Category: Compulsion & Recovery

Some people use alcohol, coffee, speed, nicotine or pain killers to get through University or other stresses. One such popular crutch is comfort food. Regardless of the bad consequences to health or looks, comfort food is an addiction similar to any other drug or process and we become compelled by it – giving us a momentary “high”. It can be more difficult to abstain from comfort food, more so than any of the other compulsions, because food compulsion is acceptable to society. However, this disorder is life threatening too. When no remedy works it is far more realistic to remove the stressors first and then attempt recovery, otherwise we are setting ourselves up for failure.

with each stress I reached for the comfort food
and got through the stressful moment
knowing very well that there were
severe consequences
overweight, lethargy, diabetes!
I kept promising that soon I would
regulate the food compulsion
then I faced reality and stopped
putting off the inevitable
though I must say as the stressors
are eliminated
it becomes much easier to rid myself of
the comfort food addiction

Another festive season ends and we are faced with mixed feelings – the happiness of exchanging gifts, spending time with families, joking, laughing and on the other hand the stress of dysfunctional interactions and the shortage of money as a result of the spending. Different things mean different things to people. Next we are faced with how quickly time flies. Here we are heading for the new year which can alone cause more stress, or happiness. Just for today let’s be grateful for the good that happens and let go the disappointments once we have acknowledged them, of course.

how great it was to see the joy on the
children’s faces as they opened their gifts
my inner child was excited too wanting more
nevertheless being with family and close friends
brought joy for me and others
let’s be grateful for the good that happens
it balances what Life dishes out

So many are getting ready for the festive season but is it Christmas happiness or blues? For some this time brings back happy moments of childhood and for others it creates the blues. These blues can be because of memories or because of the temptation to overdo the eating or drinking or spending – a loss of control. This is when self discipline can be rewarding. It is empowering to have even the smallest amount of self discipline gained with whatever assistance is possible.

as I struggle with the temptation of
bread, cakes, chocolate and spending,
Christmas happiness or blues
begin jostling for the prime position!
every success I have in
avoiding these excesses
at this time of year
empowers me towards the happiness
this festive season can bring,
moreso, a supportive system assists me
greatly in this endeavour
for there are others too who
are suffering the same temptations
and we cannot do it on our own!

We make a plan of how we want to live our lives and somehow we stray off it. How can that be, we wonder? It sounded so good at the time of planning, with lots of reasons to succeed and then Life intervenes � or so we think. Nothing is accidental, at an unconscious level we know what we are doing and why. So we need to ask ourselves �what action are we going to take to avoid the self sabotage?� Only then success is ours.

happily keeping to my healthy plan
and then out of the blue I eat junk food
forget to exercise
and even worse
spend all my savings
what happened I ask myself?
where did this self sabotage come from?
fear of success?
maybe?!
what am I going to do about it?
self awareness is 50% of the resolution
starting again with the healthy plan
is the next step towards success

This is the time of year when everyone celebrates with friends, workmates, and families. A good time at that, nevertheless it can be difficult if we are compelled to overdo the alcohol, food and late nights. What delight it is not to be driven to use to excess those substances and processes that cause us distress. It is not an easy task to do things in moderation but quite possible and fulfilling. The other option is to avoid those things that cause us problems and enjoy life with the things that we can moderate.

there was a time when Christmas caused me
fear and concern
because I knew that it was impossible
to not overeat all those foodstuffs harmful to
my health and wellbeing
for others it is the alcohol too
after much therapy and personal development
this time of the year is now enjoyable for me too
I know what to eat and what to avoid
and enjoy the festive season as I should
may it be so for you too

having a program to live healthy
by eating well and avoiding smoking
no excessive drinking or spending
staying true to yourself and your loved ones
can help achieve those goals that
make dreams come true

the only things that can go wrong
is with the HALTS, that is being:
hungry, angry, lonely, tired and serious
then all good plans can go astray and
the best intentions disintegrate
so make a plan and stick to it

all went well at the ceremony
the bride looked beautiful
the groom was suave
no dancing, smoking or drinking of alcohol
their religion does not permit this
nevertheless lots of people and even youth
having fun with happy laughter
enjoying the celebration

it was a religious ceremony, penticostal at that
friends of mine who had struggled to
get accepted in a new country, Australia
and as I observed their joy, it was a relief that people
could have such fun without drinks or drugs
so natural and healthy and happy

because our focuss has been on the problems of society
have we forgotten that the majority of the population
in fact enjoys life without help from drinks and drugs?
it’s not impossible to do and results in good health and happiness
consequently this does not mean that
such clean living people don’t face Life’s problems
some are very serious, sad, and full of injustice
this happens to the best of us
but the solution is there with the support of the
like minded supportive fellowship we belong to
and its program or philosophy

the morning starts off fine
my plan to eat healthy
carry out my exercises
write and read literature which is
pertinent to expressing and releasing my
inner most turmoil is also happening
then by afternoon when my work takes the focus
I am struggling with my food plan
and temptation raises its ugly head

it’s not as though I’m not enjoying my tasks
but rather that I feel controlled by outside forces
well at the time it feels that they are unknown but it can be
the boss, the family, the therapist or the uni lecturer
whichever power is running the show at the time
it cannot be done otherwise for there is always
a power controlling the progress of life’s activities

even the powerful and wealthy have to meet
the requirements of some controlling power
it’s just that way – Life is the ultimate power
but there can be a power greater than myself which
is useful to my inner peace and stops the compulsion to eat or whatever
a program, a fellowship can be just what is needed to be a higher power