3. Addiction

Facts and Common Opinions

The following excerpt comes from Wikipedia.org.

The term "addiction" is used in many contexts to describe an obsession, compulsion, or excessive psychological dependence, such as: drug addiction (e.g. alcoholism, nicotine addiction), problem gambling, crime, money, work addiction, compulsive overeating, credit card addiction, compulsive debting, computer addiction, video game addiction, pornography (sexual) addiction, television addiction, etc.

The term addiction is also sometimes applied to compulsions that are not substance-related, such as problem gambling and computer addiction. In these kinds of common usages, the term addiction is used to describe a recurring compulsion by an individual to engage in some specific activity, despite harmful consequences, as deemed by the user themself to their individual health, mental state, or social life.

Physical and Psychological Addictions can both be present.

Management or Treatment of Addictions typically depend on these six things:

• Acute intoxication and/or withdrawal potential
• Biomedical conditions or complications
• Emotional/behavioral conditions or complications
• Treatment acceptance/resistance
• Relapse potential
• Recovery environment

Causes for Addictions could include the disease model of addiction, the pleasure model, the genetic model, the experiential model, the opponent-process model, the allostatic (stability through change) model, the cultural model, the moral model, the habit model, and the blended model.

What I Believe and Why

                I think we should never get too involved with one thing or another and that our lives need a certain amount of balance in each aspect of our life. I also feel that these are ways of the world (human nature) and are harming yourself or someone else. God commands us to be separate from the world (in it, but not of it – John 17:13-16), proverbs focuses on how the ways of this world are foolish. Addictions are self-focused and not God-focused. Addictions typically will start out small and “innocent,” but grow and take over more and more of your life. To some extent an addiction will destroy your life. Although addictions are physical, they are more so spiritual issues that need to be addressed for a person to become more and more sanctified and holy as Jesus Christ is Holy (1 Pet 1:16).

                The only true and lasting way out of an addiction is through the help of Jesus Christ. 2 Pet 2:19 makes it clear that in addiction, we are slaves to sin, and only Jesus Christ frees us from sin and the law. Without God, you can do nothing (John 15:5). We need to live constantly careful, anxious for nothing, learn to be content no matter what, and live led by God’s grace. (Phil 4:6-13, 23, Eph 2:8-9) My advice in brief: stay away from potential addictions!

Drinking alcohol in itself is not bad, but in excess it is sin. Even allowing yourself the opportunity to have alcohol may create an addiction. Different things tempt different people more and different people can handle different temptations in different ways. Satan has many ways of destroying lives. Phil 4:5 (KJV) says “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” 1 Cor 6:12 says “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” Then shortly after that in 1 Cor 10:23, Paul says “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable All things are lawful, but not all things edify.” Eph 5:18 says “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”

From The Bible

Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Titus 2:3-8 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

2 Peter 2:19 [These false teachers] promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves to sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.

Matthew 6:24 . . . You cannot serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other.

Romans 6:16 . . . Don’t you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.

Galatians 5:22-23 . . . When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Romans 8:5-9 . . . If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.