Breaking Addictions - How to Break an Addiction

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Breaking Addictions

By: David Korn

Addictions can be one of the hardest things to break. Over the years, I’ve come to understand addictions better. Our minds always need input. It is very hard for us to just sit and do nothing. Of course, this would be of benefit for the meditators who know what they are doing. But, for us common folk, it makes sense as to why addictions occur due to our engaging minds.

Addictions usually start as a result of an emotional need. We find ways to satisfy our desires, needs, and time with different activities. The activity that gives us the most reward can be a candidate for addiction. We realize that this particular activity satisfies us in not just one way, but in many different ways. Therefore, we become addicted to this activity.

There is an old saying that “To break an addiction, start a new addiction.” While this seems to be true, many people misunderstand the meaning of this statement. The real meaning behind this statement is to satisfy your needs in another way. You have to realize the reasons why you are addicted to a particular activity. Once you examine your thoughts and emotions, you will see how they are causing your behaviors.

The next step is to slowly cut back on the amount of time you spend on the addiction. It may be next to impossible and unreasonable to totally give something up, unless it causes harm. Therefore, it is best to reduce the activity slowly over time. Start to get involved in a variety of activities to replace the time you spent on the addictive one. Once you engage in a different amount of activities, your needs will be met in many different ways.