Sunday, November 06, 2005

Hello, my name is Carol and I'm a blogaholic...

Blogaholics Anonymous is a fun webring for bloggers who are zealous for the craft. It is not a twelve step program.

I am going to take a more serious look at the steps and traditions from Alcoholics Anonymous today. When I wrote step 1 last week, it turned out to be a reminder of where I have been and where I don't want to go.

Step 2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Over 20 years ago, I needed a twelve step program. I was presented with the idea that God could help me. I did not expect God to be the answer. This was the beginning of my spiritual life.

Do I think He can restore me to sanity over something as perhaps, trivial, as blogoholism?
I do. I don't want to give it up entirely, just be moderately entranced.

1Corinthian 6:12 "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything."

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Since learning about blogs about a month ago, I have been spending about 20% of my day doing blogs. And I don't have that much time. I don't even sleep anymore. Like you, I believe in God's guidance. Thus his destiny.

phoenix said...

I think you already found your sanity... you are just not aware of it. :)

Hi and hugssssss from Michele!

carmilevy said...

I guess one has to first label blogging as "bad" before applying a 12-step program to "curing" the so-called addiction.

Anything that is done to excess is, I suppose, a bad thing. But there's something about the written word and its ability to bring folks together that is just so purely good.

I'm sure whatever religious deity we respectively believe in would approve.

Popped in from Michele's. Thanks for your comment on my blog. I agree: the first one was more personal. But it was too long in its initial form, and I didn't think it would resonate as strongly with the paper's audience (they're a very different demographic than my blog's readership.)

Then I came up with the idea of publishing both on the blog after the fact. This self-publishing thing has some serious advantages!

Carol said...

Please get your sleep, Layman!

Thanks Phoenix for the hug!

Hey Carmi,
I like what you said about blogging (written word)- that it brings people together. There are definitely good things about blogging, which is why I don't want to give it up.

It is as you stated, anything done to excess causes problems. When one is no longer in control, then there is an addiction.

Any other thoughts on this?

moira said...

If you feel it is a problem for you, then it is a problem for you. I would hope that you find a nice balance that you are comfortable with.

I have heard that replacing the addiction with other activities helps.

Carol said...

Moira, It is always good to hear from you.
I've been realizing that I really have been using blogging to help me deal with anxiety. I don't think this is totally wrong as there are worse things I could be doing. However, having experienced addiction before, I do not like the loss of control.
Perhaps if I just continue to enjoy the blogging experience as I learn to cope with anxiety in other ways; it will be enough.
I have enough other activities to keep me busy-laundry, groceries...

moira said...

That sounds like a good approach, if the issue is avoidance.

The point is to replace it with enjoyable activities. ;)