Help me. I can’t stop.

“These things are addictive,” he said as he finished the bag of honey roasted peanuts. We all know what that means in an everyday sort of way. There’s something that tastes so good, and repeats itself with each mouthful that’s it’s hard to resist eating too much of it.

But, in the common mind, it doesn’t qualify as a real addiction until we experience an inability to stop. It becomes a way of acting to which we are driven (even in spite of our better judgment). Where does this strange power over us begin?

St. Thomas Aquinas would tell us, it begins with something quite good: stimulation, comfort, ecstasy, release, approval. Many earthly activities bring about enjoyable psychological states to insure repetition. Food sustains life, the intense pleasure of sex ensures human conception. They are nature’s strong inducements but by them- selves they are not necessarily addictive.

What makes a particular thing addictive is its power to mesmerize, to outgrow the desire for other human experiences. There comes a point where, to NOT be in that state (full, high, aroused) is experienced as a deprivation, a sort of poverty. I’ve begun now to prefer my addiction to all the other states of being. I’m always looking to increase the time I might spend with it.

At this point the addictive power begins to limit human freedom. (The New Testament uses the term “slavery” in describing our attachment to this behavior). It will not quietly take its place amongst other human activities. Like the moon which disappears at sunrise, the other good things of life can’t compete with the blinding desire of addiction.

Moments like, kindness, friendship, generosity, humor, communication, as good and pleasurable as they are, are not addictive because they lack the power to overwhelm. One experiences these moments without others losing their comparable appeal. They are psychological states freely chosen amongst other human offerings. Their appeal does not remove other choices, even some less pleasurable.

Where does the addiction get its power? Science has been hard at work to unwrap the phenomena of addiction. They tell us over time the repeated brain waves of intense pleasurable action wears a pathway in our brain. Along this frequently used brain path travels powerful pleasure inducing hormones (pheromones) producing the increasingly desired effect. In effect the brain has found a shortcut to feeling of “well”. It’s only a matter of time that this easy “wellness” becomes the preferred state from which to engage the world. All addiction is, at least partially, a drug addiction (the pheromone release in my brain.)

Other addictive theories are more behavior based. But they too have a “pain relief” purpose. Psychologists tell us we all have elements of emotional pain in our lives. Some pain is life long and comes from traumatic instances in our youth. Others, less dramatic but chronic (loneliness, depression, fears, boredom etc.), can turn to certain behaviors that self-medicate painful emotional states.

For example, a person tied to a job she hates, without family or friends to enjoy life with, with little or no hope for anything changing for the better can self-medicate at the casino, the bar, the internet, the kitchen etc. . . . . any- thing to change the low emotional wellness level. Something as simple as a cigarette can bring an addictive comforting (I know this one personally.)

Let’s be honest. We all run the risk of finding something to which we are inclined in an unhealthy, addictive way. Feeling his weak human nature St. Paul writes to the Romans, “My inner being delights in the law of God. But, in my body I see a different law. A law that fights against the law of God . . . I don’t understand what I do; for I don’t do what I want to do, but instead I do what I hate. What an unhappy man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is taking me to death?” Romans 7: 14-25.

The answer of course is God. But we need to understand what we must do so God can do His part. We’ll look at that next week.

In the meantime I beg you . . . please know that God has a healing for our addictions. It starts with the Truth. “And the truth will set you free.” That’s a promise.

Enjoy this summer weather. It’s not addictive!

Fr. Tim