Thought Addiction: The Addictive Truth
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Thought is where all types of addictions begin
Thought addiction is the seed of all known addictions whether it is from a substance or behavior. Thought addiction follows the same rules and damaging relationship development as every other addiction process.Continuing to focus on any particular thought creates a habitual pattern that can wreak havoc on a person’s life. Little is known about thought addiction but it is the key element of any addiction. All addictions starts with the development of a thought first –“I think I need…” “I want…” or I deserve….”
What is a thought addiction?
Thought addiction is real. It can consume and devastate someone’s life. Can there be an addiction to a thought? By definition yes it can. The definition of thought addiction is the development of a habitual pattern to one thought or set of thoughts.Thought addiction is the returning to a thought that does not serve the individual and has damaging results that depletes every system of the body. An addiction to a thought produces a rapid and intense change in mood and causes a painful withdrawal when there is an attempt to stop.
An addiction to a thought or set of thoughts is the first step in the formation of an addiction and it is the last step after the cessation process is complete. For an example let’s look at smoking. The first set of thoughts is “I smoke to relax” or “I will be more accepted” or “smoking will make me more social”. Then from the understanding of why he or she began to smoke, one moves into the smoking act termination. Once the cessation of the substance addiction is complete then one will still be left with the thought that originally started the addiction if it is not shifted. In recovery if the thoughts, pre and post, have not been dealt with, then it is possible that relapse is inevitable (for example: “I cannot do it”, “I cannot function without it” or “My addiction is different from everyone else”).
The first action to recover from smoking is to stop the behavior. Research has shown that nicotine is out of the body within the first 48 hours but it is the intense habitual mental connection that will cause a relapse, “I cannot reduce my stress without smoking”, “I will no longer be accepted” or “I will gain weight if i do not smoke”. This process of thought addiction can also be seen in the development of eating disorders and in contemplating suicide.
So in viewing recovery from any addiction one has to look at what is the thought that began the need for a substance (alcohol, illegal drug, legal, or food) or behavior and then the residual pattern of thoughts that are left over. Therefore it can then be concluded that the development and ensuing unhealthy relationship with a thought is the cause and the addiction to the substance or behavior is merely the symptom.
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Is there hope for recovery?
There is hope for recovery from both the cause and symptom of addiction with understanding first the thought and the need that started the addicting behavior. At the same time, create a successful action plan along withpersonal daily commitment to working a recovery program in whatever form that takes for each individual seeking healing.With full mindfulness of the goal of healing, a shifting of the underlying problematic thoughts to positiveness, and active involvement in a recovery program, resolution can be attained. Successfully abating both the cause and the symptom is not just a dream, it can be a reality.
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Thanks for your comment. Thought addiction is real. Many are suffering silently. Every addiction starts with a thought. This is a fresh look at a possible reason for high relapse rates. New approaches and ideas are needed, because addiction to a multitude of substances and issues keep increasing. Maybe it is the thought addiction that keeps people attached to a devastating relationship that does not work anymore.
Thought addiction is very evident in depression, especially in clinical depression. I refer to these thoughts as "stinkin thinkin" and can be extremely debilitating.
In your opinion which therapy is best for clinical depression?
Thank you for sharing such an informative hub.
Kindest regards,
Dave Kanofsky
David - Thanks for your comment and the read. After being a therapist for over 35 years and have moved to Life Coaching I would say Life Coaching is more effective because it is a holistic approach. Read this HUB article to get any understanding of Depression - http://hubpages.com/hub/Depression-It-maight-Just- I hope you pass this on to others.
Thanks for your info. I too have had experience in the field of depression. I've suffered from it for 48 years, so I've got some pretty good personal experience with this mood disorder. Thanks to years of therapy, medication (which I still take) learned social skills, and support groups I have been virtually symptom free since 2007.
I've made it my goal to become a peer advocate for those with clinical depression and I currently write on the topic as well.
Thanks once again for sharing this information.
Kindest regards,
Dave Kanofsky
Dave - I celebrate you being symptom free and willing to advocate for others.
Very good thats why in my hypnotherapy sessions i change the patients thought and from session one eg they are now a non smoker and with that thought they are if they want to be ,
Great article on the powerful impact thought addiction can have. Very insightful and much needed information.
Thanks to both hypno genius and Wysley for writing good comments. Let's empower people to think the way they want to toward success.
I've been pondering this for a few days now. At first it just washed over me - not much impact. Then I became aware of other ways I've used this idea, confirming that it is something that I have known for a long time but in other terms. For example, "As a man thinketh, so is he." and from AA, a bit of tongue-in-cheek advice: "Don't think, and go to meetings."
I could recognize my addictive thoughts (currently pertaining to eating), but I was at a loss as to how to become un-addicted to them. Then I noticed a cute little raw bar across from my bank yesterday, and thought how nice it would be to have lunch there. I remembered my last experience with raw bars and how I find it impossible to eat raw oysters without a pitcher of beer to wash them down. Now it has been a long time since my last beer, so I just said to myself, "Well we won't be thinking about that now, will we?" ... and I didn't! I changed the subject on myself. In that moment, I realized that I CAN un-addict myself to addictive thoughts - obviously - because I have. My boundaries are firm when it comes to addictive thinking regarding alcohol.
Today I was trying to recall the times in my life when I have not thought addictively about food. I always had something else to occupy my mind - a man - work - children - even times of spiritual growth. I'm not sure if I thought about those other things addictively, but I didn't fall back to thinking of food (due to boredom or some other emotional trigger) as long as I had the other things to think about. So as I got in my car this afternoon for the 1 hour drive home, I paused and asked myself what I wanted to think about that didn't involve food. I do realize once I have the thought, then I'll probably have the action being the good addict that I am. So I put in a cd about changing my work life to something more productive and satisfying. Next thing I knew - I was home - no drive thrus. Success!
