When Pleasure Becomes Addiction
When we talk about addiction, most people think of alcohol, drugs, gambling, food, or pornography. But addiction is far more subtle than that. Many of us carry addictions that go unrecognized, quietly shaping our habits and our hearts.
For me, one of those addictions was Diet Pepsi.
At first, it was just a pleasure — something I enjoyed. But over time, it shifted. I found myself drinking it daily, not because I truly liked it anymore, but because I felt like I needed it. The appreciation was gone. It had become a habit that affected my mood, my sleep, and even my health.
Need vs. Appreciation
C.S. Lewis, in The Four Loves, describes the difference between what he calls Need-pleasures and Pleasures of Appreciation:
“Relief from an unbearable craving. So far as he can still discern tastes at all, he rather dislikes it; but it is better than the misery of remaining sober.”
That hit me. Diet Pepsi wasn’t a treat anymore. It wasn’t appreciation. It was compulsion.
And isn’t that how addiction works? What starts as a gift from God for enjoyment can become distorted when we turn it into a need.
The Danger of Being Mastered
Paul reminds us:
“I have the right to do anything,” you say — but not everything is beneficial.
“I have the right to do anything” — but I will not be mastered by anything.
— 1 Corinthians 6:12
The issue isn’t just the object — whether soda, alcohol, or even something as simple as scrolling on a phone. The issue is mastery. When something begins to control us instead of us stewarding it, the balance shifts.
Recovery Truth
Recovery has taught me that awareness is the first step toward change. Identifying small addictions — the ones we justify or overlook — humbles us. It reminds us of our need to surrender daily, not just in the “big” areas, but in the little ones too.
For me, that meant recognizing Diet Pepsi for what it had become and learning to let it go. It’s not about legalism or self-punishment; it’s about freedom.
A Prayer for Freedom
Lord, thank You for the good gifts You place in my life. Help me to use them with gratitude, not compulsion. Reveal the places where pleasures have become needs, and free me from anything that masters me apart from You. Teach me to find my true satisfaction in Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.