Psalms 103: 2-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits; who forgives all our iniquities and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from destruction who crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagles.
Whether we are wishing to change our lifestyles or stay status quo in where we are in our lives, addiction is often a part of our current habits or ones we would like to be different.
We often point the finger at “drug and alcohol” as the most common addictions and can be very critical of anyone caught in these vices.
However, when we face the truth, we all have our avenues that we “go to” when we are feeling stressed or needing some “help” to deal with things in our lives that are not comfortable or that feel out of our control.
They can be food, work, sex, shopping, working out, smoking, pot, pills, approval, alcohol, video games, social media, u-tube and constant entertainment, . . . and the list goes on.
We group them by “acceptability” from society’s outlook to our own standards and morals. However, the bottom line is that they are all ways that we chose to cope with things in our lives that are not what or how we want them to be.
I am not engaging in any attempt to pass judgement on anyone or to say what they use or feel about this entire issue is right or wrong. I am only speaking from personal experience, both of my own “issues” with food and approval and the exposure to loved ones and friends who have dealt with almost every type of “vice” / “addiction” listed. I simply feel that I would like to somehow bring some hope and encouragement for individuals either “caught” in “habits” / “addictions” that are unwanted or have loved ones that are being controlled by something that is effecting both them and us. If we could look “inside of them”, we would find a small child struggling with “acceptance” from others and from themselves. They are longing for love – to feel wanted and needed, important to someone and to contribute to “others” or society in a positive way.
My perspective also came from a very dear “man of God” who shared with me during a very difficult time – that they need is a lot of love. He was a very wise, loving minister who explained to me, a long time ago, that what my son needed was a lot of love. He was acting out and giving me a lot of trouble, and with everything I shared with him, asking how to deal with it – his answer was the same, “What he needs is a lot of love”.
Now many years later as I’ve watched him struggle with addiction and spend time in and out of jail – that the same thing is true – I keep hearing the wise man of God’s voice; “He needs a lot of love”.
I realize that each time he came out of jail, a little more life was taken away. He got lower and lower and seemed more defeated each round. It became harder and harder for him to get back up and try to get back on his feet. He just struggled and kept getting caught in a vicious cycle. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel – and this time it’s not a freight train!
I come from two perspectives. One with suggestions for ways to make the changes desired and adapt them to our many different issues. The other is to find ways to look at and understand where the ones we care about (or simply have in our lives) are, in a more compassionate way, and thereby extend a hand of hope and encouragement, or simply to step away and offer a prayer when we feel we cannot or choose not to be a part of their lives or situations. I am in no way a “professional” nor do I claim to have all or maybe any of the answers that you want or need. What I do have is my own personal experience and a heart for others who are caught in situations that they feel they have no control over and do not understand the way out of. I only want to bring encouragement, hope and peace to each person involved. May God bless you and I pray you find something that helps along the way.