Addictive Thinking: Understanding Self-Deception

by Abraham J. Twerski

understanding of addictive thinking. Addicts may not seem as illogical as they first appear if we understand one thing: the addictive thinker’s concept of time. Addicts make perfectly good sense to themselves and others when they say, “I can quit any time I want”; an addict simply has a different concept of time than a nonaddict. For everyone, time is variable. Under certain circumstances, a few minutes can seem an eternity, while under other circumstances, weeks and months appear to have lasted only moments. Addicts who claim they can quit any time actually believe it is the truth. Why? Because by abstaining for a day or two, the addict has stopped for a “time.” Indeed, having often abstained for several days, addicts may wonder why others cannot realize the obvious: They can stop any “time.”