How do you convince your brain to try new things to replace the addiction?

Addicted to masturbation, youtube, and probably games as well. Been fighting and failing for the past couple years but is starting to make small progress. I’ve noticed that the reason i’m addicted to those things is because they give me positive feelings when there are negative moments like boredom, loneliness, life kinda sucking even if a little, ect. But I just couldn’t get the motivation to try doing hobbies and other things during those negative moments to replace those addiction.

Anyone can explain or have a metaphor to explain this to me?

3 Likes

You are onto something there…nice!! Yes, for me it was that same realization that I was using xyz (cigarettes, cocaine, sugar, alcohol, blah blah blah) to either numb or avoid feelings and emotions…which is avoiding my self.

Feeling antsy? Drink or shop. Feeling out of sorts? Eat something or drink. Stressed? Drink or whatever. You get that dopamine hit and woohoo! Then after awhile it is habit or you need more for the hit or you just chase it.

So…for me, not simply replacing a negative with a positive was important to recognize. I work on being okay with my feelings…not avoid or push them away. Recognizing and naming them as they arrive, maybe a Hey, I recognize you sadness! We have been here before and made it thru. Good to see you. Why are you here? Oh, I see why, that makes sense. Thank you for caring for me. See you later.

For me, I had to learn emotions won’t kill me, it was okay to feel them, not avoid them.

Meditation has been helpful for me. Witnessing my thoughts helps me witness my emotions.

So I started small with mindfulness and meditation and built from there.

As with everything, practice helps build a stronger you. :heart:

Love your post BTW!

8 Likes

Accepting your negative feelings, wonder why I haven’t thought of that. Thanks for your help kind stranger :smiley:

4 Likes

We GOTTA get comfortable with being bored lonelY and yes life will suck sometimes.
WE HAVE TO BE OK WITH SITTING IN OUR STUFF otherwise we are just replacing one bad habit addiction with another.

At least this has worked for me hope this helps some👍

4 Likes

Sassy that is an amazing explanation thanks IL deffo be more mindful of this for sure now I’ve read it .xxx

1 Like