Recognizing the Signs: How to Identify If You're Developing an Addiction or Unhealthy Codependent Pattern

Throughout the course of our lives, almost everyone will experience some form of an unhealthy relationship with various energies that we engage with. By energies I mean food, drugs, alcohol, sex, money, love, social media, the list goes on. These energies can change the way we think, feel, and experience ourselves and the World around us. They can be very enjoyable yet also detrimental if we abuse them. We all have some form of relationship to and interact with these energies on a regular basis, with the exception of substances which we can choose not to partake in at all. If we find ourselves struggling with one of these energies and feeling an obsession, preoccupation, loss of control, impact on our relationships, family, and life then we may be crossing into an addiction with that energy.In this episode, I offer signs which may indicate that an addiction is beginning to develop in your life and some first steps you can take if that is the case. As a therapist, I specialize in addiction, substance abuse, and eating disorders all of which I have experienced personally. I share a bit of my own experience as to how I realized I had a problem. I also distinguish the difference between having a tendency to abuse and have a conflicted relationship with an energy versus a full blown addiction. Feel free to reach out to me to see how we can work together and send your questions, feedback, and requests for future solo episodes here: Whitney Walker, LMFTLicense # 107082www.WomenWaken.comhttps://www.psychologytoday.com/[email protected]: @Womenwaken