All Addictions are self sabotage. You see, you don’t just harm yourself by accident. Subconsciously or not, you don’t just find yourself in a hole one day without walking the path that led there. But thanks to defence mechanisms mainly, we blame fate, others or even God for our woes. But what seems to be coming more and more to the fore is that we intentionally or unintentionally sabotaged ourselves into becoming addicted, depressed or anxious. Every victory and every loss in life was responded to, by us, in some way. In other words, what happened to you may not have been your doing, but the way in which you responded to what happened certainly was. On the other hand we are our own worst critics. We harshly judge ourselves. In so doing we pay the price of a self saboteur! And in so doing even Addictions are self sabotage of one form or another.
According to the Greek myth, Sisyphus is condemned to roll a rock up to the top of a mountain, only to have the rock roll back down to the bottom every time he reaches the top. The gods were wise, Camus suggests, in perceiving that an eternity of futile labor is a hideous punishment. There is much in the persona of Sisyphus that reflects depression-related transformations of personal character defects – his dishonesty, manipulation, disregard and injury of others, and who could not recognize in Sisyphus’ repetitive attempt to get the stone to the top of the mountain the emotional sufferers compulsive attempt to gain mastery over his or her thinking, compulsions or even drug consumption. One can actually imagine Sisyphus’ thoughts and promises as he re-enacts each climb: This time will be different. I just need one more chance. I will stop after this one last effort. Sound familiar? This surely is a type of hell on earth. So why do we keep repeating the cycle until it becomes addictively repetitive?
Origin of the Saboteurs
Saboteurs start off as our guardians to help us survive the real and imagined threats to our physical and emotional survival as children. By the time we are adults, we no longer need them, but they have become invisible inhabitants of our mind. Our Saboteurs’ patterns of thinking, feeling, and reacting become soft-coded in our brain through neural pathways. When these neural pathways are triggered, we are “hijacked” by our Saboteurs and feel, think, and act using their patterns.
Addictions are self sabotage even if we lie about it
Your Saboteurs claim they are good for you. For example, your Judge Saboteur tells you that its constant badgering over your mistakes and shortcomings will cause you to improve and achieve. Yet, in reality burn-out, depression, addiction and stuckness really occur. It is true that your Saboteurs have successfully PUSHED you to improve and succeed through fear, anxiety, blame, shame, guilt, etc. (Negative Reinforcement) to a point. However, research shows that you would succeed even more if you were PULLED by you inherent positive feelings of curiosity, compassion, creativity, love for yourself and others, and love for contribution and self expression (Positive Reinforcement). AND, you would be far happier and less stressed. Being pushed along is something we do in the first half of life, dominated by our teenage and child created ego’s that were developed to protect us. Being pulled along is a spiritual calling. It is connecting with the flow of what is, and the grace and majesty of this universes mystery.
Addictions are self sabotage for sure
Sometimes, when alcoholics start to get a handle on their recovery, or the going gets too good, they sabotage it. Though they freely admit that they are healthier and feel better, this newway of life can feel unfamiliar and uncomfortable no matter how hard they try accepting a clean, sober and enjoyable life style. They have known one way for so long (probably a destructive path, but oddly familiar and comfortable none the less), it’s exceptionally hard to shake old habits, thoughts and actions.
They might have difficulty trusting that their new life is good, that they’ve earned it and worked hard to get there, and it will continue to remain so as long as they stay on a clean and sober path. Alcoholic / addicts, who don’t even know that addictions are self sabotage, may not feel they deserve some of the good things that are happening to them, and this can be at the root of their self-sabotage. In addition, the expectations of others that they will “keep up the good work” can be a lot of pressure.
For more information on why addictions are self sabotage, our drug rehab centre, and how to heal from doing what we do that doesn’t work, get in touch and come heal with us. Call +27824424779 or email pathwaysplett@gmail.com