Addiction Has Many Faces

When we hear the word addiction - most of us think or assume drugs and/or alcohol.. But I believe addiction has many faces... many forms... I believe addiction is caused by a compulsive addictive personality and I also believe it can be hereditary.. Addiction of any kind is a life long battle.. I know - I have battled food addiction my entire life and I smoked for twenty-eight (28) years - I quit when I turned forty (40).... It took me about ten (10) tries before I was able to quit smoking for good... and I'm thankful that those urges to pollute my body with nicotine are gone....

When I was waiting for my oldest daughter to be born - I spent several weeks with her birth mother (Cindy). Cindy attended AA meetings several times a week. She was a recovering alcoholic and had been sober for about two (2) years when we met. I was invited to attend a few meetings with Cindy - She wanted to spend time with me and to introduce me to several of her friends and her sponsor... One night - a leader in a meeting came up to me and said that - I needed to be watchful of my daughter... that she too may have inherited an "additive" personality and alcohol and drug abuse could happen... I remember thinking to myself at the time - I will raise my kid right and this would not... could not be an issue.... My dad was an alcoholic and I turned out okay, right????

Since that night over fourteen years ago - I have learned and matured... I have learned that addiction can take on many forms... and I also learned that the signs can start at a very early age... The personality of "it's never enough" is a sign... Not enough candy... not enough TV time.. not enough phone time... I want more.. and I will do whatever it takes to have it.... I have watched my daughter go through these feelings and I have watched her try to fight the urge to push the envelope of going too far - sometimes she won the battle and sometimes she did not... I also came to realize that this is exactly the feelings and battles I fought as a young child... a young teen... a young adult... and still today... Different wants but same desires...

Addiction is a battle - an everyday - I got to pay attention battle... I believe as parents we must be diligent... we must keep our eyes and ears open... Our kids' future happiness may depend on it...