When we think of addictions the first thing that can come to mind is drugs and drinking. However people are addicted to many things such as controlling people, procrastinating, over-eating, interrupting people, pleasing others, taking people's time etc..
Ask yourself what do you get from your addictions and what price do you pay?
- Controlling or manipulating people may give you a sense of power but it may also limit your freedom and create an underlying loneliness.
- Procrastinating may bide you more time but it can also create a loop of guilt.
- Overeating may fill a void and give you a sense of comfort but it may also create overwhelming shame.
- Interrupting people may give you the upper hand in a conversation but it also prevents you from listening to other people's truth and create a sense of alienation.
- Pleasing people may give you satisfaction but it may create resentment and lack of responsibility for your own feelings and needs
- Taking people's time may support your needs but it may create avoidance of taking responsibility.
There are lots of other addictions that I have not mentioned above.
Notice what you are addicted to and ask yourself: "what are you gaining and what are you sacrificing"?
If you are unsure, look at areas in your life where you are still suffering, creating pain, doubting yourself, staying in a state of fear or lack or judgment.
I offer therapies for all kinds of trauma, whether its childhood experiences, fears, abandonment, depression, rejection, neglect, phobias, control, fatigue, stress or overwhelm.
It is safe for us to feel all our emotions, we just get programmed in our life journey to thinking and believing that feeling or expressing them is wrong or bad, so we suppress some emotions usually from an early age and choose addictions as a way to avoid what is really present.
Life is to be lived and you have the power to create new choices in each and every moment. You can decide to examine your ways and make healthy changes or you can keep letting it cost you
The choice as always, is yours
Love Jennifer
Zen with Jen Bangor
International clients, Online and in Person therapies
