Addiction is a product of repressed emotions

Zulu... how true is that sentence !

I disagree with zulu's sentence, clever sounding tho it is.

Emotional suffering comes from the struggle with difficult emotions IMO. Repressing is a perfect example of struggling.

Say your sad because you miss someone, maybe someone gone forever, and you have a really big cry. Is that an unwanted experience? You're directly experiencing sadness.

In this situ, we can kind of move on. If we bottle this sadness, fight it, it's still lurking. We might not even know what's wrong but somethings not right

IMO it's the fear of 'negative emotions ' which leads to avoidance/addiction. The habit of serial avoidance of negative emotions.

Not helped by this ridiculous western notion that people should be happy all the time.

I'm not saying we actively want negative emotions. But the more we learn to do what's important, in spite of experiencing difficult emotions, the richer and more fulfilling our lives become.

cardhue wrote:

I've heard that the 'gold standard' of therapy is actually group therapy - so in this respect GA has a clear advantage.

Just a note to add that GamCare also offer group therapy in our London office. Some of our local partners may also offer this option, as does the National Problem Gambling Centre in West London.

Best wishes

Forum Admin

Hi Cardhue

I think what this person was saying is that while in addiction we may repress certain negative emotions or escape from them. When we start recovery these emotions reoccur into the conscious. Feelings and emotions emerging in the awareness can be enlightening and at the same time scary as it requires having to face up to them. For some people it is not so easy and having to deal with things instead of repressing them. Of course everyone is entitled to there own a opinions. I only thought I would mention this saying as my addictions lecture who is also a recovering heroin addict made this statement in an opening lecture which I thought quite poiniant.

Take care

Hi Zulu

Actually I don't think i disagree just I have a slightly different take. As an addict I was consumed by avoiding negative emotions.

When I stopped I had to confront these fears. But the paradox is, that when I confronted the fears they tended to melt away. Or the analogy of paper tigers was apt.

All the best

Louis