When the word addiction is mentioned, most people start thinking of physical addiction whether it is smoking, drugs, alcohol, or physical abuse.
Addiction is more serious than that. People may get addicted to a thought or a behavior, and after a period of time this thought may develop into a fantasy. When a fantasy is formed, it becomes fixated in the mind and thus manifest in the pattern of behavior. Then it becomes an attitude accompanying every act and behavior of the individual associated with it.
If we offer a hungry person a piece of cheese to satisfy his hunger for a period of 5 years on daily basis, when this person is hungry again, nothing will satisfy his hunger but a piece of cheese because it is built in his system. Even if he eats anything else, he will not be totally satisfied but with cheese.
So can we imagine what happens to an individual who is raised with a childhood fantasy growing within him.
Addiction in a form of thought is dangerous because it gives the feeling of secrecy. A secret that is always enjoyed while alone in his own world that is not shared with anyone else; this is why it makes a person introvert (unsocial).
The side effect of fantasies on human behavior is hazardous because it leaves in the individual a feeling of guilt, betrayal and blockage when any alternative thought and act is presented. Thus this person becomes mentally and behaviorally handicapped because he is imprisoned by this addiction.
It is hard to overcome such addiction but it is not impossible.
It only takes a decision and a consistent alteration of pattern of behavior for a reasonable period of time to arise from such addiction.
Be sincere in your decision of quitting by doing everything that is against the addiction of this thought or fantasy.
When you feel you are acting weird or having the feeling of blockage, betrayal and guilt then it means you are on the right track.
It means that your addictive self is indicating that you need to stop your betrayal for its survival which is fading eventually and having the last side effects of its withdrawal from your system which is in this case the mind.
Dana Arnaout
