Question: How to get rid of addictions like smoking, overeating?
Acharya Prashant: Do you overeat when you are sleeping? Do you feel an urge to smoke when you are sleeping? Do you feel an urge to smoke, even when you are deep in relaxation? When do you feel like smoking?
Listener: I have been drinking and it started when I was feeling depressed. But later on, drinking became a habit. Then you drink because you are happy, you drink because you are sad, you drink because nothing is happening, out of boredom.
AP: Yes, but I still want to go into that.
Do you still drink when you are sleeping? Do you drink in your deep moment of contentment? You said, you drink when you are happy, you drink when you are sad. Don’t you see, both of these are moments of excitement? Do you feel like smoking, when you are utterly peaceful? Does that happen?
I am not talking of mere absence of activity. I am talking of peace. I am not saying that you are peaceful when there is nothing to do. When there is nothing to do, then you will be bored, not peaceful. And when you will be bored, then you will feel like smoking.
