Different types of addiction we tend to fall under.

Addiction is a wide spectrum of toxic behaviors that we sometimes are victims of. Most of us don’t realize we are addicted to several toxic habits in our lives, such as digital addiction, compulsive spending, unhealthy diets, or toxic relationships.

Occasionally, we even find ourselves hooked on the feeling of rage and anger, but we can’t quite fathom that fact. For our New Year’s resolutions, we decided to tackle some addiction habits to work on ourselves and gain a better state of mind. 2020, we are ready for you!

1- Digital Addiction

There is no doubt that the digital world has made our lives easier in many ways, but research suggests that our addiction to social media is in fact real.

Every new notification or text triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that drives people to seek rewards, therefore coming back for more. Research has also suggested that social media is associated with causing anxiety, depression and decreased marital satisfaction.

There are many ways to cut back on your digital dependency. You can turn off your push notifications for social media apps, switch to airplane mode while exercising to lessen phone distractions, or plan to completely ‘unplug’ for one hour a day. Gradually, you can switch off for a day.

Make sure you also have other distractions whenever temptation takes over, be it a magazine, book or even a walk to clear your mind. Don’t underestimate meditation and creating a sanctuary for yourself. It will help you center your focus and find your pace. We can always go to destinations with no mobile service to detox and just enjoy nature.

2- Toxic Relationships

Getting rid of toxic relationships that you are attached is easier said than done. Whether a friend, family member or significant other, toxic people can be really dangerous for our mental health. We usually know we are better off without them, but our hook becomes stronger than our instinct to look out for ourselves.

To liberate ourselves from poisonous relations, we have to acknowledge the toxicity. The sooner we realize the harm they bring along, the faster we can recover and move on. Setting boundaries is an essential part of the process.  Once you’ve made the decision to end a relationship, you’re responsible for keeping the boundaries clear, and most importantly, sticking to them.

Realizing it’s not your job to save someone will prevent you from so much self-damage. If things are dire for your friend, direct them to resources that specialize in their particular issue. Solving their problems is beyond your capabilities at times. Surround yourself with positive people and find alternatives to regain your
peace and wholeness. See what you like to do and fill your days with it.

3- Compulsive Shopping

It might seem like a choice, but for many, compulsive shopping and spending is really an addiction. Psychologists define a compulsive spender as someone who puts so much time and effort into buying things and thinking about purchases that it impairs their life in a significant way.

To control your spending, you should firstly get to the root of the problem and try to figure out what the actual reason behind your compulsive shopping is. It’s usually a response to an emotional problem. Afterwards, you should destroy all your credit cards. Seriously, they are the source of all evil. Always pay in cash and leave your card at home when shopping, so you limit your purchases.

Of course, always track your spending. Writing down your spending is an important exercise as it helps you become more conscious of your spending and gradually helps you change that behavior. Set a budget for yourself and don’t carry more than you intend to spend. Usually, compulsive shoppers aren’t aware of the amount they put in during their shopping spree.

Take it from someone who’s been there, you should always wait for 20 minutes before buying that thing you are ‘dying for.’ After 20 minutes, we usually realize we don’t really need the item that much so we manage to fight off our urge.

4- Anger Issues

Anger is an emotional state that varies in intensity from mild irritation to extreme rage. It is a serious problem as many people find it hard to maintain or control their temper during certain situations. Although we can’t always change the things that bother us, we can surely learn how to control our reactions.

According to the American Psychological Association, there are three main approaches to dealing with bad temper: expressing, suppressing and calming. The important thing is to learn how to express calmly what it is that made us angry. Suppressing our anger can make us divert it elsewhere or even worse, turn it into inward anger, which can cause our health to deteriorate. Learning to calm ourselves, inwardly and outwardly is quite imperative. Letting our overwhelming feelings subside and calming ourselves can help lower our heart rate during angry moments.

We can try to calm ourselves by breathing deeply and refraining from talking or answering back in the heat of the moment. So we ultimately need to learn how to express, calm ourselves and not suppress our anger. Here are a few counseling centers that can help with anger management and/or other psychological assistance needed in Saudi.

Waad Therapy Center
Location: 7174 Al Amir Sultan – An Nahdah Dist., Jeddah
Mob: +966-591402043
Web : waad.sa
Instagram: waadtherapy

Maabar Social Consultancy
Location: Arawdah, Jeddah 23435
Tel: +966-12-6900888
Web: maabar.com
Instagram: maabarksa

Medicare Clinics
Location: Al Madhar Ash Shamali, Takhassusi St., Al Mathar Ash Shamali, Riyadh
Tel: 920005531
Web: medicare-clinics.com

Soundheart Counseling Center
Location: Al Faisaliyah, Dammam, 32273
Mob: +966-597976747
Web: Soundheart.org
Instagram: 4soundheart