Addiction

"Addiction is giving up everything for one thing. Sobriety is giving up one thing for everything"

ask yourself "is the behaviour I'm exhibiting right now the same behaviour I'd exhibit if I were in fact dangerously addicted to this thing?"

  • In other words, imagine a scenario where things ended up bad for you. Are you current patterns reflecting the same pattern that this hypothetical would probably would have shown?
  • ex. Think WoW. When I started playing Classic WoW, I played a lot (9 hours in one day). I should have imagined the hypothetical scenario where I get dangerously addicted to WoW and stop working on my projects. would the pattern that caused the hypothetical still be there in my actual life?

When can natural reinforcers become addictive?

  • when they are a highly stimulating version of what our hunter/gatherer ancestors would find irresistibile.
    • ex. high calorie foods, high sugar foods
  • when something is available in limitless supply
    • ex. unhealthy food, porn
  • when it comes in many varieties (ie. the novelty factor)
    • ex. unhealthy food, porn
  • when we binge on it without realize that it's triggering brain changes