Nicole,
Very common! On our sister site (The Stop Smoking Center) some get caught in this trap. They replace smoking with patches, food, caffeine, alcohol, sugar... The same applies to problem drinkers.
Why does this happen? Missing coping strategies.
Why are they still missing? Well, that will vary but often it can be because we forget to look at the root cause. The need for coping strategies didn't come out of nowhere so where did they come from?
What is the underlying problem behind that addiction? Stress? Anger? Sadness? Low self-esteem? Is this pattern one you've adopted from a mentor or parent?
Undoubtedly, looking deeply at those root causes is a tough journey. The upside though is that once it's done, you'll no longer keep replacing one destructive behavior with another.
Don't forget, you also have a great resource at your fingertips. Members who've already begun building their repertoire of coping skills and moderators who have helped them along.
Hope this helps. Danielle, Bilingual Health Educator
