#153 - The Addiction Cycle Explained

Too much of something is never a good thing.

Whether it’s simple things like eating sweets or something more serious like being on social media excessively, there’s a huge chance that it will become an addictive habit or mindset.

But why do we get addicted in the first place? Addiction to something is usually a result of the dependency on that rush or high that we get from doing that act or habit repeatedly. A bad habit can create a “rewarding” effect, but that reward is definitely short-lived - or worse - is only masquerading as a benefit but is actually harmful to us.

Addiction can lead to many things, one of which is negativity. This negativity comes in different forms, and so it is a must that we unpack the cycle of addiction and trace it down to its core so we could find the way out of this vicious cycle.

In this episode, Andrew and Benjy mapped out the stages of the addiction cycle and drilled down to its root cause. As important as knowing the reason why addiction happens is to understand that there is a pattern to it. Knowing your addiction pattern and what triggers it are helpful in breaking that destructive cycle.

Listen to Episode 153 to learn more!

Unpacking the cycle of addiction [3:55] Emotional trigger on the top of the addiction cycle [5:03] How to deal with stress in a productive way [9:46] Unpacking the emotional reason why we do anything good or bad [11:38] Craving as the second part of the cycle [14:36] Rituals as the third part of the cycle [22:08] The Blessed Couple Podcast [24:32] Using (as in substances) comes after the rituals [27:26] How do you break the cycle of addiction? [29:51] Shame or guilt is the last part of the cycle [30:40] The realization that despite your mistake, you are still worthy of love [34:28]