What is an Addiction Really?!

Addiction Is a Vice

Originally the word "vice" meant any sin. In modern English, the word "vice" is used to mean an addiction. See the article, What is a Vice?, link below.

What Is a Vice?

In both cases, that makes a vice anything we primarily use to seek happiness apart from the Divine. Why? Because the only way to experience true happiness is by receiving, believing, and living in Love, Truth, and Virtue—and the only source of these is He Who Is Love, Truth, and Virtue: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit.

An addiction or vice is something we think we need to be “happy” (to feel peace, joy, contentment, or fulfillment) that is not God Himself. When we turn to these substitutes, we try to fill our souls with what cannot satisfy. We become ignorant of Who Love, Truth, Virtue, Peace, and Joy really is. We end up “looking for Love"—and Truth, Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment—"in all the wrong places.”

The Nature of Addiction

Addiction or vice can be anything we primarily use to:

• Try to make ourselves feel better emotionally, and sometimes physically, or
• Escape emotional pain,that is not rooted in God’s Love, Truth, and Virtue.

Even the ways we entertain ourselves can be addictions when they are not 100% objectively good and acceptable to God.

This is why all addictions and vices are, at their core, bad coping.

Addiction Is Sin—and Sin Harms

Every addiction or vice is a form of sin. Sin is the absence of Love, Truth, and Virtue—and it harms both us and others.

Whenever we choose something in place of God or above God, we commit the sin of idolatry. Therefore, every addiction or vice is a form of idolatry.

If we do not take full responsibility for our addictions—or are not truly sorry for wanting and choosing them—we will never be healed of them.

The Root of Addiction: Free Will and Selfishness

Those who refuse to work with Jesus Christ to be healed and learn Truth end up deceiving themselves. They blame their addictions, feelings, or sins on circumstances and people, instead of taking ownership and responsibility.

But the real cause of addiction lies in our own free will—in our choice to be selfish and to pridefully reject Truth. Blaming anyone or anything else for our addictions is a lie. We must stop searching for scapegoats—whether that be people, life events, or even physical ailments—and stop enabling others to live in that same selfishness and prideful denial.

We Are All Addicted to Something

We are all addicted to something(s). If it’s not a material addiction—media, food, alcohol, drugs, sexual behaviors, smoking, spending, work, or hobbies—it may be an inner one:

• Blaming others
• Selfishness and control
• Pride that refuses to want Truth

The age we begin an addiction or vice is the age we stop psychologically maturing emotionally and spiritually. That’s when the idolatry begins—when we replace God (Truth, Love, Virtue) as primary with something or someone else.

Growth in God’s Truth, Love, and Virtue is what brings maturity. So continuing in addiction blocks God’s Truth, Love, and Virtues, which keeps us immature.

For example, if I began an addiction at age eight, and I’m now forty but still use that vice—however rarely—I still have the emotional, spiritual, and relational maturity of that eight-year-old.

True Healing

Even if we stop the outward behavior of an addiction, if we simply replace it with another—or if we’ve never truly repented to Christ Jesus for wanting that addiction—we remain unhealed inside. We will still be desiring something other than God to fulfill us, still practicing idolatry, still blocking His Truth, Love, and Virtues, and still stunted in maturity.

Every habitual sin—whether internal (thought or emotion based) or external (deeds or what we fail to do)—is a form of addiction. We choose our habitual sins; we want them, even when we consciously know they are wrong, because we rationalize and fool ourselves into believing that they are benefiting us in some way.

But there is lasting healing—complete freedom—if we are willing to recognize and accept the truth that we have an addiction, be truly sorry to our Lord Jesus for wanting the addiction, and if we continually ask Him daily to fill us with His Grace, Virtue, Truth, and Love.

Each time temptation arises, we say “no” to ourselves and “yes” to God, or repent to Him if we fall. We need to accept the temporary suffering of self-denial—until one day, we awaken completely free and at peace.

Where to Begin

Pray:

"Jesus I'm sorry I don't want to know what my addictions are. Please heal me, fill me with Your graces and virtues, and give me the desire to want to know and face my addictions. Show me Your Truth about what my addictions are and how to cooperate with You Healing them. Thank you."

Pray:

Jesus I'm sorry I don't want to stop my addictions. Please heal me, fill me with Your graces and virtues, show me Your Truth, and give me the desire to want to stop choosing my addictions, Thank You."

Pray:

"Jesus please show me which spiritual addictions I suffer from, and help me be truly sorry for them — whether pride, selfishness, fear, gluttony, envy, jealousy, resentment, lust, sloth, anger, greed, lying, gossiping, or the desire to control others, etc."

Pray Daily:

"Jesus please help me feel Your Love for me."

"Jesus show me how You want me to pray, what questions You want me to ask You, and what Truths You want me to know."

God Loves you and He wants you to feel Loved!