Instant Gratification & Addictions: What Can They Cost You?

All of us have our moments when we give into that desire for instant gratification. Thankfully for some of us it is short lived and only happens on occasion. You know, you just had to have that huge piece of double chocolate layer cake last week. Unfortunately for many, especially these days, it's not just about an occasional loss of will power. When instant gratification gets out of hand and becomes compulsive and leads to addiction, that's when the cost to oneself rises rapidly. Let's explore some of the areas in which instant gratification and addiction ends up costing a person more than they are willing to pay!

Over Eating-

This is definitely a popular one among many these days. When a person overeats in order to comfort themselves, out of anxiety, or just plain habit, it can be disastrous in many ways. Compulsive over eating can of course cause someone to become overweight. This can lead to health problems such as, heart problems, adult onset diabetes, joint problems, breathing problems, poor self-image, low self-esteem, relationship problems, and sometimes even death. Somehow, over eating doesn't seem as attractive when you look at it that way!

Drinking-

Most people like to have a drink now and again. I know a frozen strawberry margarita when it's 110 degrees is heaven. However, when the drinking becomes excessive, this leaches into every area of one's life. What will it cost you to be an alcoholic? It can cost you your self-respect, your job, your driver's license, your family, the right to see your kids, your true friends, your health, and your life. Yes, keep on drinking and see your life slowly float away in a sea of booze!

Drugs-

Here's another one that is very similar to drinking. However most drugs people become addicted to are illegal. Yes, even those prescription drugs that don't belong to you. The benefit of this one is you'll probably die a lot quicker than with the drinking. Chances are it won't just be your family, your home, and your self-respect. Most drug addicts end up stealing to supply their habit. When you are arrested and put in jail, you will be losing the precious gift of time, never to be given back. Time away from loved ones, time to do the things enjoy, time to make the dreams you use to have come true. Time is one thing that can never be given back, bought, borrowed, or stolen. Once it gone it's gone.

Cheating-

If people only stopped for one minute to really think about all they could lose for a fling, I believe most of the time it wouldn't happen. You can lose your marriage and your kids. Depending on the stat you live in, and whether your spouse plays the cheating card in court, you could lose the right for visitation of your kids. Most often cheating is usually not planned, neither is protection. If you want a chance at AIDS this is your best bet. Never mind all the other horrible STD's out there. An unplanned pregnancy, Go ahead I'd like to see you to explain that one to your spouse. In some instances you may lose your job, if the affair was with a co-worker. Forget about retaining any respect from anyone who knows you cheated. Oddly enough, in general, people don't like cheaters. So go ahead, flirt and have that fling, and see your whole life disappear in the mere wink of an eye!

Gambling-

This addiction not only can lose you a spouse and your kids, but you will probably be saying bye bye to your home, and any savings or retirement you have worked so hard to obtain. Some have even wiped out their kid's college funds. Gambling is one of the hardest addictions to break. It is also one of the easiest ones to hide, at least in the beginning. You don't gain weight, you don't have any needle marks, and there's no alcohol on your breath. It's not until someone is deep in to the addiction, that a spouse may notice money is missing from the savings account, or bills that were supposed to be paid weren't. Most things in life are 50/50. With compulsive gambling its pretty much assured 100% that you will eventually lose everything you ever worked for and adored. Are you really willing to gamble your life away?

There you have it, some of the more popular ways people instantly gratify themselves. May be I'm crazy, but they sure don't sound appealing to me. All I know is, there's nothing on earth that can take the place of God, the people who truly love you, or your own self-respect. So my choice is, to have that occasional decadent piece of chocolate cake, but put things in perspective, and never under any circumstances jeopardize what's truly important I life!

Instant gratification may seem great for the moment, but the cost you pay in the long run isn't worth it. No "Thing" can ever be worth the loss of that which is so very precious, that of the love and respect of family and friends, as well as your own self-respect. Losing any one of these would most obviously be, a price that's much too high to pay!