Addiction

You can be addicted to a lot of things.  When you hear about addictions, most people think of being addicted to something harmful or bad for you.  Things like drugs or alcohol.  In reality though, you can be addicted to just about anything, even things that on the surface could be considered positive or helpful.

I have, on occasion, felt like I might have a bit of an addictive personality trait.  Take for instance my current desire to get my weight down to a healthy level.  On the surface, that would appear to be a good thing, and in the long run it is.  However, I have become obsessed with weighing myself to track my progress.  Usually, I weigh myself first thing in the morning, every morning.  As if weighing myself every day wasn't bad enough, I often find myself weighing myself a couple times in the evening to get a feel of how my day went.  It's insane.

My latest obsession if relatively minor.  The good thing is that it isn't something that is physically addicting like drugs, alcohol, or smoking.  When you start those using those things, you start out for the feeling you get from them.  Unfortunately, the body starts to crave those things and they become a physical need.  When you try to get off of them you can suffer from withdrawal symptoms.  Sometimes the withdrawal can be as bad as the habit.  I once went through really bad headaches when I tried to cut back on caffeine.

Obviously, physical addiction is a horrible thing to go through.  However, perhaps more insidious, are addictions that creep into your mind and reside there.  One such addiction would be addiction to pornographic materials.  It is an addiction that can strike just about anybody.  Last year, I read the story of Christian Contemporary Music Artist Clay Crosse and his wife and how they rebuilt their marriage after Clay confessed his addiction to pornography.  It was a very moving story and proof that porn addiction can strike anybody.

Crosse's story was one that I could relate to.  Like Crosse, I was exposed to pornography at an early age.  At first, it made me feel good.  Eventually, I found myself wanting to view it more and more and wanting to see more intense scenes.  I actually even went to a therapist about it.  She helped me see that I tended to be drawn to it during times when I felt depressed or overly stressed.  Recognizing those cues and learning to take other actions to divert myself away from those things is an ongoing process.

I do not know what the overall porn addiction statistics are, but I am sure they are significant. There is no question that addictions can be an awful thing to go through.  Keep in mind that if you even suspect that you have any kind of addiction, you are not alone.  There is plenty of help out there to help you so do not hesitate to reach out and find the help you need.