“Addiction is a persistent, compulsive, dependence on a behavior or substance, despite on going negative consequence.” (131) I think that the books definition of addiction is a great way to start this blog off. Addiction is definitely something that everyone can relate too. Reading about the 5 steps really awoke something in me where I took a step back to analyze some of my behaviors and the behaviors of the people around me. Obsession is a habit that is easy to fall into when you have goals to achieve. It’s something that I wanted to make sure I didn’t slide into while focusing on my health aspect for this class. Knowing that yes, I want to work out, I want to eat mainly wholesome and healthy foods, but I also don’t want it to consume me.
While I feel that anyone can struggle with an addiction, the book talks about how people with low self esteem, risk takers, and people who have poor coping skills are more likely to experience addiction (133). The social learning theory “proposes that people learn behaviors by watching role models-parents, caregivers, and significant others” (133). Thanks to the lovely social media, I think this type of learning is happening more and more. It’s easier for men and women to compare themselves to the people they see behind a screen. When I set the goal for this semester of working out regularly and eating my first thought was how will my body look at the end of this compared to the start. Taking pictures and comparing them to the fitness influences on Instagram. But quickly coming back to earth reminding myself it should be what is on the inside that matters.
Addictive behaviors are behaviors that are mood altering. Truly, when I read the compulsive buying disorder I was like oh shit. Do I really think I am, no. But can I relate to how retail therapy can put me into a better mood? Yes. I think addictive behaviors are a more common type of addiction and one that everyone has once felt. Technology addiction… We all have that one friend that just WONT PUT THE PHONE DOWN!!! But, for our generation we forget to live in the moment. We spend more time watching our experiences through our phone.
In regards to my health aspect, I can relate to the exercise addiction. I have struggled with an exercise addiction before. When I set my mind to something, I want to achieve it. Starting in high school when I convinced myself that if I was small enough, I’d be a better athlete. One thing lead to another, and I soon became sick. Luckily I recovered from that time in my life, but I can sometimes see those patterns happening today. I just remind myself that progress over perfection, always.
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