I was addicted to arcades as a child, lotto tickets when I was 10-15, weed as a teen and alcohol as a young adult I feel like I am addicted to anything that give me any sort of endorphins. Is anyone else like that? And what should I do?
Youāve already done the hardest part and thatās admitting it. Now itās a matter of how you are going to stay clean and sober by developing a plan. It can include meetings, talking, and making life decisions.
I have tried it all⦠Iām just curious if anyone has found that they were addicted to things at a young age.
I didnāt realize it till I got older but yes addiction is a mental thing,
I started with baseball cards as a kid. Then it was BMX bikes. Video games pot, cocaine, pills, alcohol, guitars, card games.
Untreated addiction doesnāt go away, it just changes, you can quit one but youāll find a new substitute, I learned in treatment that I needed to find out how my brain worked and how to correct it
I do know that factors like child abuse, ptsd, severe stress etc can greatly increase how prone one is to attachment or dependenciesā¦! Otherwise, some people may also simply be more prone to developing addictions than others unfortunately and just need to be more aware and careful of that⦠Thinking about it, I too was extremely vulnerable to obsessions growing up, I mean there was always that thing or two dominating my mind, from extremely early on too, starting with notable ticks, but also materialistic things, before gradually moving onto more serious addiction dependencies (in my case so called āmaladaptive daydreamingā and masturbation) which stuck around and did a lot of damage! Movie binging/gaming had their phases too. And alcohol first came during my nervous breakdown a year and a bit ago (by which time I was fully aware of and trying my best to overcome my 2 longterm problems) when I started really using alcohol to socialize and numb anxiety and depression. Note that my obsessions became worse and more indulgent as I got older as an escape vent I grew to embrace and accept. I am totally aware mine was due to domestic abuse sadly
- but weāre all different, it could come down to a variety of different factors. All that matters is that youāre (weāre) conscious of it now and try to work through it in whichever way you personally can
Since weāre all unique, so too will our solutions be⦠But being mindful is the first necessity. Really get to know yourself and what is beneficial or harmful for you? Unfortunately, abstinence isnāt one easy fix - itās like anything you learn, and takes a little time and experience to come natural⦠Do you meditate? How mindful are you most of the day or of your attachments? Have you seen a psychologist/MH counselor? Iām sure many obsessions might be temporary and come and go on their own in a matter of months or years like some of mine, but some attachments/dependencies stick, and take a lot more love, care, time and commitment to work through or they wonāt just go on their own! And they can do so much damage before you do face and heal/fix them. It sucks, but Iāve been through and seen enough to finally recognize the inner vulnerability which I need to tackle to be in better control of my life.
I still have a lot of pent up stress from my overly stressful childhood - and without the subconscious, distracting addictions: that responsibility can be overwhelming. I need to learn to calm myself down⦠And master always being mindful (which can be a burden or tool depending on how you perceive consciousness)
Using your examples of lotto tickets and video games, everyone was āaddictedā to things as children. I was addicted to running around and playing with my friends. Riding bikes. Climbing trees. But I also fell in love with destructive behaviors as well. Like if you rubbed your pee pee a certain way, it would feel good. That became pretty fun. I was older than 5, but younger than 12; I donāt really remember the age so much. Started smoking cigarettes around 12/13. Drinking by 17.
Iām a passionate man too, everything at 100%, it was the same when I was a kid/teen with movies, videogames, musicā¦
I dont really know when passion becomes addiction, when passion is addiction, or when addiction is only passion
Iāve thought a lot about this very thing; obsession and addiction.
As a kid I was addicted to music and books, at one point collector cards, but definitely music. I would go to bed early just to listen to music and escape into my own mind even if i could stay up late.
Though I also went through abuse and disassociated from the world when young as well, so that could be part of it.
But I can see the tendencies in things from my youth.
So I started doing drugs at nine I was allready addicted to video games by the time I was 14 full blown pill and cocaine addict I have grown to say Iām just an addict in the truest sense when I went to rehab they asked whatās your doc I flat out told them all of them what ever I can get my hands on itās just the way it is
Iām very happy for you, and I appreciate your incite. Thank you. Pm please so I can know more.
Just find aomething positive to be addicted to. Exercise, volunteering, making art