Clear Thinking About Addictions
The
drive for life achievement can be
subverted by addictions. Addictions can be viewed as actions (state) and behaviors (trait) that you do
or allow to happen that make you in the short term feel good and give you an
illusion of life achievements without achievement
of real objectives. In
addition, addictions have one or more of the following three characteristics (as
for example in the case of drug abuse and dependence): 1. they have detrimental health consequences, 2.
they lead to missed opportunities in life, by taking up attention, energy, time
and money that could be used instead for productive pursuits, and 3. they create
social and legal problems. As such, addictions impinge upon and thwart real life achievements. While in thrall of the addictive product, the addicts are happy
about their life, despite where they are in their life, and hopeful for the
future as they know they can become happy again with the next addictive product
dose. However, when not under the influence of the addictive product, the
addicts realize what a mess their life might in fact be, and how hopeless their
future might become, day by day. In vulnerable people, such a state can lead to
depression and suicidal thoughts. That is why addicts become physiologically
and psychologically dependent, and seek their next addictive product dose- to
avoid this withdrawal discomfort/pain/aversion, and to get pleasure again.
It is to be noted however, that the
majority of dependencies are positive, enhance your life, and are not
addictions. You are dependent on things necessary to live, such as oxygen,
water, food, clothing and shelter, and so no. It is only the dependencies on
addictive products, which diminish your life, that are pernicious.
