The Forums › Forums › What is it? › Addictions › Food/Sex/Excercise to self medicate › Re: Food/Sex/Excercise to self medicate
There is a lot in what you are sharing AliD that resonate with me, and most ADDers. Which is why what you’re reading is resonating with you.
First of all though, congratulations for becoming a member and sharing.
Funny how down we are on ourselves. I’m still going there with surprising regularity despite the fact that it doesn’t help.
We are all doing the best we can.
When we know better, we do better.
Which is why the reading you are doing on the site is already lessening the need for a drink or whatever. The more you understand about what’s going on, and are able to take apart and understand your particular flavour, the more power you have.
Just knowing is powerful. Then experimenting with different tools and strategies is interesting. Some stuff will work gangbusters. Some things don’t make a difference at all. A
nd though I understand you not wanting to depend on anything to feel good, there is also the idea of choosing things that are healthy and effective and protective of yourself…
exercise, eating better, yes, even medication if that’s needed for a while to level the playing field.
It’s early days, be open to learning more, keep looking at how it’s showed up in your life in the past, and see the patterns.
And trust me, just seeing patterns starts to have them fall away and lose their power.
“No wonder I do that. It’s exciting. And I crave excitement.”
Don’t dismiss any tool or ‘treatment’ until you really understand what it can do, and what it can’t.
Keep learning, do the research, and demand proof that something is effective. It’s so frustrating to try things that turn out to be bogus.
On the other hand, the placebo effect is real, and if you feel something is working, and it’s not harmful or illegal, stick with it.
And welcome!
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