The road to life is a disciplined life; ignore correction and you’re lost for good. Proverbs 10:17 (The Message)
“The dose makes the poison” Paracelsus
We all need certain things to give us a sense of calm and security. Those of us who have raised children know that when the babies are young, they need to find things that soothe them. Therefore, so many kids have found that handy thumb of theirs to be mighty soothing! Babies and young children often have stuffed animals, silky materials that they can rub, and various other things in their environment that can fill the bill.
As we get older, we find other things to soothe us when we are upset, anxious, frustrated, etc. We all need some activities or items for comfort when we are stressed, and there is nothing wrong with that – until there is.
What I mean is, anything that gives us instant comfort and gratification quickly can become addictive. Did you ever try to break a child’s “addiction” to their thumb? Sometimes it is quite difficult. Eventually, we can redirect the child to some alternative way to find soothing.
The behaviors of adults that can become addictive are numerous. Some are socially acceptable, some are not. Some are downright unhealthy and potentially fatal (alcohol, drugs, gambling etc.). The ones that have taken hold here in the early 21st century are social media and electronic devices.
We may not like to think of these as addictions, but they are indeed. As with any soothing behavior, we need to use it judiciously and in moderation. Soothing behaviors are good and important. But, just like anything else, it is all about the “dosage”. Too much too often will turn the soothing into a destructive behavior.
So, we don’t simply give up soothing behaviors- we need them. But we do need to be mindful of how we use our habits so that they don’t eventually own us!
Prayer: Lord, help us to see the things that give us comfort, and those that are robbing us of comfort, Amen
Reflections of a Counselor 
Amen
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