Habit or Addiction

Ever sit and wonder why it is you do the things you do? Is it something genetically causing it? Is it something inherited through family tradition or habit? Or are you just crazy?

While I would like to believe I am of sound mind and perfect sanity, recent events in my life have forced me to ponder these questions repetitively throughout the majority of my days and nights. Clinically speaking, I am crazy...LoL...but seriously, These life changing events have also brought me in acquaintance with other people, who may look different, have different cultures and backgrounds and family dynamics, they too are having to face these same questions.

So, is it just something that is a habit or is it an addiciton? Whether talking about OCD or alcohol and drug dependancy, seretonin seems to be a term that is reiterated throughout most literature on these topics. "The chemical messenger, Seretonin seems to be heavily involved.  Seretonin is a chemical called a neurotransmitter that allows nerve cells to communicate with each other by working in the space between nerve cells, called the synaptic cleft.  According to research, Seretonin is involved with biological processes such as mood, aggression, sleep, appetite and pain.  It also seems that Seretonin is capable of connecting to nerve cells in the brain in many different ways and so can cause many different responses.  It is not even fully established if it is all or part of the Seretonin chemical or another chemical entirely acting on it; or a malfunction in one or more of the receptors in the brain that Seretonin attaches to that causes [problems]."

So we are still left with some unanswered questions...however, through the work I have been doing to better myself physically, mentally and spiritually, I have learned a lot about myself and have come to know and have started to come to terms that I suffer from depression and anxiety which resulted in OCD behaviors as well as addiction...

Some of us are lucky enough to know from the start that they are a product of their environment and do not ever suffer the consequences of the disease called addiction...maybe they have enough serotonin to carry them through the rough patches? 

I am a survivor, and though I have hit rock bottom, and having to rebuild the pieces before I can even begin to put them back together, I am grateful for my "short-comings" and my dysfunctional serotonin, because it helps me to remember I am not weak, that the exact opposite is true...I am a strong woman, a great mother and an amazing friend.


Website References used for article:
Anxiety Care
Seretonin