Edgar Allan Poe once said: “I have absolutely no pleasure in the stimulants in which I sometimes so madly indulge. It has not been in the pursuit of pleasure that I have periled life and reputation and reason. It has been the desperate attempt to escape from torturing memories, from a sense of insupportable loneliness and a dread of some strange impending doom.” 

Today I can relate to the “impending doom” statement as I am working in the office trying to repair the sound on my computer while my partner works on the business year end taxes!  After a couple of hours she asks, “Are you hungry?” to which I reply, “I have been snacking all morning.”  We both found it interesting that, even though we both had eaten breakfast just a couple of hours ago, the stress of our respective tasks had caused us to think about eating!  It would be much more fun to leave our tasks, find a nice local café, nosh on some food and chat for a few hours!  Just the thought of doing so gives us both a feeling of pleasure!

How easy our thoughts seem able to persuade us to actions that are potentially harmful.  If we are unable to shift our thinking then we will be unable to change our actions.  With addiction, that can be deadly!  Where are we safe?  So will it be something sweet just this once or will we finish the task at hand? 

“You all assume I’m safe here in my room” – Linkin Park lyrics