angussdundee
01-25-2009, 11:17 AM
Substitute compulsions can often lead us straight back to our original compulsion - alcohol.
It was only when I entered into AA and started to listen to what was actualy being said about this disease that I realised that alcoholics / addicts are compulsive. In other words, our addictions are obsessive attempts to help us to get rid of our bad or uncomfortable feelings. The problem is that the good feelings gained by this compulsive behaviour are temporary and they fade very quickly and so this produces the need to repeat the compulsions over and over and over to try to re-create the good feelings again and again.
Even well into sobriety we must continue to watch out for this compulsive behaviour as it can often lead us to self destruction.
These are the things that I started to overdo before it was drawn to my attention that I might be 'substituting my original compulsion' without even realising it - excessive spending bouts, overeating, heavier smoking and that included pot in the begining, gambling, promiscuous behaviour, over working, etc, etc, etc..... do any of these sound familiar to you ???
If you should find yourself overdoing any of the above you may want to ask yourself if, it might not be better having a one to one with your sponsor, councillor or spiritual advisor about the inner feelings that are prompting you to act in this compulsive way again.
constant vigilance will ensure that we're not tying to 'substitute compulsions'........ ;)
God help us all,
Anguss.
It was only when I entered into AA and started to listen to what was actualy being said about this disease that I realised that alcoholics / addicts are compulsive. In other words, our addictions are obsessive attempts to help us to get rid of our bad or uncomfortable feelings. The problem is that the good feelings gained by this compulsive behaviour are temporary and they fade very quickly and so this produces the need to repeat the compulsions over and over and over to try to re-create the good feelings again and again.
Even well into sobriety we must continue to watch out for this compulsive behaviour as it can often lead us to self destruction.
These are the things that I started to overdo before it was drawn to my attention that I might be 'substituting my original compulsion' without even realising it - excessive spending bouts, overeating, heavier smoking and that included pot in the begining, gambling, promiscuous behaviour, over working, etc, etc, etc..... do any of these sound familiar to you ???
If you should find yourself overdoing any of the above you may want to ask yourself if, it might not be better having a one to one with your sponsor, councillor or spiritual advisor about the inner feelings that are prompting you to act in this compulsive way again.
constant vigilance will ensure that we're not tying to 'substitute compulsions'........ ;)
God help us all,
Anguss.