What are you using now?

Post date: Nov 8, 2013 4:58:15 PM

It has been almost 7 weeks since I deactivated FB. It feels good that I still keep getting queries from 'friends' about it. Two 'close' friends even deactivated FB following me. Some thought about it... but whenever I said I deactivated because It felt like an addiction, everyone supported that I did a good thing.

I have felt very few irresistible addictions in my life. But enough to teach me how difficult it can be to overcome any addiction. Today someone asked me - 'so what are you using now?'

I smiled and said - nothing!

This simple question left me thinking - isn't it true that once we get addicted to something, we always need a substitute for that? It takes a lot to quit any addiction, but It is challenging to overcome addiction without a replacement. If something, good or bad, becomes part of our lives... leaving it will definitely create an empty space. More significant, the addiction, more the emptiness. That is why quitting smoking without any aid is rare. My friend recently quit smoking with an impressive effort. Later, he told me whenever he felt the urge... He just remembered his breakup days to remind himself and made an analogy - that if he lived that phase he can quit anything ! ..but unfortunately, after couple of months he started smoking cigar.

Most of the time, We overcome one addiction just to start another. Is that really quitting?