Ok, who here knows, without a shadow of a doubt (with or without the need for a test or assessment to tell you) that you have an addictive personality?!
I confess. I do. I recall not so very long ago a guy using his addictive personality trait as a way attract women. I am not too sure he quite understood the implications of being a potential addict, and I am sure he was thinking it meant that women would be drawn to his amazing personality and never want to leave him. The reality is more likely that he would turn into a raving stalker nut who some poor woman would never get rid of…wait…what am I admitting to here…
Yes, it’s true that you can get so attached to a person/object/ideal that it becomes an obsession. This is also why I gave up my 20-40 a day habit 21 years ago, rarely drink (apart from socially when I am not designated driver, and it’s not a school night), don’t do drugs or hold a battery of credit cards. Addiction makes you stupid, self-obsessed and greedy. Avoiding addiction is a conscious effort that gives you very little satisfaction. I don’t ever get that feeling of ‘oh yesssss’ when I have avoided a cigarette that I used to get when I lit up the first one of the day.
However! I always seem to be overly attached to something. I am pretty sure since I gave up smoking I have formed over-the-top connections to many other activities that might not be part of the usual ‘damaging’ addictive list, but the results are, for the duration of that action, I dream it, think it, create opportunities to satisfy my habit – all those things that addicts do. I know this is the case as I have to make a very conscious decision to withdraw or I know I won’t be able to give my full attention to whatever needs it. In recent years it’s been those games on facebook.
Farmtown was the first one that I had to give up just before starting university, or I knew I wouldn’t be able to devote the proper thinking time I needed to perform well. Each summer I would start a new game of whatever the top developer was offering as it’s best time-waster. I would play it avidly till the start of the new academic year, then I would sadly say goodbye to it. Now it’s Hay Day and I am at that stage of waking up in the middle of the night and checking if my boat has arrived or making sure Tom has an errand….seriously, do not play this game if addiction is your bag. So, it is coming to the time I must say good-bye to it, but not till I have bought the jam maker…ok?
My name is Alison and I am addicted to Hay Day.
Alison Leggatt's Blog 
January 24th, 2014 at 3:29 pm
Without a doubt I have an addictive personality. I, too, avoid many things so as not to become burdened with an addiction to them. However, I fail miserably with two big addictions, neither illegal thankfully. When I do manage to kick one habit in the butt, I usually end up replacing it with another. 😦 I have thankfully steered clear of online games for a few years now, after a “scrabulous” addiction got way out of hand. Thankfully, the game was taken off facebook, rather than me having to painfully fight the addiction myself. When it came back online, I made sure never once to click into it. You are so right, a lot of work comes with avoiding addiction and little of the glory of winning the fight.