting clean!
It is probably true, that most people who were addicted to something will change to something else, but there are certainly healthier ones than killing yourself with drugs. I mean, exercise is one that many people fall into as a way of breaking a habit, but it becomes their new obesession. However, most would view that as a positive addiction. Even religion, prayer might be an addiction for some, but it is sure better than putting a needle in your arm.
I think if your addiction is healthy why not? If what your replacing a harmful habit with something good, how can that be bad? On the other hand, internet addiction might not be good for you depending on what your doing there. If your addicted to social media or porn that can be bad for you. There are people who are addicted to healthy lifestyles and used this to replace drug habits.
Addictive behavior doesn't just spring up out of nowhere. Sadly, the precursors that get us into our first addiction are often still there, in some form or another, once we've "gotten over" that addiction. Therefore, other habit forming impulses will usually surface at some point in the future. I think a big part of recovery is recognizing the tell-tale signs that another addiction is forming, and somehow nipping it in the bud.....
I don't believe that at all. That is unacceptable statement and it is rather cynical if you ask me. We want addicts to stay clean and you always hear people talking about how they wish some person can quit and change his life. On the other hand we have this statement that an addict will always be an addict. If this has to be the truth I would go with a suggestion that those addicts become addicted to love and start love somebody.
I see, that makes more sense. More or less focusing on finding and then making a habit out of something healthy. The article was good although I must say that doesn't always work. If we're talking about addictive personalities (which I still don't completely know what you mean by this) then maybe yes, but the first step already is hard: taking action. Hm...
This is not necessarily true. Maybe you are feeling this way because you may be harbouring fears about your past addiction. I wonder if you are doing yourself justice by stating that you are addicted to the internet because you were previously addicted to something else. Many people gravitate to this source because it impacts every aspect of everyday life so if you have become addicted to the internet, it would probably be because of its usefulness.
It's better to be addicted to the Internet than to drugs my darling. If you are like me and really smart and internet savy, you could actually make some good money while your on the internet and make the addiction into a positive influence.
Yes, you're absolutely right... it is much easier said than done. Addiction is a terribly difficult thing to overcome, especially drug addiction.
I think that is pretty common that people tend to reemplace addictions, ands especially if it was a hard one. But I'm not sure if this is the same with everyone, I don't tink so. For example, I've heard that a lot of people who aren't using drugs anymore, starting to smoking in order to cope with the anxiety, and it's true that cigarretes are not that "hard" as other drugs, but it's still dangerous. I'm glad that you're doing better now!
Too much of anything is never a good thing. I believe there is a "hole in the soul" that makes a person over do or over use. There is a lack of satisfaction on the inside. Unless you deal with those feelings, you will have the potential to relapse, substitute, or find a new addiction all together. The disease of addiction IS a mental illness (a disease of the brain), BUT I believe unsolved emotional issues and that "hole" that you keep wanting to fill will make you continue to try to fill it with something.
I think it may just depend on the person, but I can certainly see how this would be a problem for someone. Once you get rid of your addiction then you have to fill the void and end up replacing it with another type of addiction. Although, it may not be one that is harmful to you. I am not sure if this would be considered good though.
I guess so, I mean I did replace my other addictions with lesser evils... mostly food addiction aka emotional eating. Pus other things, I guess. But mostly compulsive eating. So I really can't talk and say: hey that is not true. Because in my case my issues continued, but morphed into something else.
That's a huge misconception. No two substance abusers are alike. Some are more resilient than others and there are those who are far more vulnerable compared to other substance abusers. Each one of them goes through a different experience. They have different reasons for taking a substance and none of them is beyond redemption. Everyone can be saved. That's how I see it.