Overcoming Addiction

When there is addiction in our lives, it is not the addiction we need to address. What is the void we are trying to fill?

I believe that if we are addicted to anything, we cannot be truly present.

For most of my life I have been addicted to something, from cocaine to alcohol, to smoking and vaping, to weed, to people, social media, food, caffeine. I had this insatiable need within me to consume something. I heard a phrase once that encapsulated this feeling of ‘always chasing that fucking dragon’. It used to be the next line or my next shot, on a night out, it then transitioned to my next piece of food or cup of tea, nowhere near as harmful but regardless, still constantly looking for that next buzz.

It’s been a long, slow, and painful process of harm reduction. Cutting out cycles of drug and alcohol binges and benders was the beginning, and the slippery slope into sobriety. It forced me to start looking at the ugly parts of myself and my life. I believe when you give something up, like alcohol, or drugs, or a toxic person, there is a gaping hole in your life. This gaping hole feels like vulnerability, it feels like feeling your feelings, it feels like being alone, and to be honest, it feels like shit.

Thats why most people don’t do it.

We live in a world that isn’t set up for human optimisation. Alcohol is on every street corner and its nearly impossible to not eat ultra-processed foods, our tap water has hormones in and majority of people are working unfulfilling jobs in cubicles.

I don’t say this to depress you. I say this to comfort you.

“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” - Jiddu Krishnamurti

Through addiction, we are adjusting to be able to cope with our lack of purpose, our disconnection from nature, and our separated families. It takes an incredibly brave person to be sober. You begin to see that most people are running from themselves, desperately filling the void, scrambling for a vice.

I also realised a pattern. I noticed my addictions gave me an excuse. ‘If only I wasn’t addicted to xyz, then I’d be successful’. Imagine what I could achieve? Imagine who I could be?

Giving up an addiction isn’t the hard part. The hard part is creating a life so beautiful, you don’t want to go back. It’s not just about letting go of substances or behaviours, it's about reawakening to a life of depth and meaning.

It’s about filling the void not with another distraction, but with real, authentic connections - to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us.

When we begin to create a life that is rich in purpose, fulfilment, and love, the need for external crutches begins to dissolve. It’s a journey of reclaiming your true self, one where the joy of being present in each moment outweighs the fleeting comfort of past habits. The key is to live a life so vibrant, so full of connection, that addiction no longer has a place.

It’s not about what we give up, but who we choose to embrace.