The Problem with Addiction

Much has been written. Much hashed and rehashed. So many of us have expended so much energy trying to understand, control, and eliminate these so-called destructive behaviors that we call “addictions”. So often we ask Jesus, God, or the Universe to take them away. So often we teach our students that addiction is a choice and that acting from addiction is wrong. How blinded we are to own.

As ACIM students, we must be vigilant against the temptation to perceive worldly addictions (drinking, gambling, gluttony, smoking, drugs, sex etc.) as different from our own...unless one of them happens to be our own! Our addiction, though, is never to these forms. Our addiction is to the teacher that has convinced us that these behaviors are the problem.

First, we must recognize that sometimes understanding, controlling or eliminating a destructive behavior can be very useful. Sometimes we must curtail our drinking, gambling, etc. in order to clear our thinking enough to even consider that there must be another way; however, as students of ACIM, we must quickly recognize that these behaviors were never the problem.
Our addiction is to the world, not the booze, not the royal flush. Our addiction is to the real problem, the decision to listen to the ego’s interpretation of the tiny mad idea (attack).

Every thing here is an addiction. The belief that there are some behaviors that are “wrong” and some that are not is part of the insanity that keeps us rooted in our singular addiction. We certainly don’t invest the energy and concern trying to heal ourselves from our addiction to air, yet it serves the same purpose in our mind. What folly to follow the teacher that tells us that we should eliminate addiction from our lives and takes another breath. What hypocrisy! What hypocrisy indeed. The teacher of addiction is the thought of hypocrisy, so we shouldn’t be too surprised.

We return to this teacher every minute of every day believing that our safety lies with him, as we take another drink to take the edge off, look to the inside straight to supply the rush or give us hope, or take another breath believing our life depends on it. No, it isn’t the booze, and it isn’t the cards. Our addiction is to a teacher, and that teacher is a substitute. We believe that without this teacher’s counsel that we’ll surely perish. Remember to laugh, my friends, remember to laugh.

So, on your next breath, use it as it is meant to used. Allow this breath to be the reminder that you need do nothing to be what you are. Allow this breath to be the reminder that the power of addiction is no match for the power of decision. Allow this breath to remind you that attack is impossible and that guilt is never justified. Now, you are using addiction as it was intended. Now, you have chosen the Teacher who represents our True Addiction. Now, you remember no need.