Astonishing Secrets of Addictions.

I consistently keep on seeing multiple posts along the lines of “PMO Addiction is the devil’s work”, “I wish I didn’t have this addiction” etc etc.

Many of us, myself included, just notice what the addiction is doing to us.

But have we noticed what our addiction is doing for us?

At the age of 14, I fell into this labyrinth of an addiction. Two years, for two long years I cried about my urges, why I fell into this trap and why has God cursed me, just a teenager, with this seemingly insurmountable problem.

Many of us still feel the same way. But is it really torture? Is this really a curse?

When I was 15 and unaware of my addiction, I was a very shy and unambitious kid. I was that guy whoalways used to hide in the shadows, my courage lost somewhere deep within me.
I would get bullied, wasn’t popular at all with the girls. I couldn’t even speak with girls.

One time, my friend offered me 10 bucks just to fucking say Hi to my crush who was sitting just in the next row.
I couldn’t even do that. Fuck the 10 bucks, but what matters is if I couldn’t even say Hi due to the fear of discomfort, this will also fall into other parts of my life and I would live all my life hiding in the shadows.

So, why the hell am I telling you all this? What’s the difference between TO and FOR?

I’ll tell you.

When I truly committed to overcoming this addiction, I realised I do not have to win over my urges. My addiction is only the sign of a shitty lifestyle that I was living, it was not the cause of it.

I repeat, our addiction is the symptom of our shitty life, not the other way around.

Once I realised this, I immediately started working on improving my lifestyle, or the addiction would take my life over (see Ted Bundy’s last interview)

I went from being overweight at 20% Body fat to dropping and maintaining it at 10% body fat with lean muscle. I went from being paralysed by anxiety and not being able to say just one word to girls, to asking out girls then and there if I found them pretty. I went from an unambitious guy to establishing my first business even before I am of legal age to do so.
I went from hiding in the shadows to confronting my shame and publicly declaring that I was addicted and needed help.

I am not saying this to brag.

I am saying this because, without my addiction, I never would have done those things. I never would have managed the drive to do such things.

My addiction made me better. It gets me closer to my true self.

So, I ask you, What has your addiction done for you?

It's about time to change the way we perceive addiction.

It’s our ticket, a god-sent personal, lifetime guide to becoming our best selves.

Do not hate it.

Listen to it, and get to a point where you no longer need it to guide you.

You decide whether it’s a godsend or a devil’s curse.

It's up to you.

See you on the other side.


References: The Gift of our Compulsions - Mary O Malley. Highly recommended

 

I agree with you all to an extent. But, IMO, if not for my addiction, I wouldn’t have realised that I was heading down the wrong path in my life.

Our addictions are an indicator of our lifestyles, signalling constantly that we aren’t living upto our potential.

Addiction, in and of itself, doesn’t necessarily mean good or bad. What matters is the context. What you do regarding your addiction, that’s what matters.

Again, there’s always the dichotomy.

What I wanted to really convey is to be grateful for your addiction, since it made you realise that you have a major problem.

Realise it, and act against it.