29 May Emotions and Addiction
When dealing with addiction and recovery, the emotions that come along with it are an important thing to look at. By becoming aware of the emotions that are part of your addiction, you can become more self-aware and more able to participate in your recovery.
There are many emotions that can be a part of your addiction. It may be anger, sadness, or anxiety. How these emotions play into your addiction is a key piece of coming to terms with your addiction. Now these emotions play a big part in your bio-psycho-social and spiritual functioning.
So what does bio-psycho-social and spiritual mean when dealing with addciction? Bio-psycho-social and spiritual refers to the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors that affect your ability to function within your addiction.
The biological aspect may include:
- Genetics
- Brain chemistry
- Brain behaviour and functioning
The psychological aspect may include:
- Social learning
- Motivations
- Behaviours
- Emotions
- Personality development
The social aspect may include:
- Availability of your substance
- Economic status
- Addiction in a family member or close friend
- Culture
- Community
The spiritual aspect may include:
- Beliefs
- Morals
- Connectedness
This isn’t to say that all of these factors are present or the same in every person that is addicted. How each of these factors affects you may differ greatly from the next person. However, it is important to recognize the factors that have influenced your addiction in order for you to better understand the steps that you need to take in order to live a life that is addiction free.
Recovery is a life-long process. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make it possible for yourself. By becoming more self-aware and connected to who you are, the more effective you will become in leading the life that you want for yourself.