Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. -- Matthew 11:28

What is Addiction?

An addiction is a compulsive physiological need for something -- something to survive. People are usually addicted to a specific substance, such as alcohol, cocaine, speed, or food. But people can also be addicted to activities, like sex, gambling, work, destructive relationships, religiosity, achievement and materialism (shopping). These substances or activities never satisfy because they don't deal with the real issue. We don't need all these things - we can live without them just fine. With addiction, a real need is getting a false solution based on deceitful desires.

Curing addictions requires a return to sensitivity and humility. Addicted people must admit their powerless and their need for God and others, as well as soften their heart toward those they have injured. They must also realize their deceitful desires. Addictions are not real desire. They are substitutes for some other need of the real self. An essential step in the healing of addiction is finding out the real need being masked by the deceitful desire. One of these real needs is attachment and bonding to others. This is addressed in the 12-Step program.

One woman put it this way, "I remember the first time I chose to call someone instead of eat. I could feel the strong pull toward the refrigerator (Satan), but I interpreted that as pull toward love. So I called someone in my group. After going over to her house and feeling some real affection, some warmth, I wasn't hungry anymore. Since that time, I've learned to do that more and more. I'm finding out it's not really food I want ... it's love."

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