Originally Posted by
Goodfellas 
Here's my question - recently I have struggled with compulsive online shopping . I mean I spent a LOT... we have the $$ - that's not an issue but I spent wayyyyyyy to much. A ridiculous amount
It was an addictive trait - it lit up my receptors .
So ... with my next big plan (already did one for alcohol )
How do I make a big plan to ... "never " do... things that tickle my addictive brain receptors ?
Does that make sense ? Kinda stuck as to what to do here
Four points in response:
1 - It sounds like your "compulsive online shopping" was more of an episodic flair than what you're naming it, and you've already described it in the past tense " I spent...", "It was...", "it lit up...". So, it's over.
2 - Your Beast wants you to make yourself out as an addictive personality. There's nothing wrong with getting deep into some human activity. To me, that's a great human capacity and one of the spices of life.
3 - The giveaway here is that the clear option of returning the purchases is never even suggested. And your mad-as-hell AV would naturally pick on something that is closely related to your new job: Amazon supervisor vs. online shopping addiction. Really, now. Your zeal for online shopping may have helped you get the job.
4 - I've made multiple Big Plans and they work wonderfully for me. It started with alcohol and drugs, then I added caffeine, chocolate, and more recently refined sugar and man made sweets. Nevertheless, if the idea ever came to me that I should make a big plan to never do things that tickle my addictive brain receptors, I would recognize THAT very idea as coming from my AV for booze, drugs, caffeine, and sugar. My brain receptors are not addictive, and they do not get tickled. To me, addiction is a re-cognition of an unwanted habit, and tickling is tickling.
GT