The Changing Face of Addiction

A new habit graduated to the level of addiction this year. Drama Addiction.

The World Health Organization defined addiction as a pathological relationship with a mood-altering substance, event, or thing that persists psychotically and has life damaging consequences.

​Well into the global pandemic, people experienced unprecedented change in routines, livelihoods and relationships. Without the usual avenues of distraction via shopping, sports, or socialization, many turned to social media for relief.

As people began to rely on digital media for communication, true connection and authenticity faded. Loneliness, relapse and suicide skyrocketed. Domestic violence and mental health issues rose in direct proportion to social distancing and the uncertainty that accompanied a pandemic of this proportion.

By design, gaming and social media create a perceived need for more. They want people to keep coming back. The body can release endorphins 100 times more powerful than morphine in process addictions such as gambling, sex, gaming, and doomscrolling.

You can be dependent on the next Facebook fix without ever ingesting a substance. Drama addiction is a sick connection that allows you to escape legitimate grief by giving you a place outside yourself to focus, compare, or vent so you feel better or at least less alone.

Once hooked, the phenomenon of craving develops and the life damaging consequences begin to pile up. Less sleep, less time, less productivity, and less energy for real life interactions. As it progresses, the user feels increasingly more restless, irritable and discontent as they compare their lives to the fantasy highlight reel. Jobs suffer, love suffers, family suffers and ultimately health suffers.

Many know they should stop but cannot. Particularly in 2020, the fantasy persisted psychotically and FOMO (fear of missing out) became a real thing.

Addictions are impulsive, compulsive and obsessive. It is the obsession that leads to life damaging loss of intimacy, income or integrity. Once fully established, it can be very difficult to break.

Today is a new day. Now is the time to step away from whatever bad habit has gripped your soul. It is never too late for a happy ending.

The choice is yours. I’m here to help. Contact Us for a free checklist from our playbook.

​You CAN live your dreams, not their drama.