Addiction: Starts by choice and stays by "force"
I'm not a fan of attaching spiritual explanations to everything we experience on earth, as a good number of Nigerians do. However, when it comes to the subject of addiction, I feel its root isn't just about the person's choice, but that there are also some hidden controlling forces that I tag as spiritual.
Choice and spiritual control work hand in hand when it comes to addiction , depending on the level. At the beginning, the person chooses the addiction, maybe to have fun or to shy away from pain. However, along the line, the spiritual control behind the habit takes over, and even when the person becomes physically tired or drained by its effects and wants to stop, the spiritual control makes it difficult to let go.
Like I said, I once waved off the spiritual aspect of addiction, but when I experienced it, I realized that there is a place for human choice and also a force that controls the mind which makes it very difficult to leave by simple decision.
For everyone experiencing one addiction or another, there is always the zeal and desire to stop. They have made that choice on various occasions, and for some, they abstained from the addiction for days or even weeks. However, in the long run, the urge to go back becomes very strong and almost irresistible, and before they know it, they return to it.
The other side that confuses me about the relationship between choice and the force behind it, which I have tagged as "spiritual," is that one can also overcome addiction by relying solely on personal choice(putting some physical and mental measures to work) without involving anything spiritual. This makes it even more confusing because, most times, addiction appears to be something that is beyond human capability to overcome. Yet, someone can simply make the decision to quit, and it works. I have heard of people who quit smoking simply by deciding to stay away from it without involving any spiritual cleansing, as some religious circles often preach.
As for me, while I believe addiction is not just something that sticks to the human system by choice but is also influenced by some spiritual forces, I think we can overcome it without engaging in dramatic religious cleansing, but rather by taking practical steps. What do I mean?
I have heard of people who consciously decided not to engage in smoking, they saw it as an offence to their body and a sin to their creator and by so doing, they were able to conquer it.
It's just the same way the religious body has tagged masturbation as a sin before God, one can stick to their belief and deliberately do away with the act and it works perfectly.
Thanks for reading.
