Are we all addicts?

Is there something in your life you really cannot live without? It can be anything.  A person, food, drink, or activity could fit into this category.  If there is something, does that mean we are addicts?  Some would definitely say we are addicted.  Are all overweight people addicted to food?  Are all people who drink an alcoholic beverage several times a week addicted?  Is the octomom addicted to babies? (watch Oprah)

It is interesting how we often project our own perspective on someone else's life.  We have all the answers and descriptions about others, while ignoring our need for freedom in this area.  Can we be addicted to "fixing" others?  Co-dependency is addiction.  By definition, as co-dependents, we become so involved in someone else's addiction and lifestyle we no longer live our own existence.  Everything a co-dependent does or thinks is motivated by another's actions.  They have offered their lives as a sacrificial offering to the addiction god.  By choice, co-dependent people have lost themselves.  Read more about codependency

It seems there are some personality types with a tendency toward addiction and there are other personality types who seem to pick something up one day and have no trouble letting it go later.  (This does not apply to drug abuse.  There are drugs which when used even once turn a person into an addict.)  But overall, is it true we all have some sort of addiction? Personally, I'm not so sure this is true.  

There are many people in our world who drink wine with dinner nightly (1 or 2 glasses), love their coffee, drink soda often, or smoke a cigar once or twice a week.  Not all of these people are addicts.  Some may be, but we cannot tell simply by their habits.  Addiction is a heart issue created by a great desire to fill an empty space in our life or heart with something.  Addicts tend to increase their consumption and when offered "their chosen drug" cannot turn it down.  If the drug no longer satisfies, they move to something bigger and better.

Someone addicted to exercise (not all "drugs" are bad for you), may increase to the point of extreme damage to their body.  But someone who simply loves to work out or has set a goal for the Olympic team may appear to have similar habits to an onlooker.  Habits and lifestyle alone are not a good source of information in determining an addiction. Addicts cannot stop, cannot restrain and cannot limit themselves because the hole they are trying to fill is deep.  

I've experienced interaction with addicts in my lifetime and even married one for a short time.  This doesn't make me an expert, simply a woman who's seen it over and over again.  Addicts at the extreme level look much like the recent videos created by a "star" who has also been all over the news.  God created this man and other addicts to be something better and to have much more in life.  It is sad.  Kudos to addicts who have been set free of their addiction!  Staying on the path of freedom is a long and hard journey but many are traveling this road.  It is possible - my personal belief is, "surrendering to Jesus leads to freedom."

Challenge for today:  We are in the midst of the Lenten Season.  Is there something you need to be reassured is not an idol or addiction?  I struggle with co-dependency.  My hope is to give up caring what people think.