Addiction

Addiction is a brain disorder characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences.

Despite the involvement of a number of psycho-social factors, a biological process – one, which is induced by repeated exposure to an addictive stimulus – is the core pathology that drives the development and maintenance of an addiction. The two properties that characterize all addictive stimuli is that they are reinforcing and intrinsically rewarding.

What is your addiction?

Food? Drugs? Coffee? Shoes? Television? Music? Sex? Clothing? Cars? Sports? Books? Porn? Internet? Travel? Children? Guns? Hair? Decorating? Art? Exercise? The list goes on and on.

What do you do everyday? What do you think about more than anything else? What do you crave?

Some addictions can be helpful like being a first responder or a medical caretaker. Some addictions can be harmful release of emotional expression or anger. There is always some rationale to explain why you want what you don’t need.

Personally I’ve had many of the aforementioned addictions. Some took a great deal of money and all took way too much time.

My addiction today is taking a daily ride to the Tummy Temple. I’ve convinced myself I must leave the warmth and shelter to follow a regular trail to the designated spot to lock up my pony and venture into humanity. Like so many other addictions I’ve forgiven, I could stop and go maybe once a week. I do have limited storage capabilities and weight requirements, but that is no excuse.

Could the daily 12-pack of beer be the addiction? Many other bad habits can be avoided by limited contact with suppliers, but obtaining food for maintenance is fairly essential. Could I do without?

Some days (very few due to inclement weather) I am stuck at home. Do I desire the beer? Did I foresee the weather reports and stock up to relieve the wanton stress of being captured? Could I stop tomorrow?

Money is not the problem (thought the prices keep going up and the beverage is thinning out to mostly water… which is also expensive) and availability is endless. My addiction is more of a habit than a desire to get buzzed. Like so many addictions, the refrain of “May I have another?” goes unheard thus causing the pain.

I do have another addiction. Breathing.