Everyone is an Adict

Addictions.

You are thinking drugs and alcohol, right?

But we all have them. Some are obvious, and some are well-hidden. Here are some lesser-recognized addictions: Addicted to approval. Addicted to exercise. Addicted to being well-liked. Addicted to progress. Addicted to success. Addicted to self-blame. Addicted to others-blame. Addicted to convincing yourself you are OK. Addicted to cleaning. Addicted to shopping, spending money, or even SAVING money. Addicted to niceness. Addicted to emotionally hiding. Addicted to being the funny one. Or the serious one. Or the studious one. Or the ___ one. Addicted to video games. computer games. ipod games. Facebook. Blogging...

How can you tell what yours are? What things (or relationships, attitudes, ways of living)... that when you have to go without them, it really UNDOES you. Creates a ton of anxiety for you.

Do you have bad withdrawal headaches when you don't have your morning brew? Your body is addicted to caffeine.

Can you NOT STOP thinking about it, when you think you might have upset someone and you don't hear back from them? You are addicted to approval.

You get the idea. These addictions cause the same physical process in the brain, no matter what the addiction is.

In our counseling program, we don't have a whole course dedicated to addictions, but I've been reading a book called Addiction & Grace by Gerald May. I haven't agreed with everything he has said, but he has given a phenomenal account of how addiction works in the brain (I have always been fascinated by biology)... and moreso, had tremendous insight about what addiction does to a person's spiritual life.

In the coming few days, I hope to post some of his thoughts. Drink them in.

And along with them, think about your addictions. Name them. (And if you think "I'm not addicted to anything," ask Him to open your eyes so you can see!) Naming is the first step to being free from them.