How to catch a demon
About cravings and bad habits
We all have all these small moments in our day, when we do something we afterwards actually didn’t want to have done, but do it anyways. At least I have them. The following is about how to recognize these moments before we can act on them and how to deal with them.
Everyday I have all these little cravings. Bumping up my dopamine, but pull me further down afterwards. Let’s get another coffee (after I already had two cups). Just one YouTube video as a short break (leading to an hour+ of binge watching “funny” stuff). Or Why not have a glas of wine while watching a movie (leading to an empty bottle).
Sometimes those cravings can be scratched for a short moment, but often lead to a bad habit after. And I call them my little demons. Wether these are addictive substances like caffeine, nicotine, alcohol or worse. Wether it is grabbing your phone as a compulsion, although you just used it a minute ago. Or any other itch you have to scratch and scratch and scratch until it is a bleeding wound, you never wished to open. Our little demons are the reason. They often don’t look like demons. More often than not, they look and sound like cheerfull or understanding friends. Giving you a good reason why it is okay to give in to that feeling, that craving. They lurk around the corners, laughing in a good mood, while dancing around a bottle of wine, having an awesome time. And when you see them, they gratefully invite you to share their happiness. They say stuff like, You worked so hard today, have a drink and relax. Or It is absolutely okay to have a drink from time to time. Live a little! They become your best friends if you let them. But they’ll dance with you all the way to hell. Until your life gets affected so much by them, that these demons are you only friends. For you have become one of them. Telling your real last friends that they should have a drink and stop working so hard. I might be a slow decay. But the way back up again will be ten times as steep.
All these cravings we have that will drag us down, if they become bad habits. Like I said, for me it is often another coffee or just one glas of wine. For you it might be that piece of chocolate or that donut. For others it is craving attention or the need for more stuff. Some of these demons might be bigger than others and more difficult to fight against. But whoever your demon is, the first step is to see and recognize it. Watch them when they start approaching you or feel their arm around your shoulder giving you cold cracked open beer into your hand in the midst of a day. And then, tell them Not now, or Not today. They will start talking to you, hiping you up or even mock you. But always remember. They always want to make you one of them.
So when you are able to feel a craving coming, then catch the moment and stop for a second. Recognize the feeling for what it is. Catch that demon in the act. And then smile upon it, for now you have the power to decide. You can make them upset and tell them No. They will feel it, as you will, too. Maybe sometimes the little demons will get sneaky and catch you of guard. They like to do that when you’re exhausted or tired or simple in a weak moment. But next time you will catch them. And the more often you catch them, the easier it will become. They will try tricks on you, but you will become stronger.
And maybe one day, you are able to talk to them. Negotiate with them. Have power over them. So when it is okay to have a donut or a glas of wine, they don’t give you a second. Because from time to time it is okay do indulge in these things. Just see these little demons and don’t let them escape you, for they will appear in a different suit and with new tricks up their sleeves.
So watch out for your little demons and show them who is boss. Because their power lies in your weakness to resist the urge. And your power lies in the decision. But before you can decide what to do with your demon, you have to catch it.