Addiction

[caressa]

The term "addiction" is used in many contexts to describe an obsession, compulsion, or excessive physical dependence or psychological dependence, such as: drug addiction, crime, alcoholism, compulsive overeating, problem gambling, computer addiction, pornography, etc.

In medical terminology, an addiction is a state in which the body relies on a substance for normal functioning and develops physical dependence, as in drug addiction. When the drug or substance on which someone is dependent is suddenly removed, it will cause withdrawal, a characteristic set of signs and symptoms. Addiction is generally associated with increased drug tolerance. In physiological terms, addiction is not necessarily associated with substance abuse since this form of addiction can result from using medication as prescribed by a doctor.

However, common usage of the term addiction has spread to include psychological dependence. In this context, the term is used in drug addiction and substance abuse problems, but also refers to behaviors that are not generally recognized by the medical community as problems of addiction, such as compulsive overeating.

The term addiction is also sometimes applied to compulsions that are not substance-related, such as problem gambling and computer addiction. In these kinds of common usages, the term addiction is used to describe a recurring compulsion by an individual to engage in some specific activity, despite harmful consequences to the individual's health, mental state or social life.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addiction

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[caressa]

I have always known I was an addict. I never questioned that, my denial was about my alcoholism. I think it was a mental block because I didn't want to wear a label that I had put on my dad and my ex-husband.

For me, it has always been some is good, more is better. Finding that happy middle which they call balance has always been difficult. Without the 12 Step Program of Recovery, I would have no balance in my life. The greatest gift I have received is my sense of self and the ability to see when my life is out of balance and the tools to bring it back into being.

[caressa]

Last night I was looking at my day doing a Step 10 an overview of what was happening in my life. I looked at all the things going on in my day and had the thought again, "I am the busiest person doing nothing I know."

I have ten James Patterson books to read. Once I find an author I like, I look for and sometimes order into the library, everything he/she writes. The Australian Open is on. I love my tennis and am trying to make time to watch it. Last week it was a Curling Skins game. The Howard team that won play in the Coldwater Arena and that is the Village were I lived at one time and was our going into civilization, when we lived on the farm. My grandfather, my uncles and my father helped build the main street. Sorry, I got off topic.

I am trying to format my sites in Multiply. Some of them have been in existance for a long time and pictures have expired (the dreaded white box with the red X) and some of the links are no longer available. I have this site and Recovery Inn that I go to regularly to share. This is my home group when I can't get out to meetings. I did have members at the old sites but not that many posted, mainly one faithful follower who shared at Jo's Kitchen, The Angel of Health and The Eagle and the Wolf. She held the fort when my computer was down. They had been neglected by me due to health issues the past year. The little time I could spend on the computer I spent here.

This afternoon I was asked to work for a fellow volunteer from 1-4 p.m. at CAP. I gave it the wrong name on another post. It is Computer Access Program although it is only for adults and children are not allowed. It is my job to help anyone if they have a problem. It is a bit like the blind leading the blind because I am not much on the techie side, more on the creative side and what you can do rather than how you do it.

I am also a reality show lover and like to watch American Idol, America's Next Top Model, Dancing with the Stars, So you think you can dance, etc. Canadian Next Top Model is starting this month. I play bridge every Friday and every other Tuesday if my feet will allow me to put on my boots to go. I can call another friend to play on other nights if I choose. The one I try to make is party night on the third Saturday of the month.

I came to realize that I can still get caught up in 'busy' and life is full and all that isn't about doing housework or cooking, going to the market or the library two of my favorite things to do. I am not a shopper. Unless I need something, I seldom just go to the store to look around. At first I thought I didn't like it, but the reality of it is I don't want to look if I am not going to buy. Someone of it is I can't afford it but the meat and potatoes of it is I don't 'need' it. That is one addiction I don't have although I am partial to Nevada Tickets. They were out of control and now I only allow myself $3. to spend. On an affluent day, I may go for $5. I have seen too many people in recovery become addicted to gambling. I had to let an AA sponsor go because she was back acting out in her disease. I had a problem too. I was spending more money than I was winning and leaving myself short and found myself borrowing at the end of the month, robbing Peter to pay Paul and as we know, that doesn't work. That is what I did when I was using.

On top of all this, I have been looking at my own ACoA issues and reading old posts in that section and in AA, NA, Al-Anon and Nar-Anon because of my son's using. His life is pretty unmanageable at the moment and it spills into mine when I allow it or when he tramples and disregards my boundaries. I am so grateful for this site and all the help it has given me.

Thanks for letting me share.

[caressa222]

Not as busy as I was back then. I didn't get a James Patterson, but came home with two express books. One is from Tess Gerritsen's I Know A Secret and the other is from Catherine Coulter, Enigma which I still haven't figure out whether I have read it or not.

A woman in laundry offered me a book, a true life story, where a mother was badly burnt as well as her 5 children. Just the thought of it makes me cringe. I told her I would rather read my books on murder an mayhem. It could be because I was burnt and in the hospital when I was 18 month old and our house was struck by lightning when I was 5. It was a definite "No" when she said there were pictures.