2 ms·

What kind of trauma results in the sort of mild addictions a lot of us have (like netflix, internet addiction)

serpix 8y ago
those are not mild addictions at all. Avoidance is triggered when the mind is scared and it will grasp at anything external rather than go inside. Going inside will bring you to your self and this means ego death. Try it. Next time you observe the mind when you reach for the phone. Wait just a tiny bit and observe the emotion just under the surface noise.
mindgam3 8y ago
I believe the technical term is “mild trauma.” No, but seriously, like everything it’s a spectrum. On one end you could call it “somewhat lax parenting” like occasional neglect or emotional/verbal abuse when parents are stressed out. On the other end you have severe/chronic emotional abuse, sexual abuse, brainwashing, etc. I would also caution against the term “mild addiction”. It’s either an addiction or it isn’t. I get what you’re trying to say though. Maybe “less harmful” or “less dangerous” would be more accurate at the risk of being less concise.
astockwell 8y ago
Trauma can be a rapid gateway to addiction, but it’s not required. The brain will seek to repeat anything that brings with it a happy shot of dopamine.
- vonseel 8y ago
  That’s pretty much what I think. Sometimes it’s overwhelming how much emphasis is placed on trauma and addiction. It seems some people would be quick to label seeking any behavior that feels good (sex, having drinks with friends and being silly, etc.) as addiction and therefore the user must be burdened by past trauma. I have no doubts that trauma and it’s connection to addiction is real, but the distinction between addiction and “normal use” is blurry and often a meandering line. What starts as normal use may evolve into unhealthy use and spiral out of control. Or it might just stay normal forever. Like everything, there’s a range. Sometimes the trauma is self-inflicted, in form of isolating and loneliness - and a self-destructive circle inwards. I have personal experience with this.
WalterSear 8y ago
Those don't rise to the level of addiction any more than people foisting their control anxiety on others is 'OCD'.
- cannabisceo 8y ago
  They're definitely addictions to some. Internet addiction is very real.
  - WalterSear 8y ago
    In which case, they aren't "the sort of mild addictions a lot of us have".
ljm 8y ago
There's a distinction between addiction and habits and conditioning and, from my personal experience, you need to understand what is making you tick there. There isn't a mapping of trauma to protection (which may lead to addiction). You do what you can to survive in one moment and, as you grow up, your methods of survival can become much more dangerous. And what you did to protect yourself as a kid won't serve you at all as an adult. You might be addicted to Netflix because you were brought up in front of a TV. Is that trauma? That's between you and your therapist. You might be addicted to Netflix because it drowned out the sound of your dad yelling at your mum, and it gave you an escape. That's also between you and your therapist. There's no prescription here, you have to explore how it all was for you and then you have to process it, how you protected yourself, and how you are now. For example, an alcoholic might rely on booze because it numbs their emotions, and in their younger years they relied on suppressing their emotions in order to not be abused. Therefore to get emotional is overwhelming. Or for me personally, I enjoy a drink or two because I have feelings I struggle with, that I wasn't allowed to feel, and I use the alcohol to maintain that. Before I could drink, I was withdrawn and I avoided people, after I could drink, I could go out and wear a mask. By drinking, I don't allow myself to feel what is really happening in me, to process it. A huge indicator of trauma. I believe this is one of the few ways, if not the only way, to be compassionate with yourself and what you're going through and how you try to keep yourself together in it all.

those are not mild addictions at all. Avoidance is triggered when the mind is scared and it will grasp at anything external rather than go inside. Going inside will bring you to your self and this means ego death. Try it. Next time you observe the mind when you reach for the phone. Wait just a tiny bit and observe the emotion just under the surface noise.

mindgam3 8y ago

I believe the technical term is “mild trauma.” No, but seriously, like everything it’s a spectrum. On one end you could call it “somewhat lax parenting” like occasional neglect or emotional/verbal abuse when parents are stressed out. On the other end you have severe/chronic emotional abuse, sexual abuse, brainwashing, etc. I would also caution against the term “mild addiction”. It’s either an addiction or it isn’t. I get what you’re trying to say though. Maybe “less harmful” or “less dangerous” would be more accurate at the risk of being less concise.

astockwell 8y ago

Trauma can be a rapid gateway to addiction, but it’s not required. The brain will seek to repeat anything that brings with it a happy shot of dopamine.

vonseel 8y ago
That’s pretty much what I think. Sometimes it’s overwhelming how much emphasis is placed on trauma and addiction. It seems some people would be quick to label seeking any behavior that feels good (sex, having drinks with friends and being silly, etc.) as addiction and therefore the user must be burdened by past trauma. I have no doubts that trauma and it’s connection to addiction is real, but the distinction between addiction and “normal use” is blurry and often a meandering line. What starts as normal use may evolve into unhealthy use and spiral out of control. Or it might just stay normal forever. Like everything, there’s a range. Sometimes the trauma is self-inflicted, in form of isolating and loneliness - and a self-destructive circle inwards. I have personal experience with this.

WalterSear 8y ago

Those don't rise to the level of addiction any more than people foisting their control anxiety on others is 'OCD'.

cannabisceo 8y ago
They're definitely addictions to some. Internet addiction is very real.
- WalterSear 8y ago
  In which case, they aren't "the sort of mild addictions a lot of us have".

ljm 8y ago

There's a distinction between addiction and habits and conditioning and, from my personal experience, you need to understand what is making you tick there. There isn't a mapping of trauma to protection (which may lead to addiction). You do what you can to survive in one moment and, as you grow up, your methods of survival can become much more dangerous. And what you did to protect yourself as a kid won't serve you at all as an adult. You might be addicted to Netflix because you were brought up in front of a TV. Is that trauma? That's between you and your therapist. You might be addicted to Netflix because it drowned out the sound of your dad yelling at your mum, and it gave you an escape. That's also between you and your therapist. There's no prescription here, you have to explore how it all was for you and then you have to process it, how you protected yourself, and how you are now. For example, an alcoholic might rely on booze because it numbs their emotions, and in their younger years they relied on suppressing their emotions in order to not be abused. Therefore to get emotional is overwhelming. Or for me personally, I enjoy a drink or two because I have feelings I struggle with, that I wasn't allowed to feel, and I use the alcohol to maintain that. Before I could drink, I was withdrawn and I avoided people, after I could drink, I could go out and wear a mask. By drinking, I don't allow myself to feel what is really happening in me, to process it. A huge indicator of trauma. I believe this is one of the few ways, if not the only way, to be compassionate with yourself and what you're going through and how you try to keep yourself together in it all.