Our addictions are characterized by a strong dependence on an addictive substance or behavior. We become reliant on our drug of choice, and we form a strong emotional attachment to it. We feel as though we need it to function, to cope, even to survive. There are many different ways in which we actually exacerbate this dependence, rather than working to alleviate it. Our recovery is all about figuring out how we’re worsening our dependence issues, how we’re subconsciously reinforcing our addictive patterns, and how we’re strengthening the hold our addictions have over us.
We’re Fueling Our Dependence With Our Thoughts and Feelings
Sometimes we’re exacerbating our dependence on our drug of choice without realizing it. We’re doing things unconsciously that are creating a stronger attachment to, and reliance, on our drug of choice. Every time we tell ourselves we need our drug of choice, every time we tell ourselves we can’t live without it, every time we verbalize our neediness and dependence, we’re reinforcing it. We’re creating energy of need. We convince ourselves we need our drug of choice to take the edge off, to numb our difficult emotions, to escape our harsh realities. We tell ourselves we need it to cope with the stress of our daily lives. We come to believe that we need our drug of choice, and this belief, along with our biochemical dependence, creates a reliance that’s hard to shed. We’re manifesting even stronger addictive patterns because of the beliefs we’ve created for ourselves.
We’re Not Cultivating Emotional Independence
When we feed our addictive dependence, we aren’t cultivating our emotional independence. We aren’t figuring out how to feel strong, self-assured and confident within ourselves, without an external crutch to help us. We aren’t learning how to love, accept and appreciate ourselves. We’re using a substance or behavior to provide us with the sense of validation and affirmation we crave, rather than building ourselves up from within. We’re neglecting the internal healing work we need to do in order to recover.
We Can Unlearn Our Dependence
We can help ourselves dismantle this strong sense of attachment, reliance, and dependence. We can begin to look at our addictions differently and speak about them differently. We can look at ourselves differently as well. We can begin to tell ourselves that we are powerful, independent, and capable of healing ourselves. We can develop new beliefs around our self-worth, our strengths, and our capabilities. We can affirm to ourselves that we can in fact cope with life, and with our emotions, on our own.
Are you ready to take the first step on your journey to recovery?
Call The Guest House today! 855-483-7800.
theguesthouseocala.com
3230 Northeast 55th Avenue Silver Springs, FL 34488