The Way to Overcome Addictions

Today, the number of addictions and addicts is growing 


fast. It seems that today human beings can become addicts 


of almost anything: credit cards, eating, drinking, sweets, 


lust, smoking, alcohol, relationships, television, the internet 


and computer games, football,earning money, spending


money, power, work, arguing, war.

In some ways, this shows the presence of an inner void 


(emptiness) that people try to fill with external things. While 


a person becomes an addict to any of the above aspects, 


their willpower is gradually weakened. And if one does not 


realize what is happening or does not put a stop to it, it is 


possible to fall into a spiraling series of automatic and 


compulsive actions that gradually limits our freedom to

decide what we want to do with our lives, causing a loss of

self-esteem and a state of depression, anxiety and 


dependency and most importantly our own health.


The origin of many addictions is due to a desperate need to


solve a problem or a spiritual need (which may be a lack of


respect, love,peace, attention, consideration) of a 


materialist form.

Here are a few examples:

In a cigarette: one looks for peace, calm and relaxation.

In alcohol: one looks for confidence, determination and 


security.

In sugar and chocolate: one looks for love, sweetness and


tenderness.

In coffee and tea: one looks for energy and inner strength.


In order to change an addiction, we need to work out what 


need lies behind this addiction. What is the spiritual desire 


that we are trying to satisfy?


If we smoke for relaxation (by smoking we breathe deeply


and this relaxes us), perhaps what we really need is peace 


of mind. Any doctor will tell you that mental peace cannot 


be found in a cigarette. On the contrary, instead of calming


your stress, it makes you more irritable and nervous, 


especially when going through withdrawal symptoms. We 


can learn to find  relaxation and peace through meditation 


and will not have the need to smoke.



The same applies to all the other qualities that we need to 


experience in our lives so that we feel satisfied and happy: 


it is in our inner self where we can turn to discover what we 


need. Although our mind often asks for visible and material 


things, its needs are deeper and nothing superficial can 


satisfy it. Meditation leads us to what is genuine and 


eternal to understand ourselves & thus our strengths.