Drinking (or something else)....?

Just wondering how many others share my 'addiction replacement' qualities....?

I'm currently having to seriously consider my drinking addiction (not had any gambling activity in a fair while now). I realise it's partly compensation mentally, and part of the current situation - I'm working from home, kids, wife, 4 walls, right now....where''s the beer please!

But, it's also part of not gambling for me. Dumb nature makes me look for a replacement habit, so ditching my worst one has this partial trade off. I have never been as addicted to drink as much as gambling, I'm not a full-blown alcoholic. But, I still seem to have this 'trade-off' type of nature in my bad habits/addictions. If I dropped drinking I'd probably find drugs interesting all of a sudden, or something else.....

Drinking and drugs gave me bad judgement. When I stopped drinking and drugging, I got a sweet-tooth.
Eventually I was able to dampen my craving for sugar. My body missed the alcohol. The 2 substances are chemically similar.
Best of luck to you.

When I was looking to different areas for the thrill, I found myself playing video games a lot. I found it taking up more and more time and started having the same emotional connection as gambling. Even though I only spent a couple hundred bucks over a year, I found that it affected me mentally in terms of my family. I eventually ditched video games (much easier than gambling) and started finding happiness through exercise.

I don't really believe in addictive personality, but if the activity fulfills an internal need, any of us can fall victim to addiction.

Thanks guys - can see a few points there that match me. Also when I cut down drinking my eating habits go a bit crazy too!

I used to play a lot of games in the past also, though less now - my kids hog that activity for me now. They are both a fair bit addicted to games too!

I like exercise as a mental activity, though even that's partly limited currently. But it certainly is up there for treating the mental needs, and of course physical need. Unfortunately doesn't stop me wanting the drink as well though.

I'm not sure whether I see myself as an addictive personality, or rather that my addictions often seem to look for something to hang onto as an activity. I don't get addicted to everything that I enjoy, but just some specific ones. I don't think I was ever 'addicted' to the games for instance, just played them on and off, despite loving to play. Addictions seem to work best when they can really latch onto something very central to you as a person. That's why gambling did so for me - money was so central to me (and still partly is). Drinking in a different way, it fills the social needs in some ways, and the relaxation ones too.

I think gambling also really filled the 'excitement' areas, something that crosses over a little with drinks. They both augment reality for you in ways that is difficult without them.