  Spiritual
This week: Edited by: Kitti the Red-Nosed Feline  
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This week's Spiritual Newsletter is about addiction. How does one get addicted, and why? And how do you break free?
kittiara |
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I have a confession to make. I, Kittiara, am an addict. I’m addicted to a gaming application on a social networking website. And it’s taken over my life, as addictions do.
It all started a few months ago, when there was a treasure hunt going on. At that time in my life I was probably what the younger generation would call a bit emo, so perhaps I was more susceptible to being dragged into an addiction like this. It kept my mind of things, even though those things were probably important.
I would go through thousands of pages each day, hunting for “Secret Eggs”, and finding them became crucial. I went onto the forums and mingled with other egg obsessed people. The next month, there was an arts contest and I won a runner-up prize. The month after that there was a gifting contest, and I won one of the grand prizes. This gave me the courage to have a go at getting my hands on one of the most coveted pixels out there… but was I happy when I got it? Yes and no… now I had to get all the objects back that I traded for this item.
And that was when I realised that I was experiencing my very first gaming addiction. Not that I should not have recognised the signs ages ago – it had pretty much taken over my life. Some days, during the contests, I did not even bother to get out of my pyjamas – why waste time when I could be making my way towards that precious item? I delayed responding to emails of my family, would forget to call them, my housework got ignored, my social life suffered and I put on some pounds because of lack of exercise. My sleeping pattern got completely upside down to keep up with people in different time zones. Sunlight was something experienced only by coincidence, or if I really had to.
I made up all sorts of excuses for my addiction. The application was all about giving, and giving must be a good thing. A part of the donations went to charity, and preserving the world for future generations is important. It was all innocent, harmless, cute, an escape from the harsh reality of this world. But the truth of the matter is that however you twist and turn it, an addiction is an addiction.
How is this relevant to a Spiritual Newsletter? Why am I sharing my story with you? The reason is that this story is about escapism. Instead of dealing with the issues I needed to deal with, and solve them in a sensible manner, I hid away in a made-up reality. I gave myself the false illusion that everything was alright, and any and all issues could wait until tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after that. But, of course, the world doesn’t stop and those issues did not just go away because I wasn’t there to manage them. They only increased.
Addictions come in many different guises. Gaming addictions are quite common, but any addiction can create the false illusion of safety and that all is well in your world, at least on a temporary basis. Some are easier to break free of than others. Some can destroy you.
My addiction has not destroyed me, but it has affected my life in a negative way – I now have pounds to shed, and as many people know, they are easier to pile on than to get rid of. I have relationships to restore, and apologies to make. I have long-lasting obligations to fulfil, and forgiveness to ask for. And I need to somehow get my creative streak back, because my addiction kept me too occupied to write.
I also have to restore my spiritual life, because many a night my mind was too occupied with pixel envy to have a proper relationship with my Creator. I don’t think He quite intended for me to pray to win for a grand prize win in a gaming application…
To all those people out there who have fallen into the grip of an addiction of any kind – good luck. If I can set the first steps onto the paths of breaking free, so can you. There’s a world out there, and it may not always be easy, it may not always be pretty, but it’s our world. And it takes all of us to change it into a place we don’t need feel the need to create a false escape from.
kittiara |
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| |  | My Escape (E)
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The Spiritual Newsletter Team welcomes any and all questions, suggestions, thoughts and feedback you might wish to share. So, please don't hesitate to contact us!
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serenitylane - I do not handle my anger very well at all. But, I must say that your newsletter has inspired me to do something about it. I thank you for that inspiration. This is a very good topic for me because lately my anger towards my teen is out of control, (trust me he can do that to me) and to others!
I think we all can caught up in our emotions sometimes, and life can be stressful, which does not help! I hope you won't be too hard on yourself. I am happy my newsletter was of some help to you, and wish you all the best in becoming that bit happier yourself!
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Zeke  - Very often the anger of a moment has little to do with the moment, but rather with some other more deepseated frustration. Only my opinion.
I think that in general that is correct. Usually there is some underlying tension or stress going on, past irritations and hurt than can build up, and a small thing can simply trigger that off and make it all come out. Sometimes, at least for me, something sets me off that is totally unrelated to anything, though. There are some things I just can't bear. Maybe we all have our own triggers.
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sandharp - Dear Editor,
This Newsletter is packed with awesome work of others. You always do a great job, I just wanted to share that I've reviewed all the poems and am highly impressed! This edition is especially excellent!
-Sandi
Awww, thank you, Sandi  . I am glad you enjoyed the items I chose! I am sure the authors will have loved your feedback! 
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njames51 - Hello Kittiara -
Such a timely issue highlighting Anger in this week's Newsletter. I had a long career as a Social Worker, and have dealt with so many different people. Some were just plain wacky, and only needed a little chemical "rebalancing" and support. But folks with "anger issues" are a scarey bunch, believe me. I rarely am angry, and only have those feelings if I see a person treated badly, or made to feel "less than" by others. I usually open my mouth in defense of strangers if I witness abuse, verbal or physical. But folks who constantly lash out verbally usually have "issues" within themselves - they hate themselves, their abusive father, their addicted mother..etc. However, without counseling & medicine, these folks eventually lash out in a physical way - violence becomes the means of reducing the built up anger. Sadly, the neighborhoods today hold many, many angry people. I'm glad you brought this human emotion into the spotlight. Great Newsletter!
Thank you so much for your feedback! One of my best friends is a Social Worker as well - not the easiest of career paths, I am sure, but so needed. Though she cannot discuss individual cases with me, obviously, I do know from her and my own observations that, yes, society seems full of angry, frustrated people. Not good, and I do indeed hope that those with real issues will find the help they need...And yes, my own triggers are abuse and people or animals being treated badly as well. . Thanks for writing in!
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We wish you a wonderful week!
The Spiritual Newsletter Team:
Sophy New Year  , Puditat , larryp, kittiara
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Spiritual: June 25, 2008 Issue [#2469]
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