Dependency / addiction
At this moment the amount of people developing a dependency or addiction is increasing head over heels. At the same time we tend to be in collective denial.
The time that genetic pre-disposition turned men into an alcoholic or a junkie seems far behind us. Everybody is susceptible to develop a dependency or addiction although adults and children with a sensitive and intuitive nature seem to be more vulnerable.
We live in a culture that encourages a compulsive, egoistic and selfish way of life. We live in the illusion that we can control life and we tend to desire this to the extreme. We are constantly being stimulated to search for fulfilment, happiness and material wealth outside our selves. This compulsive hunting for something outside our selves, projected into the future, is haunting us and creates anxiety, fear and emptiness.
By numbing our feelings, avoiding pain and frozen by fear for the unknown , (..."What will happen if I really start feeling the emptiness?"...) we compensate by compulsive working, drinking, shopping, eating, the internet, gambling, snorting, smoking, sex, etc.
Addiction is characterised by powerlessness, destruction, lack of control and a total obsession with a chemical substance ( alcohol/drugs), an activity ( gaming/gambling) or a relationship (sex/co-dependency). Addiction is always progressive.
Addiction and dependency influence us in a negative way on a physical, mental and spiritual level. We loose our humanity, our standards and values and the connection with our selves.
We can consider addiction and dependency as a state of spiritual emergency, which offers us a platform for transformation at the same time.
The moment we have the courage to admit our powerlessness over our dependency/addiction, is the starting point for our recovery!
On February 7th 2006 Lot was interviewed by Andries Knevel about addiction in the Dutch TV program The 11th hour. Click here to watch the interview.