Niki’s Health Triangle Magazine Articles

Habit or Addiction?

The word “addiction” originates from the Latin “addictio,” meaning “a yielding to impulse” or “a devoting oneself to something.” In Roman law, an “addict” referred to a person who was enslaved through a court ruling, as a punishment for a crime.

English usage of the word “addict” began in the 16th century. In the 1530s, “to addict” meant “to devote or give up oneself to a habit or occupation.” Over time, the meaning of the word shifted to encompass a sense of involuntary attachment or dependence.

These days, the word addiction is being applied much more frequently, and I regularly have clients who are convinced they are addicts. When asked what they think they are addicted to, the answer might be: alcohol, drugs, food, shopping, gambling, porn, social media, smoking and vaping… to name but a few.

In my view, the word ‘addict’ is merely a label that we attach to ourselves, because we’ve been conditioned to do so. And when we attach labels, then we become what is written on those labels. (See my Health Triangle article Let’s tear off those labels!)

We are told that once an addict, always an addict, so the addiction needs to be managed. Not so! A habit has been acquired over a period of time and it can be reversed. (Please note that I don’t work with people who are on hard drugs until they have been in rehab.)

When anyone tries to tell you that you’re an addict, I want you to immediately put your fingers in your ears and say ‘Blah blah blah’ so you can’t hear them.

Now, I’m not telling you to ignore the fact that you have a bad habit, but as my client, the first thing I would ask you to do is to RIP OFF that addiction label and recognise that what you have is a HABIT that doesn’t require a label.

By identifying the root cause of your habit and exchanging the faulty information, stored in your subconscious, for the truthful version from your wise, older and more mature self, you can be free of those bad habits that are affecting both your physical and mental health, and of course your finances.

It requires us to work as a team and it will take some effort, but it will be worth it, and after just a few sessions, you will start to feel the positive change within you, and notice that it is becoming increasingly easy to create new, healthy lifestyle habits.

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