Yesterday, Skep, one of the moderators, gave me a new understanding of addiction. I can't access the chat session so I'm paraphrasing, hope I get it right.

It's not about lust, per se. The way he explained it, it's a condition that I personally refer to as escapism. Lust is only one of the manifestations, and a common one (I guess it becomes a favorite drug of choice because it's a strong drive we naturally have, is enjoyable and easily accessible among other reasons).

I may not be lusting, but I'm still obsessing, still escaping. 3 years ago it was lust, last year it was something healthier, today maybe it's GYE. As long as I'm still escaping, I will always need to be vigilant because it's the escapism that will drive the lack of control that turns the first "drink" into a free-fall.

What are we running away from? Some people know of traumatic experiences they went though. Some don't.

I'm guessing it's a combination of nature and nurture. Maybe I have a natural tendency that tends to ignore problems and pretend they're not there rather than facing them and dealing with them.
This became the oft-referenced vicious cycle where the escape itself became a problem that was too painful to deal with, requiring further escape. The habit of escaping instead of accepting becomes more ingrained.

With siyata dishmaya, we can retrain our behavior patterns; find healthier escapes, take baby steps at accepting instead of escaping. Over time we can lessen the strength of the nurture aspect, but the nature aspect is likely to be there a lot longer, hence the necessity for the ongoing vigilance (and the opportunity for ongoing growth).

I think that's 2 or 3 therapy sessions accomplished by 3 sentences, thanks Skep! If I misunderstood or misquoted you, or took it further than you meant, please correct me. As always, all feedback welcomed!