So the key to changing any behavior is planning ahead for the productive alternative - being prepared. That old adage "if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail." Funny - I say that to people all the time. So glad I'm listening finally. I'd be happy for any other suggestions. I truly appreciate you Dr. Bill.
Dear Judy Lee, Thank you very much for your comments on this article. I am very firm on the fact that every addiction of any form starts and ends with a thought. You have proved that we your statements. When you are addicted to a substance, food in your case, it is also a thought addiction that leads you into a relapse and right out again and then only left with painful shame. Unfortunately not many professionals look at the power of thought addiction. I am glad this article made an impact on you. You are also right that it is the Action Plan that empowers. Thanks for appreciating me. Dr Bill
I believe that TA is real. People drift into addiction with a substance or behavior to attempt to quiet the thoughts that have become habitual and overwhelming. The thoughts can be fear, abandonment, loss or disappointment. Break the cycle by shifting negative looping thoughts to positive thoughts. Empower yourself through mastering your own thoughts.
This is not easy for me to admit, but after reading your article and seeing your clip, I now realize that I have a serious problem, not only with PTSD, but also have been diagnosed with Bi Polar disorder, Borderline Personality disorder, but I seem to be going in circles with all of this. I have moved from Massachusetts to Illinois and in order to break this cycle I need to get to Florida to get the proper help I need. I NEED TO FIX MYSELF !! I have read several of your articles, and realized it is time to break this cycle. Thank You
tigerblue72 - Thanks for your wonderful comments. I have studied this subject a lot and the influence our thoughts have over the direction of our lives. Our lives are governed by the content of thoughts. The great thing is that there is hope for change. We do have the power to shift our thoughts. It is a skill that anyone can learn. Keep following for more information.
It is a skill that I too must learn, and it will be a difficult road for me but am willing to take that journey to get to the point of trying to Fix myself. I shall follow your articles and clips of advice. It does help me understand myself some, still in the learning process.
tigerblue72 - I am glad that you found this HUB to be useful and that you learned a lot. Believe me that the journey can be very positive, empowering and enriching. Understanding yourself is the path to health and success.
Thank You, I have found it very useful and will continue to do so. Which is why I have chosen to move to Florida to get the treatment that I have so needed for the past 20 years, too long in my book to go. I have found it the best place in the U.S. to go for this type of treatment that I require.
tigerblue72 - I honor you passion for self discovery. Taking back command of yourself will open your life. You are most the most important thing in your life. Keep moving forward. Transforming is possible.
Dr. Bill,
Today has been 2 weeks since used drugs or alcohol, or masturbated, which have cause great depression, loss of family and work. I have stayed clean but struggled with my ablilty to stay on task with me tools, and listening, especially with me ex. we will talk one night, come to an agreement, then 12 hours later the next day, form my own thought and stick to it, and be completly different then we agreed. Causinf frusrtation with both of us, then causing me a great deal of grief. Untill today with an in-law relative did a relize the thought adiction i have. It opened my eyes to what i have been struggling with of recent and beyond. I then searched the idea and found your site, it has been helpful knowing this is a problem. I relize how to fix it, but it is hard. How does someone start to find ways to think differently. I get confused on what hobbies i truly care about, and so on. Looking into support for this specfically, and can't wait for more proffessional advice and knowledge on the subject.
markfrederick37 - Thank you for your comments. In my work with addictions, I have found that "every addiction starts with a thought. Thoughts precedes emotion and behavior". One of my HUBs is "Thought Addiction Assessment" which can help you understand more about the subject. Thanks again for your story and interest.
Sad to say my addictions have gotten the best of me, i dont know how to stop right now but it is helping me block out all of what is going on here at the house with the loss of an unborn child, with which i had not mourned of my last one, i have two more weeks where i am before getting the help i do need. I just want too crawl into a whole and never come out.
tigerblue72 - Real sorry for your loss and I know how bad that is. Thought addictions can be real useful as a barrier to unwanted thoughts of loss. My deepest regards
Dr. Bill, the idea that changed my thought addiction to suicide was when somebody, could have been you, maybe Gina asked me what I was avoiding when spending my time contemplating suicide. I had never thought about it like that before. I was using the planning of my own death to avoid thinking about my trauma. Now when I find myself going "there" I ask myself, "What am I avoiding?" And it completely derails that train of thought. Sometimes it makes me mad, ok, most times it makes me mad that I would use such an extreme measure simply to avoid thinking about something else. And what I find frustrating is I find that I use that distraction first of all without even thinking about it, and secondly to distract myself from rather innocuous thoughts. But I do catch myself, and have yet to go very far down that path! Thank you, Dr. Bill!!!
linda…..Thanks for your remembrance and your comments. Thought Addiction is a very useful way to avoid a lot of things in life except it can turn very powerful then one has to institute another addiction to offset the thought addiction which is out of control. Remember "a thought starts with and ends with a thought"
Thanks for the info. I agree we somewhat control our thoughts. All we really control is our behavior. Maybe a thought is actually a behavior.
Abundant old soul - Thank you for your comments, appreciate it. Think, maybe a behavior is the result of a behavior?
DayLeeWriter 11 months ago
Never heard it termed 'thought addition' but totally agree breaking the negative thoughts is a huge step in changing negative behaviors, or habits. Great hub!