Is abstaining from one's addiction a choice? Yes it is because our addiction is birthed from the choices we made. Every form of addiction begins as a choice, we are all responsible for depending on something till we become addicted to it but gradually, as its take control of our minds, its start feeling like a trap.
It is like a person becomes trapped in their own mind, you know you want to stop but you can't. Your mind is screaming for you to stop but you are unwilling to. A cage of our own design.
I remember when I was in camp, I joined NDLEA WADA group {War against drug addiction} One of the NDLEA officer appointed to tutor us said, the worst thing that can happen to a human being is addiction. He said he has watched it destroy a lot of people's lives, people with great potentials and he has also seen people let go of their addiction and relapsed multiple times. He said, in fact there is 90% chance that a person that let go of their addiction will relapsed multiple times within the span of 2 months to a year.
The fact is there is something that makes a person addicted, the willingness to suppress an emotion, like coping with pain, fear, lose, anxiety or depression. Whatever a person addiction is, it is used as a coping mechanisms to deal with these inner factors, it is only when a person finds a way to deal with the inner factor without using whatever they are are addicted to, it is only then a person will have a chance to battle their addiction.
Knowing how formidable the invisible force of addiction is, it might have begin as a choice but the moment it dominates a person's entire essence, it start feeling like something beyond our control. It feels like an enchantment but I don't consider it as one because it might feel like an inner force is forcing an addicted person to do things but it is still the person choosing to do so and it is the willingness to stop that can save a person from addiction, so yeah, it is a choice.
The only way to battle addiction is by gaining control of it, so if we say it beyond our capability, how exactly will that help?
This write-up was inspired by weekly featured content titled Addiction in hive learners community.
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