All around the world people struggle with their addictions. It's common sense that an addiction is a bad thing for you, and you really should quit.
But as we're about to show you, there is more to that, than the common sense version of addiction. We've collected some information about addictions and bring you the ultimate guideline on how you should perceive and deal with your addictions.
Addiction - Can It Be A Positive Thing?
1 . Defining Addiction
Addiction definition Dictionary.com: “(noun) the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.”
Addictions we all have them, and with this definition our article title is simply answered!
Common sense says being and addict it's a bad thing for us. People get hooked on any kind of stuff like gambling, drugs, alcohol, sex, gaming, speed, shopping, exercise, food, etc. And most of this things will destroy your life if you abuse them, that means... if you are an addict to them!
But, don't we know some things that consist of a "psychologically or physically habit-forming" that are good for us? Sure!
- For instances running, people who love to run and do it every single day, can it harm you? Yes, because any form of exercise it's a form of agression to your body, but in the long run it will have huge health benefits, so in it's real essence, can this be a good addiction?
- People who are addicted to being nice all the time? How can this be bad??
There's got to be more to the addiction definition than what common sense tells us!
Other day we came across with this book from William Glaser called "Positive Addiction (1976)" where the author defines this type of addiction as something that: "strengthen us and make our lives more satisfying".
So, after all an addiction can be a good thing for you, those that make you stronger and that satisfy you. Ultimately not any addiction can provides us with both things. That's why you have understand the different kinds of addiction that exist.
2. Types of Addiction
The tip here is to analyze addictions by subdividing them into types to see where they stand as strength and satisfaction are concerned:
A. Doesn't strengthens you , doesn't satisfies you
No / No - something that doesn't makes you stronger nor satisfies you.
When you are so addicted that you are no more in control, you do it because you can't stop.
Any bad addiction can do this to you, when you gamble just to pay back what you owe, it doesn't give no rush anymore (no satisfaction) and you feel devastated because you're getting brooked and brooked, but you can't stop - the worst type of addiction. You can't focus on anything, you just do it because it's an old habit you're enslave to - Slavery Addiction
B. Doesn't strengthens you, satisfies you
No / Yes - something that doesn't makes you stronger but that satisfies you. An addiction that gives you immediate pleasure but that doesn't give any contribution for your inner growth, it makes you weaker and fragile on the long run. This is a common place for many people, it's the common addiction, people who drink to much, drink because it gives them a good feeling in the moment. They forget all problems when they sip, and they sip non stop. But when they sober up, all problems are there again, they feel miserable about it and they go drink again. You are focusing on the moment, on the instant pleasure it gives you, regardless of the future - Pleasure Addiction
C. Strengthens you, doesn't satisfies you
Yes / No - something that makes you stronger but doesn't satisfies you. Any addiction you do thinking on the prize, but that you simply don't enjoy doing, you feel miserable doing it. But you still do it and can stop because it's rewarding. People who work 9 to 5 on a job that they don't like, they won't quit because they need the money, but they simply hate what they do, yet they won't stop it. You are focusing on the prize exclusively, regardless of enjoying the moment - Prize Addiction
D. Strengthens you, satisfies you
Yes / Yes - something that makes you stronger and that satisfies you.
An addiction that you do thinking on the final prize and you enjoy doing in the present. Exercising can do this to people who practice their favorite sport, you love soccer, you play with your friends at any given chance, you feel great at the moment and it will make your body & mind stronger with time. - You are focusing on the moment and on the future at the same time - Greatness Addiction
For the matter, there are addictions that are just bad for you no matter how we look at it. Things that destroy your body cannot be positive no matter the point of view. Although, not any addiction destroys you, it all depends on the way it strengths and satisfies you.
I can say gambling and people can be right way negative towards it. I can talk about work as an addiction and people get mixed feelings. We can discuss exercise and people will tend to say it's a positive addiction right way. But things aren't just that simple. Remember it has to strength you and satisfy you too, so you can call it a positive addiction. So let's take a close look at those 3 activities we mentioned and see how it can depend on those 2 characteristics indispensable for a positive addiction:
Gambling:
- A type No/No - Slavery Addiction: you just gamble to pay old depths that excessive gambling provoked. You don't get pleasure in it, and you don't get the money either. You can't stop doing it though because you think you will repay it somehow.
- B type No/Yes - Pleasure Addiction: you gamble because of the rush and excitement betting gives you. You rarely win though, your pockets are getting empty but you love the feeling of placing a bet.
- C type Yes/No - Prize Addiction: you gamble with the eyes on the prize only, you feel no rush or excitement in it. It's something you have to do to get easy money. You feel miserable doing it but you enjoy the wealth it's gave you.
- D type Yes/Yes - Greatness Addiction: you gamble and you're being strategic about it. This gives you the immediate rush, but also the long term pleasure, because you get the results you want. You don't gamble just for the feeling, you have a purpose and any betting you do is calculated.
Work:
- A type No/No - Slavery Addiction: you don't love your work nor you get the money you should or the promotions. You still do it though because it's the only thing you know, and quitting it's a mirage.
- B type No/Yes - Pleasure Addiction: you like what you do at work but you don't get the money you want or the career progression you deserve. Your love for it gets you stuck and gets you lazy about looking for a better work.
- C type Yes/No - Prize Addiction: you just work for a salary, a big one. You don't care what you do, in fact you hate it, but who cares? As long as you get the money. Your hooked to it because of the money, and you can't quit because you don't have any other work that pays you that much.
- D type Yes/Yes - Greatness Addiction: you love what you do and you get the recognition money and career wise. You can't stop working because you love it and results that make your life better are always next door.
Exercise:
- A type No/No - Slavery Addiction: you don't like doing it because it hurts you, your body doesn't gets healthier because you don't know what you're doing. Soon as you get healed from injury you go at it again, but no results, just the same old cycle. Exercising it's a myth stuck in your head.
- B type No/Yes - Pleasure Addiction: you just love the exercise activity you do, but you're not getting the results you desire. This is know as "plateau": you do the same exercise that gave results in the past, because back then your body had to adapt, but now the body needs something different or else it will remain the same, instead you are stuck in the old routine you love to do, but no results.
- C type Yes/No - Prize Addiction: you simply hate exercising, but you feel you have to do it because it gave you a wonderful body. You sacrifice yourself for the results. You talk bad about exercise all the time, but ultimately you end up doing it like it's a martyr kind of thing, you have to "suffer" for a greater cause.
- D type Yes/Yes - Greatness Addiction: you love exercising, you are growing with it, your body and mind are getting stronger and stronger. You have pleasure in doing and your health status is very good because you're getting the results you want.
3. Choose Your Addictions Type
(don't let Addictions type choose you)
Clearly your choice should pend to the type of addictions that are positive, those that strengthen and satisfy you.
This could sound like preaching and morality issues. But it really isn't, here's why:
- When you're doing what you love and you're getting stronger and stronger you are the ultimate achiever.
- The things you do give you the results you want.
- In fact, an abundance of the results you want.
- So this way more than doing the old lame correct thing.
- You are doing the type of things that will get you the ultimate reward and getting happy while doing it.
- So, keep on keeping on, there's no pain and no sacrifice, it's only pleasure and joy, you are becoming more and more the best you can possibly be.
The notion of being addict can be one of the best things in the world, if you choose the positive addiction type, that leads to Greatness.
Not only you'll be getting the immediate pleasure and results, but you're addict to it, witch means you'll be doing it more and more, without stop because it's extremely rewarding. You become an addict, but an addict to Greatness!
Be GREAT!
Follow us on:
Follow us!