Cravings are a normal part of being human.
They are intense and persistent desires for something, and they are both fleeting and compelling.
What’s interesting is that they can be entirely unconscious and yet control our behaviour.
After I left London for Melbourne in 2021, I joined a mental health start-up where I was asked to design an app to help people quit smoking.
I jumped into the research into addiction.
And what I learned astounded me.
I thought that addictions were limited to certain food, substances or experiences.
And I thought that only certain people were predisposed to addiction.
But an addiction is any repetitive behaviour associated with cravings.
Cravings offer temporary relief but you are unable to control your behaviour despite awareness of negative consequences.
When I looked at my own life I realised just how many addictions I had…
Coffee to help me feel productive. But it gave me energy crashes.
Sugar to cheer me up. But it put on weight.
Television to numb me out. But it consumed too much of my time.
And my biggest addiction was my phone.
Whenever I felt a sense of discomfort, my hand unconsciously reached for my pocket and before I knew it I was scrolling mindlessly.
But why?