an addict..

Addictions seem to be all the rage these days. Everyone seems to have one. Some of us have more than one. I sometimes wonder if there is a difference between an addictive personality and a simple lack of self-control and common sense.

Oh, I know that some so-called addictions are not all that serious in the grand scheme of things. Some, however, are the ruination of a person. Some don't require the help of an addictions centre and some don't. Some seem pretty frivolous and some are a really, really big deal.

Over at Our Monkey Life there was a cute blog post that spoke of some things that can become habitual in our lives, like snack foods and drinks. I think a lot of us can make such a list, honestly. I know I could... and right at the top would be chips (of almost any flavour) and Dr. Pepper. They are probably the reason I haven't lost more weight than I have over the past few years. Could I do without them? Sure. Do I want to be without them? Deep down, not really. Obviously, I could make a choice to go without. I could not buy the stuff in the first place. It's a matter of disciplining myself. These are not true addictions in most cases.

I guess I hesitate to call them something they are not. Society is great at doing that. The problem this presents is that people start to really believe they can't do anything about them. They start to feel they have no choice in using these things or not. The truth really is that we make a conscious decision NOT to avoid these things and, while they may not ruin our lives, they most certainly can reduce the quality of our lives.

Although I'm likely an offender, too, I would really like to see the world stop making things up and call a spade what it is: a spade. Let's be real. Let's take make it easier to take control of our lives and make improvements for ourselves and our loved ones.

Dee..