Instant happiness and Addictions

Addiction does not have any boundaries. It can be in several forms. If a person eats too many hot dogs in a day, he or she will also be labeled as addicted to it. What is weird is when people associate addiction only with drugs, alcohol, tobacco, porn or sex. It's much to do with the fact that we only find those things harmful which are taught to us by the society. We never focus on the other things which make us weak and vulnerable from inside. Strangely isn't?
What is the connection between instant happiness and addiction?
Anything which helps us move through the difficult times can be considered as instant happiness. For an example -: if a person who just had a breakup, would surely be looking for ways and means to divert his mind from it. And the process of doing something to get a move on to achieve the temporary happy state can lead to wrong choices resulting in addiction. It all depends on an individual to what choices he or she needs to make keeping in mind the consequences attached to it.
There can be so many examples of it. We always have had people around us who shop more or probably eats more in depression. Isn't also a kind of addiction? Did we ever think why they do it? It's because we don’t notice these things as long as we see them putting an effort to get through.For some reason, it is the effort which catches our attention not the path attached to it.
Food addiction is a very common example these days because it gives you a good and satisfying feeling by consuming certain food but having a constant urge to eat it when you are not even hungry brings a lot of serious consequences to it, it could be physical, social or even emotional. The result of over indulging in that particular food which brings you joy could be digestion problems, low self – esteem, depression etc.
Let's talk about relationships. We all have seen and experienced the immense pleasure of being in love. But relationships can't be taken for granted, we never know when it will get over and when it does, what can we do to get over it. I would like to mention about this friend of mine who would do anything to be in a relationship.Whenever he goes through a breakup, he would look for another person to fall in love with. This completely shows that he can't remain single for a long time. Maybe by being in a relationship, he gets his happiness. But how many times a person can fall in love, it sure looks like he is addicted to relationships. But does he know that?
We are definitely aware of the fact that not all the choices leading to the instant happiness result in the addictions but most of the times we tend to dwell in wrong choices. Isn't worth pondering about?
The question here is can we see us becoming addicted to something behind the curtains of instant happiness? It’s the pain which we suffer makes us go to any depths to recover from it and thus leading to the dangerous path of unknown addictions.
Most of the times it is very difficult to foresee the consequences of efforts we put in to go for the instant happiness which we seek and desire. I am sure the circumstances play a pivotal role in the choices we make but at the end of the day, we must accept that we are strong enough to control the circumstance.
The only thing that can be done is to be more observant about the choices we make to move through the difficult times. One should never think of finding the short cuts for it, rather we should all embrace the difficult times as a challenge for better future without having to face any unexpected and oblivion ramifications of our need for instant happiness. It is difficult but absolutely a secure way of permanent happiness.