What Is an Addiction? Do We All Have It? Part 1
Welcome, my name is Doug Truppe, and I am an artist representative for commercial photographers and directors in the global market. Our mission is to empower, elevate and foster a sense of community for those employed in the advertising industry. Focusing on mental health, our hope is to provide a forum and backdrop to discuss and share the challenges our industry is facing in a fast paced ever changing global economy. Concentrating on one’s well-being with the expertise of a mental health practitioner, Gabriel Most LCSW, RN, come join us as we explore and discuss managing mental health in the advertising industry. Ultimately, we are here to provide helpful resources and offer a friendly voice in challenging times.
-Part 1 of 2-
Please join us as we address various issues and mental health challenges on a weekly basis creating a forum for communication and solutions with experts in advertising and mental health. In this week’s special 2 Part Series, join Doug Truppe and Gabriel Most, LCSW, RN for Part 1 of What Is An Addiction? Do We All Have It? Together we’ll explore what is an addiction and what one can do to manage it.
The definition of an addiction is described as:
A behavior or act such as gambling, drinking, shopping or sexing which we are trying to manage or stop entirely and yet, we are UNABLE to…
Despite negative experiences like Hangovers, DUI’s, Foreclosures, Bankruptcies, Divorces and STD’s, we are still unable to walk away from, stop or manage the behaviors that created these serious problems to begin with…
This is often seen as the addictive cycle:
“I want to stop (Online shopping or Pornography websites) yet despite all the negative consequences I simply am unable to.”
In deciding if we have an addiction, it is first necessary to ask ourselves the question of:
Do I Even Have an Addiction?
We all have different perceptions and responses to what feels like an out-of-control addiction and what feels like a manageable behavior, pastime, hobby or indulgence. Examples of this might include:
“Buying one Hermes scarf felt wonderful and I worked hard for it. It was when I charged all four scarves to my account, (one in each color) that I recognized something else was going on here and I needed to stop it.”
“When I couldn’t pry my hands off my lucky slot machine in Vegas, I knew I was now going through family money earmarked for my kids summer camp; It felt like I couldn’t stop, I had a problem.”
Here Are Four Questions You Can Ask Yourself to Clarify Where You Stand:
1. Do you frequently feel remorse, guilt, depression and or frustration about your behavior after engaging in it? Have you tried to manage how often you engage in your behavior but find that you cannot?
2. Are you neglecting your family, friends or spouse to find more time to engage in the behaviors you are trying to stop?
3. Have you missed out on or damaged work relationships because of your behaviors?
4. Have you told yourself that you can quit the behavior but find that you simply cannot despite wanting to?
If you answered yes to any of these questions it does not mean you are an addict, but it might be worth reflecting on this behavior and questioning whether it feels like a manageable behavior, pastime, hobby, indulgence or addictive behavior that needs to be removed from your life.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on how you manage indulgent behaviors and how you decide if they are addictive in nature or not.
Gabriel Most LCSW, RN www.GMostTherapy.com
Contact me to share your stories: hello@dougtruppe.com
Please stay tuned for Part 2 of this series, What Is an Addiction. Do We All Have It?
