Identifying the Root Issue Behind Many Addictions

There is a key root that is common in all addiction issues and that is this: an excessive need to be loved.

God created us for love. We have a love bucket that needs to be filled by Him and others through healthy relationships. When that need to be loved is not filled, a festering, excessive need develops that is never satisfied. We then become vulnerable to addictions.

Addictions creep in where love has been compromised or absent or where abuse has been instead of loving acceptance. Rejection fuels this excessive need to be loved through driving us toward addictions.

It is important to note that addictions are inappropriate responses to a valid need. The enemy knows how to control you by taking advantage of your needs. Satan knows you need the Father’s love, but he makes you think you can satisfy those needs in other ways, especially when you have never been taught how to walk in the love of God.

When we are not loved properly, go through stress or carry inward pain, we are tempted to numb that place in our hearts. Teenagers will get involved with crazy crowds and say yes to dangerous behaviors when they are in pain. The same is true for adults.

Brokenness and hurt have spawned all kinds of dysfunction. Those who are abused can often fall into some kind of addiction to cope with the pain of the horrific experiences.

This excessive need to be loved also involves a lack of nurture, something we either learned or did not learn from our mothers. Nurture helps us deal with and process pain in a healthy manner. It is in the realm of love that we receive comfort, something the Holy Spirit of God does. Those who did not learn nurture are absolutely wide open for addictions, especially during times of stress, tumult or pain. This lack of nurture causes people to be insecure and have low self-worth, and to often find a way to cope through an addictive pathway.

Addictions mess with two key areas—our state of being and our state of belonging. State of being has to do with our identity, how secure we are in who we are. State of belonging addresses our ability to know we are loved and cared for. Our state of being asks, “Who am I?” while our state of belonging asks, “Why am I here and does anyone care?”

Those who have a deep unmet need to be loved will be unable to obtain solid answers to these questions, leaving them wide open to the assault of addictions. An addiction spirit will come and lie to us, keeping us convinced that we are not loved by God or anyone else and we need a “fix” to make ourselves feel better. {eoa}

Mark DeJesus has been equipping people in a full-time capacity since 1995, serving in various roles, including teaching people of all ages, communicating through music, authoring books, leading and mentoring. Mark’s deepest love is his family: his wife, Melissa; son, Maximus; and daughter, Abigail. Mark is a teacher, author and mentor who uses many communication mediums, including the written word, a weekly radio podcast show and videos. His deepest call involves equipping people to live as overcomers. Through understanding inside out transformation, Mark’s message involves getting to the root of issues that contribute to the breakdown of our relationships, our health and our day-to-day peace. He is passionately reaching his world with a transforming message of love, healing and freedom. Out of their own personal renewal, Mark and Melissa founded Turning Hearts Ministries, a ministry dedicated to inside out transformation. Mark also founded Transformed You, a communication platform for Mark’s teachings, writing and broadcasts that are designed to encourage people in their journey of transformation.

For the original article, visit markdejesus.com.