Has anyone struggled with replacing their alcohol addiction with another addiction?
I quit drinking a while back, but then I got completely enmeshed and addicted to spirituality. Then I had to heal from all that. I thought I was doing something good, but it became a crutch.
Any tips or similar experiences?
When I got sober in 2013 it was for three years. During those three years my spending was excessive and I got into debt. It started out innocently enough and then morphed into an addiction. That’s something I will never do again. Lesson learned.
As addicts we all struggle with obsession. I have had to really think about what I am doing to not get obsessed with something if I enjoy it. Moderation in all things until I think I can control it. Then take a second and third look at it, and have someone keep me accountable. I know that sounds grim but for me it works pretty good.
Ughh…yes. I stopped drinking and drugging when I was 24. I knew I couldn’t turn to that, so I unfortunately found other ways to escape and run from dealing with life issues for the next 27 years. Things got so bad that I eventually starting drinking again at the age of 51 to numb the pain from the damage I caused myself and others from my other addictions/obsessions. This is the first time in my life where I’ve found some sort of balance and peace in my life. If you choose to be mindful of these things ODAAT, amazing results are possible
Yes one more way the addiction is calling us back! Good to see you taking about it great example
We are addicts. We constantly want to indulge. Why the ideal addiction is surrounding yourself in a program to replace those addictions. Sounds like you got religious. True spirituality is having something you can depend on to take away those addictions. Something greater than you to have your back when those addictive urges come along. Just because we get one addiction under control doesn’t mean our addictive behavior goes away. It’s a constant lifelong battle. Just try and keep life simple is what I believe to be the sweet spot.
Balance is hard. Honestly I’m just trying to stay connected to people I trust, that way I get a heads up if I’m taking something too far. It has gotten easier to moderate things the longer I’m sober, though. Just trying to keep in mind that I’m used to excess, so what seems like too little of something is probably the right amount.
My teachers talk a lot about the lure of different forms of escapism. It’s incumbent upon me to use some quiet time each day for a personal inventory, and do my best to deepen my self-honesty to try root those things out.
Spending and eating sweets, my current addiction. There are many things we can abuse.
I’ve replaced mine with a full-blown AA addiction 
Sugar, caffeine, shopping, work, exercise, meetings…very common to replace one addiction with another
Sugar has been my friend. I am getting better each day tho.
Yasss!!! Love it
Yehp, binging and purging. I always replace one addiction with another. Not sure how to break the cycle. I wish you the best of luck though 
Being addicted to spirituality is like being addicted to oxygen.
Gina
Basically I am referring to organized spirituality practices such as tarot cards, readings, etc. that's the stuff that I replaced alcohol with.
I guess tarot cards are to spirituality like crack is oxygen. Unnecessary and habit forming
I am obsessively addictively compulsive, addictively compulsively obsessive, and compulsively obsessively addictive etc etc.
My foundation in sobriety has taught me that moderation works for me with everything except alcohol and drugs because I have a toolbox of steps to take to get back on track!
Keep honestly and openly sharing your doubts and fears and you too may join up on the road of happy destiny!!!
Girl at the coffee shop told me she was young and still had a lot of mistakes to make. Pretty interesting stuff.