The element of time wastage is the reality that dawns each passing day, luxury, and comfort taking possession in the lives of most youths, and that’s where addiction sets in. As much as the common enemy is porn, masturbation, substance abuse or even alcohol, we have to agree it’s all attributed to instant gratification. This is the need of achieving pleasure without delay or effort which is becoming increasingly dominant, leaving a negative imprint in the lives of its victims. The paradox of addiction states that the same thing that comforts you is the same thing that kills you, strange, right?
What Creates Instant Gratification
Interesting enough, instant gratification is not only limited to substance abuse or porn, but it sets its foot through common behaviours that we assume normal. Example, when you set an alarm to wake you up and instead of adhering you decide to take some extra fifteen minutes of sleep; or putting off an important work task to mingle with friends, if not careful this could turn into a habit.
How does it Apply to Everyday Experiences
The presence of social media has made everything easy, talk of dating apps or even money laundering business where short term excitement is bred. But let’s not forget easy come, easy goes.
I had a conversation with a good friend of mine Warinda, she gave me a similar outlook on this issue and for her, she believes that good things come to those who wait and work for it. With instant gratification, the craving for instant pleasure paralyses the mind, leading one to make choices that may have dire consequences in the future. She believes that those in this state nearly want everything to go their way.
With instant gratification, the craving for instant pleasure paralyses the mind, leading one to make choices that may have dire consequences in the future.
Similarly, Warinda applied a concept most of us relate with whereby preparing a meal could sometimes be cumbersome and sometimes tiring too so in exchange we hop to something different like fast foods. Indeed, the human mind is wired to seek comfort and familiarity, this instinctual behaviour helped the old age man survive from potential threats and dangers. The question remains, if the mind is inherently adapted to comfort and pleasure, can one still counter and get past the feeling.
How to Counteract the Feeling
Self-discipline is a major focal point in countering instant gratification, when dopamine is involved the mind becomes a tool of control towards obtaining this rush. For example, we all know some people cope up with stress through eating, but should that be an issue? Of course not, the narrative is if the tone of eating is approached excessively and that’s when we talk of binge-eating. Binge-eating is a form of instant gratification where one eats excessively, and if not attended to it can do more harm than good. Overtime, it’s proven to be a mental problem, whereby those involved become a laughing-stock if factors like being overweight are mentioned. If any advice was given, most of you would point out of going on diets as one of the solutions but, as ironic as it sounds, doing that will only trigger the desire. Most of those suffering from this are advised to eat regularly and also visit psychotherapists, which happens to be the most important part of the treatment.
Those within the chronic stages of instant gratification will find it hard to withdraw, especially if they don’t have a support system, and that’s where accountability sets in. Being accountable helps in recovery as compared to when they stuff things up and deal with the ordeal all by themselves. Knowing that they have to report their progress is enough to keep these individuals motivated.
Being accountable helps in recovery as compared to when they stuff things up and deal with the ordeal all by themselves.
Lifestyle change is also encouraged through eating balanced meals, taking exercises frequently and also enjoying enough sleep. Relapsing back to the act is frequent, however with patience, resilience, and a clear strategy the habit wears off.
A quick trick to kill instant gratification is learning to embrace delayed gratification. If reading a book wears you out, peruse it anyway, again if you’re used to spending money on luxuries, start saving even if it seems impossible. These are just but a few hacks in getting past this enemy called instant pleasure. Identifying triggers is one thing but understanding and not taking action is another, if zero action is taken the victim will never get halfway towards recovery mode.
In Conclusion
Not giving the enemy refuge in our aboard doesn’t mean they won’t attack, but through having a keen eye and being aware of their tactics and having a clear strategy, one easily prepares ahead. In school, teachers kept using the phrase ‘do not give any room to idling’, fast-paced life shapes a similar narrative but based on choices. By this I mean one can use idling as an opportunity to relax, brainstorm or even reflect, but if they decide to use it in the wrong way instant gratification may be knocking from a distance eagerly waiting to devour.
Something we are all guilty of, great article brother.