Addiction: suffering is optional

What we need to understand is the whole root of addiction is based around indulging in desires.

Indulging to a point where the addiction alleviates suffering to a level where it actually creates more suffering than it alleviates in the first place.

I think it’s really important for us to understand what suffering really is and what our relationship with suffering is.

Suffering is just a perspective, it’s just a point of view.

It’s a mental position we take based on the circumstances that we’re in, which can often be alleviated. And looking at the benefit of us not satisfying the desire, and thereby balancing out the scenario.

This comes from someone who’s been addicted to substance. I’ve been addicted to substances that alleviate the desire – but ultimately cause more problems than they’re worth.

For me, I’ve had to learn how to balance my perspectives out, balance my behaviours out. Sure, I may not now be indulging to have those desires fulfilled, which creates a level of suffering because, hey, I do want to get high.

On the other hand, I’m able to experience much higher levels of clarity, much higher levels of discipline, and much higher levels of order, much higher levels of success…as a result of that clarity.

Balance is always there, it’s just asking yourself the right questions and balancing out your perspective, and making a good choice for yourself.

Suffering is optional – it’s just a point of view, it’s a perspective.

If you ask yourself the right questions, anything that is producing any level of suffering can be balanced out just by putting it in a different position.

There’s a positive kind of pain with some choices that can take us forward. It’s just a choice.

Your call.