While I was an addict, my mind treated me like a horse already doomed to race and that can only aspire to be killed. I told myself to wait for the moment of complete abstinence to start improving the quality of my life in all respects, doing it sooner would been just a waste of time. My existence resembled remaining motionless in a waiting room, but the reality is that I had always been looking for the thing I respect and appreciate most in this world: FREEDOM.
Freedom that I found in abundance in the gray area, in that bridge of transition from black to white, in the moderation that, obviously, by stimulating me less, only created disinterest in me. But once I tasted it, I discovered the possibility of being able to do everything while staying clean. Between addiction and the search for abstinence, I experienced such an interesting journey that it made me lose track of my final destination: you arrive when you arrive! Since I have accepted myself for who I am, life has become much more peaceful, without too many expectations, but above all without judgment.
I still hear that voice that wants everything, but I listen to it without identifying myself and the objective is to learn more and more how to get up, because I have already been an expert on how to fall.
It has been a long journey, years that are now far away, and I had to go down this path to understand how much I would like to go back home.
If I had had these tools at the time, perhaps I would never have been an addict, but I would not have been able to make this journey inside and outside of me.
Extract from the book 'Light and Invisible' - Sana Barada
Questions that I have been frequently asked during my workshops / events in different cities around the world:
- How can I tell if I have developed an addiction?
- How can we help loved ones (parents, partner ...) who struggle alongside those they love to overcome together the addiction that has ruined their life?· What are the differences and similarities between addiction to substances (drugs, prescription medications, alcohol, nicotine, etc.) and lifestyle addiction (love, food, video games, gambling, pornography / sex, etc.)?
- How could food possibly be a drug?
- How could behaviour towards food possibly be an addiction?
- Is there such a thing as an emotional addiction and how
does it work?
- What is the "right" way to see
drug addiction? In general, how are drug addicts viewed, what feelings do they
arouse, what reactions do they provoke?
- What is the best way to deal with the
problem and be able to intervene towards the addict?
- Practical behavior to transform fast-food into slow-food?
- Secrets behind good Tuscan living and keeping healthy and
in good shape?
- How could food be considered a
drug?
- Inappropriate vs appropriate alcohol consumption?
- How can we overcome abstinence?
- Are there different types of addiction, such as physical,
psychological, etc?
- What are the consequences of videogame addiction?
- Are there people who make a lot of money winning at
videogames and for this reason they dedicate their lives to videogames?
- Can micro-transactions create addiction to gambling?
- Is compulsive shopping an addiction? What is the
difference between shopping as a ‘hobby’ and addiction to shopping?
- What are musical and digital drugs?
- How does porno-addiction work?
- Family members smoke and disturb the others, how can we
make them stop?
- Can sport become an addiction?
- Is the repeating of the same word an addiction? Language
addiction? How can it be overcome?
- Is self-inflicted injury an addiction?
- Can competitiveness become an addiction?
- What cures are there for overcoming an addiction?
- Are there any soft drugs? Should they be legalized?
- Is marijuana a soft drug? Is it true that it is modified
in the laboratory?
- Would legalizing drugs lead to a reduction in their
consumption due to the appeal of violating the rules?
- Will the offences committed before legalization be
repressed?
- Will legalizing soft drugs help empty prisons and reduce
dirty money?
- Which is the most commonly used drug?
- At the same dose and purity, which is the most dangerous
drug?
- What does this forum teach us? And how could it help
prevent addiction?