Addiction By Definition

I trust my neighbours but I lock my doors.

Not formally but in essence that sums up a lot of the cognitive side of CBT.

My sobriety is continuing and by faith (and science) I am believing that my brain is healing...but the experts say that I cannot simply passively wait for change.According to Psychology Today, Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you're mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.The science behind recovery insists on active countering in order to restructure the brain from its old habits and patterns.Also, I have noticed that I am engaging in the same old pattern of arguments here at EvC in other topics with familiar opponents...and that i am fighting my tendency to fall back to the same answers that I am comfortable with.My only worry is that I will be compromising my belief if i simply look for alternatives...jar always told me that one characteristic of my ingrained beliefs was a sense of entitlement (which my gambling counselor also told me is common among addicts and particularly gambling addicts)and a preference towards fantasy over reality.Perhaps it will be helpful for me to employ critical thought as a vehicle towards rewiring my neuro-linguistic circuits as I strive to break the repetitive bondage of ingrained thought patterns that show signs of the addictive cycle.Nodody ever told me this would be easy!

While I don't teach mindfulness myself but my close colleagues do and it is very effective at managing problem thoughts (which include thoughts of engaging in addictive behaviour).Stick with it. As you you practice you get better at it and it's more effective. As an aside it appears that not only can you build willpower by exercising it, it also generalises. So if you exercise willpower to not eat sweets you are also building willpower resist other impulses.Keep up the good work, mate!

I woke up this morning and felt very mindful. I feel in the moment. I also feel as if I can see my habits from the perspective of an Impartial Spectator a term originally coined by Adam Smith in the 18th century and now used by current researchers into how the Brain changes through sobriety, counter conditioning, and mindfulness.I owe a debt of gratitude to my religious, theological and philosophical opponents here at EvC. By never agreeing with me, accusing me of "Word Salad" and "Meaningless Gibberish" whenever I defend my religious beliefs, they have forced me to question my beliefs through the lens of an impartial spectator.This has allowed me to analyse buzzwords and catch phrases from the perspective of non believers and to help me empathize more when I talk with people.At any rate, I feel that I am thinking outside of my usual box this morning, though I have little reason to change my beliefs...apart from allowing my impartial spectator to test them. Tonite I go to my 12 step group. Next week i meet with my counselor on Thursday. I am excited to be able to test Carnes theory regarding brain change at the 5th-9th month. I am almost in that zone!

I have been asking myself how long recovery is going to take.
They did some research....

cool stuff. I remember reading somewhere that it takes at least 3 years before cigarette smokers can feel free of the desire to smoke. Probably different times for different addictions.Keep up the good work.

Sidenote to EvC peanut gallery: This is Day 129 of my sobriety. The experts conclude that my brain has reset itself and that I am about to experience a flood of unfamiliar feelings in the coming months as I enter the main part of my recovery phase. I apologize in advance for any redundancy in my religious/philosophical discussions, but it is my way of increasing my understanding of positions different from my own. Thanks. Phat
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Here i am the day before Thanksgiving with no job---no retirement---unemployment about to expire--and no concrete evidence of anything relating to God.
Issues:

Belief vs Doubt

Fantasy vs Reality
I am checking on a few leads in regards to employment. Hopefully God does not want to allow me to be poor and/or working in an entry level job. It would seem to be a waste of talent.

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I trust my neighbours but I lock my doors.

Not every spirit out there is our neighbor.

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I trust Jesus but I test every evangelist,pastor,or teacher.

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Chance as a real force is a myth. It has no basis in reality and no place in scientific inquiry. For science and philosophy to continue to advance in knowledge, chance must be demythologized once and for all. —RC Sproul
"A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." —Mark Twain "
~"If that's not sufficient for you go soak your head."~Faith
Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.~Proverbs 28:26

Check the parable of the Good Samaritan again. My neighbour might be my worst enemy but then again I might need him some day, or he might need me.

I am now in a place that I have never been in before in my life. My earthly security (a union job) has been taken from me. I am unemployed and yet am still too proud to work at just any job---though I have been praying for God to put me where he wants me. Were I not holding on to this one accomplishment--being sober for longer than i have been in twenty years--I would likely be extremely depressed.Perhaps because of my healing from my addicted brain, I am optimistic that I will rebound from my job loss. Reality is not kind, however. Because i lost my medical insurance, I lost two of the most potent drugs to fight my type II diabetes. My blood sugars are up, and I am concerned for my long range health.It seems that I am being forced to either be responsible or die. I always counted on other things besides myself to take care of me. I still trust Jesus...and am learning more about how to express my faith, but I am also learning a harsh lesson about responsibility and reality. There is no way to avoid it.

Jesus doesn't save, you do.

I may do some of the work,but He gives me the strength and he sends others to help me at times. I cannot take full credit for my success nor can I take full blame for my failures.What I do know is that I am responsible.Jesus has already done His job.Day 136 is going well so far...last night I felt suddenly powerless and could have relapsed at any moment. The difference now versus 136 days ago is that back then I was stuck in gear and had to act out. Now, i can see the desires and compulsions rise and fall without having to act on them.I am experiencing the feeling of recovery. Do i take full credit for that or is it possible that God helped? (Rhetorical Question)

Please forgive me if I find assigning credit and blame secondary to hearing about how you are doing. Keep pressing forward Phat. Edited by NoNukes, : No reason given.

Or does your faith/belief keep you inspired/going towards recovery?Does your church do missionary work?:hugs:

My church is very active in the community...particularly the inner city. We have no fancy building---we meet in the gymnasium of a local community center.We have a small yet loyal and active congregation of perhaps 30 members.Today is Day 137. I went to the Doctor and got advice on getting medicine for lower cost due to my current unemployment. I paid cash out of pocket for the visit---$80.00.They gave me some free samples of medicine.My sobriety is all that I have. I value it very highly and seriously. It may be all in the mind, but knowing that I can resist my addiction feels really good right now.