Addiction, Change, and Relationships
Anybody that has matured past grade school eventually comes to the inevitable conclusion that change is simply a part of life. Growth cannot happen without change. The thing to keep in mind though is change cannot occur without pain.
Many refer to this process as “growing pains.” The pain people feel when making change is the price they must pay for growth. It is important to understand this in order to overcome any addiction or unwanted behavior.
Addiction can be defined as the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming. In the case of folks with obesity eating unhealthy foods and large portion sizes is the addictive habit.
Food is the most difficult addiction to overcome because human culture depends on it. It is a normal part of society to convene over food. We celebrate holidays with food and family. We comfort and mourn our losses through food. We socialize over food. Essentially there is no escaping a food addiction, only managing it.
By this I mean unlike any other drug or substance, we cannot quit eating. We depend on food to survive. For this reason, we must effectively manage our expectations when dealing with food addiction. We must understand that cravings never really go away.
Cravings are a lifelong phenomenon. They can only be managed, seeing as they never disappear. Therefore we recommend finding a health professional to work with. It is nearly impossible to overcome addiction alone.
While a health professional can help start the recovery process, the long-term healing happens only through community. It can only be done through the power of love and healthy relationships. Community, family, and friendship are an addict’s ultimate long-term medication. Everything else is temporary. The relationships we foster are the only thing that can help us sustain any sort of change.
Relationships are what make life worth living. It is impossible to overcome any addiction without healthy and fulfilling relationships. Relationships give us the authentic joy we seek from our addictions. Invest your energy into meaningful relationships and watch your addiction loosen its grasp over you.