I want you to close your eyes and let your imagination get the best of you. Ok now open em so you can read my dang post! đ
Imagine youâre downtown shopping with your Mr. or Mrs. Youâre both having a good timeâ holding hands, kissing & sh*t, and just overall enjoying each otherâs company.  Youâre discussing all of your future plans with each other. âWeâre gonna get married, have 2 beautiful children, and live happily ever afterâŠâ â„ In the middle of your conversation, you see a homeless drug addict on your left with a sign saying he has nowhere to live and needs money for food. His clothes were unkempt; he looked like he hadnât showered in God knows how long, and his feet looked like he worked for Mr. Slate (Fred Flintstoneâs boss). Of course you begin to think, âThis man is a fraud. Heâs probably gonna take my money to go buy him a bottleâ or âHeâs just lazy, he can work if he really needs it! Hmph, McDonaldâs is hiring.â Nevertheless, you give him the money and continue your evening stroll with your honey. All of a sudden, these thoughts begin to invade your brain.⊠âI know his life couldnât have been like that forever, what went wrong? What storm had he encountered that he felt unequipped to handle?â My thoughts?? He was probably in love and didnât know it!!! Well, that too could be your a$$ if you donât recognize the signs of addiction!!!
I Googled some common characteristics of addictive behaviors and you can NOT tell me that this doesnât sound like someone in love!! If this is you, you may need to see a licensed provider for help! Youâre going down a road of destruction!!! So hereâs my take on the connection between love and addiction⊠(My 2 cents will be italicized) Hope you enjoy! đ
Common Characteristics among Addictive Behaviors/ How to know when your a$$ is an addict! #Dangerouslyinlove
   1. The person becomes obsessed (constantly thinks of) the object, activity, or substance. (Mmhmm, I know you remember those nights when you couldnât even do your job because you were too busy thinking about what that man or woman was doing. Wondering if he/she was thinking of you as much as you were thinking of them and/or when the next time they were gonna call/text. Youâve already imagined and planned your whole future with this person⊠you know where the wedding is gonna be, what theme your wedding will have, what your children will look like, how often youâre gonna allow them to have a night out with the guys/girls, the whole 9)
   2. They will seek it out, or engage in the behavior even though it is causing harm (physical problems, poor work or study performance, problems with friends, family, fellow workers). (U know this was you at one point in time. Couldnât do your dang homework because you were too busy thinking about him/her. Sneaking out your bedroom at night just so you could see them for one second. Got in those heavy arguments with your parents because âThey just didnât understand! You were in love!â You couldnât stand your friends/coworkers because they all tried to warn you that he was no good, or kept telling you that you had totally thrown them to the side because of your new boo and it was unfair. And what was your response? âThese single *#$%(&^ just mad because they donât have a manâ
   3. The person will compulsively engage in the activity, that is, do the activity over and over even if he/she does not want to and find it difficult to stop. (This is that moment when you KNOW you should leave but dang it you canât because youâre âin loveâ. This is you: âYeah he cheated but it was kind of my fault.â OR âShe slept with my brother, best friend, and uncle but she just needs someone to love her. I know sheâll changeâŠâ Or when you promise yourself that you wonât answer their next call/text but as SOON as the phone rings, you pick it up. You know, you just want to see what they want! Yeah, get help⊠NOW!)
   4. Upon cessation of the activity, withdrawal symptoms often occur. These can include irritability, craving, restlessness or depression. (Oh yessss, those late nights of lying in bed crying because youâre single all over again. I mean, this was the man/woman you were going to spend the rest of your life with! Now you have to start all over. Canât eat, canât sleep⊠snapping at the waitress because she poured your drink for you and all you wanna do is yell, âYou donât know my life, you donât know what Iâve been through!!â)
   5. The person does not appear to have control as to when, how long, or how much he or she will continue the behavior (loss of control). (Alright, youâve tried to keep your distance for 3 hours but itâs getting uncontrollable soooo you drive past his/her house 47 times just to see if heâs/sheâs home and if theyâre not, youâre on the way to their job, mamaâs house, best friendâs house, grocery store, doctorâs office, cemetery, etc.! LoL! You need answers, dang it!)
   6. He/she often denies problems resulting from his/her engagement in the behavior, even though others can see the negative effects. (This is that person has been love sick for the past 5 weeks then all of a sudden has that moment of peace. Theyâre actually content again, walking happily around work, buying everyone at the office Starbucks, has even gotten a tattoo as a symbol of their renewed love. Theyâre falling back into that dangerous trap. You call them out and they deny the whole thing & tell you to mind your own %^$* business! Youâre grown! Smh)
   7. Person hides the behavior after family or close friends have mentioned their concern. (The boyfriend/girlfriend all of a sudden stops coming around. Theyâre âsingle and ready to mingleâ Theyâve hired a ânew booâ to post pics with on Instagram and Facebook so family and friends think theyâve actually moved on. Nah uh boo, donât be fooled. That man/woman is at their house now eating their food and on the couch chilling and waiting for them to get home. Heâs/ sheâs actually the one paying off the ânew booâ! Lol)
   8. Many individuals with addictive behaviors report a blackout for the time they were engaging in the behavior (This is when hindsight is 20/20. âI donât know why I didnât leave! It was like I was stuck⊠ALL the signs were there but I couldnât leave even if I wanted to! It was like he/she put roots on me! Iâll know next time, thoughâ :side eye: )
   9. Depression is common in individuals with addictive behaviors. That is why it is important to make an appointment with a physician to find out what is going on. (Lol forget a physician; that just comes with an expensive bill that you couldâve bought that MK purse with. Go shopping, thereâs nothing like retail therapy. You still might have an expensive bill, but at least you have something to show for it! Shoot, look good while youâre lying in bed crying and suicidal! Wear the hell out of that depression!! WORK!)J
   10. Individuals with addictive behaviors often have low self-esteem, feel anxious if they do not have control over their environment, and come from psychologically or physically abusive families. (Ok theyâre going too far with this one now! We ainât all crazy with low self-esteem! They better get their life!)
Well folks, these are the signs! If youâve experienced at least 3 of the 10 symptoms, get your crazy behind some help and leave Tyrone/Keisha alone!!!! Youâll end up like the homeless man we imagined about 6 minutes ago! BUT if youâre a sucka for love like me, you know how hard it is to leave Tyrone alone. You âloveâ everything about him from the way he smiles to the Polo boots on his feet! My only advice: choose wisely, my friends. And if you donât, make sure you choose a nice street in a fancy neighborhood to be homeless on. đ Love is and always has been #mystrangeaddiction
(*Note, this information is for entertainment purposes only. Do not and I repeat, DO NOT try to go to a rehabilitation center asking for help with your love addiction. They just may admit your crazy behind!!! đ
Love: The Beauty, The Beast, The Battle..... 