Overcoming AddictionSample

Identifying Your Own Addiction

Maybe you’re asking yourself: Where do I go from here?

Addiction comes with both good and bad news. Confused? Read on.

The bad news is that we are all addicted to something. Yep, everyone’s addicted to something. Everyone’s looking to fill an empty space that can only be filled by God. Left to ourselves and to our efforts, we’d all be left feeling empty and lacking. The bad news in a nutshell? It’s impossible for you to find complete peace and wholeness on your own.

But, despite the bad news, the good news is really good. God has given us Jesus Christ. Through Christ, God has weakened the grip of all our addictions. And as we recognize what Jesus has done for us, our addictions gradually lose their power with the help of the Holy Spirit. The first step in this process is recognizing our own addictions.

Here are some questions to help you recognize patterns of addiction:

1. What situations cause me to be uncomfortable?
   • This is the trigger that causes feelings of discomfort or stress. These situations lead us to seek out our addictions to make us feel better.
2. What emotions or feelings are the most uncomfortable for me to sit with?
   • The role of the addiction and your addiction object would be to soothe this discomfort. We each have certain feelings that scare us or make us feel exposed to more potential hurt. We want to soothe it and get immediate relief ASAP. Our addiction object is our quick fix.
3. What wrong decisions would I like to hit a rewind button and do all over again?
   • These are our addiction objects. They could be substance use, temper tantrum, gossiping, lying, people-pleasing, porn, sex, isolation, work, controlling behavior, verbal manipulation, gambling, exercise, eating, and so many more.
4. What would a godly perspective of this situation look like, or what would God say to me to help me?
   • This helps us step back and evaluate the situation knowing God is in control, loves us, and has a loving purpose for the situation in our life. He will also provide peace, soothing, relief from our burden, and power over temptation.

Recognizing concrete addiction objects are easy. Uncovering behavioral addiction objects can be a bit trickier. Through intentional self-reflection, using these tips will help you see God’s loving purpose while accessing His deep healing for your life.