Addict

I believe addiction to extend beyond the clinical terms of

'dopamine', 'reward', 'cycle', 'pattern', 'habit' & the like.

I stand by the proposition of it being a chronic disease, as

you would view any other illness, of which warrants the

dignity, respect, consideration, acknowledgement, and

treatment as per any other health condition.

Terms of 'weak' & 'choice' perpetuate the notion & stigma that

addicts are 'less than', and do not warrant the common

courtesy of being a part of the human condition and of

being human.

Addiction deserves to be viewed in a holistic, multi - faceted approach; with it's factors,

components, triggers, and mental health as part of a

bigger picture of an individual’s entire life experience.

The key concept in viewing and treating addiction should incorporate a person's underlying / core issues.

What perpetuates the behaviour?

What relief & purpose does it bring?

From what pain and anguish is the person medicating against?

I firmly state that addiction is not a singular clinical terminology, nor a deficit of character, personality, or willpower.

I believe it to be a remedy for whatever is missing (real or perceived) within a person.

The common themes?

Love. Connection. Relief. Humanity.

To be human.

In the duality of being an integral part of the human experience, to be a valued and included member of society as a whole and within a person’s societal community of choice.

To experience all aspects of being human: the emotions, the roles, and the diversity and complexity.

Being human can be messy, painful, and unpredictable for us all.

Throw into the mix trauma, mental illness, stress, and difficulty in emotional regulation, and then maladaptive coping mechanisms and patterns form.

We are all doing our best being human.

Trying to deal with life and whatever that entails for us.

We all seek relief, comfort, and peace: in a multitude of ways.

For some, what once started as remedy and medicine, has become addiction, in whatever form that may take.

(Behavioural - Gambling, Substances & Alcohol)

To be human is complex.

Addiction is complex.

Addiction is to be viewed holistically, broadly in scope, and with the basic kindness and compassion of that which is the human condition.

#Addiction #MentalHealth #BPD #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #personalitydisorder #PTSD #PTSD #CPTSD #ADHD #Trauma #Abuse #narcissistic #narcissist #Recovery #Addict #AddictionRecovery #Healing #heal #Depression #Anxiety #OCD

#Addiction #AddictionRecovery #Recovery #MentalHealth #Sobriety #narcoticsanonymous #smartrecovery #Addict #recoveringaddict

I loved this when I came across it.
I often feel as though I font get enough praise/acknowledgement etc for getting out of bed choosing to be NICE today even haha. I was #bulimic and #anorexic from the time I was 14-30. :/ ... I engaged in those feelings for 5 years.. ITS A BIG DEAL. #people act like " just get it together" " yoy shouldn't have done it in the first place" yoy realize every F-ING day is a struggle for me right. With food... should I puke. Should I not eat today. AND #Depression AND #Anxiety AND #BPD AND #OCD
I SEE YOU, good for you for waking up today ! Good for you 👍 it is a big deal being you, you are important, if you dont have it in you to be YOUR OWN CHEER LEADER I can do it for you right now
GOOD JOB!!! IM PROUD OF YOU AND I MEAN IT
( ITS EASIER FOR ME TO praise others, see there effort and gifts and the good in them then it is to acknowledge my own)

After my mother decided to take her own life, I desperately wanted to understand.
Like a detective, I pieced together all of her final moments. Restlessly obsessing night after night over questions without answers.
As I became aware I was slipping into a dark place, I embraced it for my desire to understand my mother’s suicide was greater than any other desire I had.

Finally one day, I got it.
I completely understood why a person would choose to take their own life, because I was now at that point.
An alcoholic, a gambling addict, depressed, anxious, alone and on the verge of a mental breakdown, I was drowning in my own misery.
I had to spend the years retracing my steps to find peace once again.

Until you’re engulfed by the darkness, you will never understand.
If you don’t understand, be grateful that you don’t. Make your peace, let it go.
Don’t chase your loved one down the dark rabbit hole!

#Suicide #SuicidalThoughts #Depression #mentalhealthawareness #Depression #Anxiety #alcoholic #Addict

The labels that we attach to ourselves often confine us to that reality.

Instead of saying I’m an alcoholic say, I am a non drinker and proud of it.
One label is a position of weakness and one label is strength

#alcoholic #Depression #Anxiety #Suicide #Addiction #Addict