We all have behaviors that we use to deal with issues in our lives that are not constructive, rather they are ultimately destructive. However, because the behavior we choose is meeting some immediate need we continue to use them. These behaviors may be in the form of addictions such as a drug or alcohol addiction to avoid dealing with depression or a sex addiction because we are having difficulties with boundaries.

There are other types of behaviors that we all have to allow us to mask a problem or escape from facing truth. These may not reach the level of hard core addictions but they certainly rate up there as really bad habits or soft addictions. These soft addictions, if not addressed, can create bigger problems in our lives that then start to negativity impact our world. This, by very definition, then becomes a true addiction.

The three top life wasting soft addictions that are all around us include:

1. Negativity – always nagging, always complaining and always looking for why sometime won’t or can’t work is the hallmark of a negative habit. This waste of our time in life leads to ruined relationships, missed opportunities and a low sense of self esteem as we become more and more isolated and less and less involved in the world around us.

1. Escape from reality – while alcohol and drugs are an escape from reality there are at least two other major ways to avoid dealing with the world around you and reality. These two include spending time in cyberspace instead of living in the real world and avoiding people by spending time watching television. When these two activities become your social world or you put off spending time with real people to interact or watch virtual people or characters there is a real disconnect with a healthy social life.

1. Food – there are real food addictions that are very serious, but there are also people that use food as a crutch or a tool to deal with issues without becoming truly addicted. Food soft addictions are a life wasting behavior since this type of uncontrolled food use can lead to health problems that dramatically affect length and quality of life.

Talk to a life coach, addiction therapist or a counselor if you think that any behavior that you are using on a regular basis is negatively impacting your life. It is never too late to get on a positive track!

Sherry Gaba LCSW, Psychotherapist, Life & Recovery Coach is featured Celebrity Rehab on VH1. Sherry is the author of “The Law of Sobriety” which uses the law of attraction to recover from any addiction. Please download your Free EBooks from Sherry™s Enrich Your Life Series. Contact Sherry at sherry@sgabatherapy.com for webinars, teleseminars, coaching packages and speaking engagements. Listen to Sherry on A Moment of Change with Sherry Gaba on CBS