How to get rid of unpopular and non-physical addictions?
They say “Addiction is living in a body that fights to survive but with a mind which tries to die”. Yes! We all have some addictions which ruin our life, at least partially, if not completely.
There are several addictions. But we often think of just drugs, smoking and alcoholism. However, there are other unpopular, silent, non-physical addictions that might affect us as much as to addictions which are mentioned above. Internet, social media, adult content, gaming and eating disorders can also cause an adverse impact on our mental and physical health when done excessively.
In this article, we shall see those addictions which silently kill us from the inside and how to overcome them for good. When we try to identify the causes, there are many. Among the most notable are distraction, shallow religious education, the role of peers, idleness and acts according to our whims and desires.
Open up
To get rid of addictions, talk to whom you trust and at the same time whom you can get regular constructive feedback.
For example, you cannot go to your dad and open up casually about your addiction to adult content. It will severely backfire as most dads are Gen X or boomers who hardly understand how to deal with millennial problems. You get upset, probably even depressed and go back to your harmful routine to relieve the stress.
Don’t be alone
We all have our ‘me time’ but make sure that you are not alone where you have fear of losing your integrity. You should be surrounded by people who are near and dear to you. Their presence should make you feel confident, comforting and forget your addictive thoughts. This helps overcome addictions about adult content and self-indulgence.
Even if you are an introvert, keep yourself accompanied by the closest friends or relatives circle you have around. For instance, watch movies in theaters with your friends. Basically, your outdoor recreational activities must be shared with people you’re comfortable to hang out with.
This way, the positive vibes linger on with you even after going back to your routine life. You will think twice before falling back on your addictive activities.
Become congruent
There’s a principle called Cognitive Dissonance. It happens when you perceive something that sends two conflicting messages. When this happens, it messes your brain up because you can’t tell what is true and what is false.
Here’s an example: You were taught that overeating is bad for health but if you keep binge-eating, you find immense pleasure even after knowing its ill effects. In the end, you feel guilty after consumption but you try to justify it again and again letting it become a vicious cycle.
Two conflicting messages are like weeds for your mental state. If not destroyed, they grow and screw up your mind. So, eliminate negative thoughts like that when you think of them and let positive thoughts flow. This is also why dependence on such harmful activities is painful.
Plunge in the thick of things
Make yourself productive, get involved in your priorities and keep a schedule to meet your goals and daily tasks. No! you aren’t going to draft timetables as if you are preparing for competitive exams. Just enough instructions to remind yourself about the tasks for the day/week so that you don’t get lost. In this way, you avoid needless distractions.
Exercising
Start exercising regularly. Exercising increases your mitochondria – yes those powerhouses of cells if you remember. More mitochondria mean more energy & stamina. Exercise is also the best way to release dopamine at healthy levels. This will regulate your mood with positive energy instead of some addictions which fill your brains with negative dopamine energy making you feel guilty.
Reduce your virtual time
Most of us want to feel validated with our quotes, experiences, feelings and gyans. But all this isn’t necessary if we have better work to do. If you’re baited or tempted to respond to a provoking statement or post, how much you control and not giving damn is what determines your peace of mind.
Remember! your time is too valuable, your destiny is too great, your assignment is too important to get baited into battles that don’t matter. Keep track of the time you spend on phones and gadgets. Your Hour app is an excellent tool to use your phone only when you need it.
Substitute your idle time with hobbies
Some of you must have lost interest in your hobbies since your adolescent days. Maybe you had deviated and become wayward in your aims. Maybe you have forgotten how it’s like to have a hobby because of all the internet digital life which has confined our interests only to binge-watch series and scroll our phones endlessly losing sight of time.
Perhaps, this is the best time to rekindle your passions and enthusiasm to reignite that inborn flame. It need not be the same old hobby though, it can be a brand new interest which you’ve picked recently. This will also tackle addictions like excessive gaming.
Therapy
Therapy is generally recommended for people who are addicted to alcoholism and other substance abuse. But therapy can also be just as effective for unpopular non-physical addictions. Take overeating disorders for example, they are mostly related to depression symptoms. So, overcoming this is a difficult task which you aren’t going to do alone.
Self-therapy is possible through prayers, meditation and sticking to principles either of your religion or ideology. This will reinforce our conscience and make us focus on good practices, hygiene and activities.
To conclude, getting rid of addictions shouldn’t be a fight, rather it should be a steady weaning process which is achieved through eliminating distractions, destructive habits, improper time management and lack of religious principles emphasizing morality. Good luck!
