Presence Over Escapism: Confronting the Addictions That Hold Us Back

January 27, 2025

I was talking with a friend of mine recently who shared that he had been sober for two weeks. He spoke about his struggles with both alcohol and marijuana and how he’s been through AA in the past. Hearing him opened the space for me to share about my own struggles with addiction, something I believe most people have faced in some form, whether they realize it or not.

Addiction doesn’t just come in the form of alcohol or drugs. Many of us may not be conscious of how much we’re driven by our addictions. These can take on countless shapes, but at their core, they are anything that distracts us from being fully present, aware, and intentional. Addiction often starts as a tool to cope with life, but over time, it becomes a crutch - a way to escape discomfort and avoid the stillness within.

While the more apparent forms of addiction, like alcohol or drugs, are socially recognized, many subtler distractions are just as pervasive. Pornography, mindless entertainment, gossip, even constant engagement with international news or political drama - these can all serve as tools of avoidance. Social media, notifications, and emails constantly vie for our attention, pulling us further away from the present moment and the immediate environment where growth and balance reside.

What lies beyond these distractions is something far more meaningful: intentional time spent on generative work, meaningful relationships with others and ourselves, and the pure presence and joy of being alive. Yet, to reach that point, we often have to sit with discomfort. It requires choosing not to pick up the phone, not to scroll Instagram, and instead allowing ourselves to sit in the silence - the space in between where creativity and clarity can emerge.

This doesn’t mean that entertainment, media, or sex are inherently toxic. In balance, these can be wondrous components of a rich life. The challenge is that in today’s modern world, these things are available to us in tremendous quantities, often overwhelming our ability to consume them mindfully. Everything, even something as seemingly positive as work or food, can become harmful if taken to excess. It’s a responsibility we all carry to choose mindfully where we direct our attention, because where our attention goes, our energy flows.

And it all starts with the breath.

By pausing to notice our breath, we create a moment of presence - a space to reflect and choose intentionally rather than reactively. From there, we can begin to reclaim our power, not just over our addictions but over the entire direction of our lives.