What if there was a way to get immunized against addictions? With no risk or downside, just upside and positive benefits?
And what if that same vaccination could protect us from other negative issues and bad habits we all encounter? And also help us experience more peace, joy, and purpose each day?
Is there anyone who wouldn’t want immunization against some of life’s biggest problems?
The good news is, there is a vaccine for addiction, and it is available to all of us.
“If you have a vaccine or an antidote that people can benefit from, you’re not going to want to keep it to yourself. You’re going to want to spread that wisdom or whatever to as many people as you can, so everybody can benefit from it.” (will.i.am)
Why We Need a Vaccine
Medically, vaccines reduce the risk of disease by helping our body safely develop immunity. Afterwards, antibodies remain in our system and protect it from future illness.
How does that metaphor apply to helping us avoid negative issues in our life?
Compulsive habits and addictions infect all of us sooner or later. Just as germs make us physically sick, there are inner causes for emotional problems. If we can be protected from those causes, it will help prevent larger issues from appearing.
These “emotional germs” appear in our body as traits such as entitlement, resentment, worry, insecurity, and depression. They lead to more serious conditions including overspending, control, anger, workaholism, codependency, and alcoholism.
“There are all kinds of addicts, I guess. We all have pain. And we all look for ways to make the pain go away.” (Sherman Alexie)
Why We Do What We Do
For example, when people abuse alcohol, they do it for inner reasons which they may or may not understand. Something inside creates a need they believe they can address by drinking. They don’t see alcohol as the problem—it is the solution!
Because we do the things we do for a reason:
- Hereditary or circumstantial reasons – If we become aware of our family history and life circumstances, we can spot risky situations and better prepare for them.
- Medical, psychological, or addiction issues – Sometimes, there is an actual illness involved, physical or mental, that needs to be addressed for us to improve.
- Learned behaviors – We all have inner issues that affect us negatively, and either we learn to deal with them in a healthy manner or they will lead to additional troubles.
“We are addicted to our thoughts. We cannot change anything if we cannot change our thinking.” (Santosh Kalwar)
Root cause issues such as entitlement, pride, and resentment lead to bigger problems if left untreated, but there are positive behaviors we can adopt to immunize ourselves against them. A few examples include:
- Surrendering our will to God is a vaccine for entitlement.
- Humbly admitting our mistakes is a vaccine for pride.
- Forgiving others regularly is a vaccine for resentment.
This doesn’t mean we won’t face trials in life, because we will. But we can lessen the odds of facing problems we bring on ourselves. And if we do encounter issues, with the right preparation ahead of time, we can work through them more quickly.
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 9:13)
Why There Is Hope
There is a form of vaccine for addiction and other unhealthy behavioral issues which plague us. But it’s not an injection; it involves adjusting how we choose to live each day.
To protect ourselves from a medical disease takes a holistic approach utilizing medicine, diet, and exercise. Similarly, we also need a balanced program to treat emotional issues, a way of living in which we focus on these three areas:
The WHY – Identify the many benefits of positive behaviors and count the costs of negative ones so that we have clear and compelling reasons to live the right way and remind ourselves of our “WHY” on a regular basis.
The WHAT – Understand the principles and practices to achieve the benefits that we desire.
The HOW – Learn practical steps to move in a positive direction to improve our lives.
The next few STEPS articles will expand on these challenges of healthy living:
- WHY is change needed in our life?
- WHAT can be done to live life better?
- HOW do we vaccinate against issues?
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Come with us on this journey of discovery. You will build up protection against life’s negative issues, and you will also find more peace, joy, and purpose along the way.
Can we immunize ourselves against bad habits and addictions? To a significant degree, yes, we can.
Question: Do you see how living life the right way will serve as a vaccine against issues?
Action: Read the next article in this series on “A Vaccine for Addiction: Finding Your Why.”
