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The 12 Steps from a Buddhist Perspective
Taking Refuge as a Higher Power
Admitting When We Are Wrong While Refraining from Blaming Others
Replacing Shoulds with Healthier Self-Talk
Handling Others Projections of Character Defects We Actually Have
Being the Best versus Doing my Best
Should I Be Ashamed? Powerlessness and Unmanageability as Manipulation
Moral Inventory with Self-Love
The Process of Awakening to a Non-Defensive Self
Consumer fads have people proudly declaring “I’m a ____________holic!” or “I’m just hooked on _________!” as a way of asserting their moral superiority to alcoholics, drug addicts, sex addicts, compulsive gamblers, relationship addicts, workaholics, smokers, and the like.
It is very easy to fall into codependency with consumer addictions, particularly during the holidays, because gifts that are sure to please the “’holic” encourage these addictions which are often sold as “better” than being addicted to one of the above, or even as “healthy”! If something qualifies as an addiction, i.e., if you are truly powerless to control its negative impact on your life and relationships, it is not “healthy”! Nor is it “cute.”
All addictions have one thing in common: they help you to avoid the question of what you really want out of life. They keep you focused on making very easy changes—altering your consciousness with a substance or activity—instead of making hard choices about discriminating between what you would have to have courage to change and what you can’t change with any amount of courage. Addictions, in short, are the opposite of wisdom.
The litmus test of whether something is an addiction is this question: “Am I choosing this substance or activity over something else that I want very badly to change but think I can’t?”
Dietary Addictions:
Coffee/Caffeine
Diet Soda
Chocolate
Sugar/Sweets
Spicy Food
Fast Food
Exercise for Body Image
Media Addictions:
TV (Sports, News, Soap Operas, Talk Shows, “Reality” Shows, Sitcoms, Series)
Movies
Music
Books, especially series & genre fiction such as mystery, romance, sci-fi, horror, action
Trivia/Gossip
Internet
Games, especially video and roleplaying
Programming/Upgrading/Pirating Software
Jesus/God/Church/Ritual
Psychotherapy
Hobby Addictions (require constant purchase of materials):
Crafts
Collectibles
Electronics (usually accompanies Media Addictions)
Vehicles such as boats, cars, motorcycles
Working Out with Equipment
Please Read These Important Disclaimers:
It is a 12 Step Tradition not to have any opinion on "outside issues" such as religion or spirituality. Therefore, I wish to emphasize that all the writings on this site are my own personal experiences in recovery, and do not reflect the views of any 12 Step program or group.
Further, the ads that make this a free site are not endorsed by any 12 Step program, nor by me personally. It is another 12 Step Tradition that groups be self-supporting, and not take contributions from outside sources. Therefore, visitors to this site should note that I am using this ad-supported site to air my personal opinions on the recovery process, and not those of any 12 Step program or group. Moreover, as I have no control over any of the ads that appear on this site, I state no opinion on the material that appears in any of them.
