Breaking the Addictive Cycle: Deadly Obsessions or Simple Pleasures?

Breaking the Addictive Cycle

Deadly Obsessions or Simple Pleasures?

You are bored or stressed or hurt. Something is hard in life and you want a break. What do you grab for that you hope will protect, soothe, and comfort? Whatever it is – shopping, overeating, drinking, drugs – promises relief, but never delivers. Instead, you are left feeling empty, anxious, guilty, and wanting more.

David Powlison shares that God made us for rest and pleasure, not for an obsessed and unsatisfied life. Understanding the true pleasure that comes from loving God and enjoying the good gifts he has given us will reorder your thinking and bring you freedom from your obsessions. Take the practical suggestions that David Powlison outlines here and see how your pleasures increase and your obsessions decrease.

About the Author

David Powlison, M.Div., Ph.D. is Executive Director of Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF) as well as a CCEF faculty member and Senior Editor of the Journal of Biblical Counseling. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as an M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary.

David has been counseling for over thirty years and has written numerous articles on biblical counseling and on the relationship between faith and psychology. His books include Speaking Truth in Love; Seeing with New Eyes; Power Encounters: Reclaiming Spiritual Warfare; and The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context. His minibook titles include Facing Death with Hope; Healing after Abortion; Recovering from Child Abuse; and Renewing Marital Intimacy.

David has taught across the United States and in Korea, India, Brazil, Europe, and Sri Lanka. He blogs periodically at CCEF and The Gospel Coalition.

Other Booklets in the Series

-Eating Disorders: The Quest for Thinness by Edward T. Welch
-Freedom from Addiction: Turning from Your Compulsive Behavior by Edward T. Welch
-Hope for the Depressed: Beyond a Cheer Up Theology by Edward T. Welch
-I Just Want to Die: Replacing Suicidal Thoughts with Hope by David Powlison
-Leaving Your Family Behind: Preparing for Military Deployment by Rob Green
-Overcoming Anxiety: Relief for Worried People by David Powlison
-Peer Pressure: Recognizing the Warning Signs and Giving New Direction by Paul David Tripp
-Should We Get Married?: How to Evaluate Your Relationship by William P. Smith
-When Bad Things Happen: Thoughtful Answers to Hard Questions by William P. Smith
-When the Money Runs Out: Hope and Help for the Financially Stressed by James C. Petty