What is the Key to living a healthy life? What are the next steps can we take to move beyond the limitations we have often allowed to define us? How can Spirituality become a part of this process? The words, “Just get well,” sound so easy yet is difficult for many of us living with some form of addiction disease which can go beyond substances to include eating, relationships…and even sex.
Is there such a thing as an addictive personality that is more prone to addiction to alcohol, drugs, other substances and even relationships that hold us back from achieving our dreams and life goals?
Yes! Addiction includes yet goes farther than substance. It can include that “crazy kinda’ love.”
The word addiction has been used loosely as a part of our lexicon such as; “I’m so addicted to the Bad-boy lover…I’m so addicted to sweets…She’s addicted to parties…. On the other hand, someone with addictions may be in denial. Or their family and friends may ignore obvious signs as a form of denial. At this point, you may be thinking of past relationships that did not work out right in your-life-plan, or a certain substance that you may consider an important part of your lifestyle. Or you may be asking yourself what the signs of “real addiction” are.
What is true addiction?
According to Medical News Today:
Addiction is a chronic brain disorder, and not merely a behavioral problem or simply the result of taking the wrong choices, according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), which has given addiction a new and long definition. … But the disease is about brains, not drugs.
Different diseases have and display different symptoms. This standard applies to addiction.
What defines disease? According to Merriam Webster:
Disease. 1: a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms: sickness, malady infectious diseases a rare genetic disease heart disease.
If you recognized, have addressed, and are successfully living beyond-your-addictions, you may be asking yourself this important question, “What is my next step?”
Here are four Tips for you that are also Keys to Living Life to the fullest. They were shared with the audience on the Kat Kanavos VIDEO Podcast aired LIVE and is posted for your viewing pleasure at the bottom of this V-article for your viewing pleasure. The Expert Healing Panelists and authors are Dr. Jane Galloway, Jim Phillips, Dr. Rev. Denise Alexander Pyle, and Scott Phillips.
Tips to Live a Healthy and Fulfilled Life.
- Jane Galloway– “Keep moving in life. Don’t get stuck on the bridge [between sickness and health]. Understand that a wellness model of recovery is a sustainable life-long psych-spiritual path and that defining yourself by illness is not a holistic path or wellness model. So, I would say, ‘Get off the bridge!’”
- Rev. Denise Alexander-Pyle-“I would share a quote from Dr. Carl Jung that really reflects healing and love of yourself which says, ‘ Healing comes from that which leads a patient beyond himself and beyond his entanglement with ego.’ Get beyond yourself and connect with your inner-truth.”
- Scott Stevens– “This is a quote that has been a part of every book I’ve written, ‘What causes problems is one.’ And, when you’re looking at your life and experiences…that get you in trouble, that should be a sign to you, a ‘nudge from the judge’ or life. You have to take it seriously and look deep in the places we don’t want to look to see what caused the problem and arrive at the conclusion that causes the problem.”
- Jim Phillips– “The Tip I would share is something I do every morning as I take my walk because I want to set the tone for the day, and I believe this is all about coming to our own truth. I ask, ‘What is required of me to allow that which I am to be experienced and expressed through me and as me?’ And then I wait for the response during the course of the day.”
Please enjoy the Kat Kanavos Show Expert Healing Panel posted here for your viewing enjoyment:
Resources:
- Is There Such A Thing As An Addictive Personality? – Twin .., https://twinlakesrecoverycenter.com/is-there-such-a-thing-as-an-addictive-person
- Addiction Has A New Definition – It Is A Disease, Not Just .., https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232841.php Medical News Today
- Disease | Definition Of Disease By Merriam-webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disease
Kathleen, I loved reading your post. Additional thoughts – Addiction encompasses all aspects of ones life, often without the person even realizing it – this includes Emotions. As a Counselor, I have come across a very tricky “addiction” – Love. This has many facets, but when Love takes over one’s emotions & life completely, it can be very controlling causing relationships to deteriorate – when emotions override logic, the rational brain is ill prepared to correct the surge of emotion, resulting in impaired judgment. Among different addictions, Love addiction is just as real, in terms of its behavior patterns & brain mechanisms – it is a positive addiction.The sooner we embrace what brain science is telling us & use this information to upgrade the concept of addiction, the better we’ll understand ourselves & others who revel in the ecstasy and struggle with the sorrow of this profoundly powerful, natural, positive addiction:Romantic Love.