Addiction

Many of us fight small addictions every day. We often don't even realise that it is an addiction, until we try and give up doing something. Whilst often what we are trying to break are simply bad and/or destructive habits, occasionally something creeps up which has a stronger hold than simply habit.

Normally when people talk about addiction they are referring to the most well known, and most well publicised addictions, such as drugs, alcohol, sex, and occasionally they mention work as well. But these are not the only things you can be addicted to. There are other less obvious and less physically destructive addictions that people can have, and these can and most likely do seem completely innocent to anyone not addicted. For example; exercise. People addicted to exercise don't look like they are necessarily addicted, just really committed, but their addiction is slowly eating away at them, damaging their bodies and minds.

Another seemingly innocent thing is one that I have a problem with. Fanfiction. In and of itself, fanfiction is not a bad thing. It is encouraging people to write and to criticise people's writing. It can, however, reach a point when a person is reading so much fanfiction that they forget to live their lives. In my case I read it in order to forget my life for a while. I get sucked into a world of characters I know as well as I know my family, and forget anything until I have to be somewhere or I get disturbed by something or someone. This seems to me like a serious sign of addiction, like watching porn, only without the adult rating.

The problem with this sort of addiction, is often finding help to break out of it. If it is something on the Internet, it might be possible for you to block the sites, or have someone else block them for you. Unfortunately there is often a way around site-blockers unless they are used remotely, such as on a server that you are forced to go through. There is always it seems the option of professional help, but what if the pro can't help you? so you start to feel like there is no way to get past the addiction. There is no-one available to help you to get out of the hole that you have found yourself in.

The only thing that I have found to help at all is turning to God, and turning to the Bible. One verse which should give hope to all is Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength". If I can believe this verse then with the help of God and Jesus Christ I should be able to fight off my addiction, and so should you!