If you’ve spent any time in recovery circles, you’ve probably heard the jokes. The guy who quits drinking and suddenly runs three marathons a year. The woman who puts down the pipe and picks up a three-pint-a-day ice cream habit. We laugh about it because it’s a universal experience, but there’s actually a lot going on under the hood when we “swap” one obsession for another.
I’ve been there—thinking I was “cured” because I traded a destructive habit for a “healthy” one, only to realize I was still using the same frantic energy to escape my feelings. If you feel like you’ve just traded one cage for another, don’t be discouraged. It’s actually a very normal part of the brain’s healing process.
Why Does the “Swap” Happen?
Our brains are wired for survival, and for a long time, substances provided a massive shortcut to the “reward” centers of our mind. When we remove that shortcut, the brain doesn’t just sit quietly. It goes on a hunt. It’s looking for dopamine, serotonin, and a way to quiet the “noise” of everyday life.
Whether it’s caffeine, sugar, work, or even the gym, your brain is trying to find a new way to regulate itself. In the early days, this can actually be a life-saver—it’s better to be addicted to the treadmill than a toxic drug. But as we move further into our journey, we have to ask ourselves: Am I actually healing, or am I just busy?
The “Transfer” Warning Signs
It can be hard to tell when a healthy hobby turns into a “transfer addiction.” Here’s what I look for:
- The “Escapism” Factor: Are you doing this thing because you enjoy it, or because you can’t stand to sit in a quiet room with your own thoughts for ten minutes?
- Compulsion over Choice: Do you feel anxious or irritable if you can’t do the activity?
- Neglect: Is your new “healthy” habit causing you to miss work, ignore your family, or burn out physically?
Finding the Middle Ground
The goal of recovery isn’t just to stop the “bad stuff”; it’s to build a life where we don’t feel the need to be “on” or “obsessed” all the time. Here’s how we start to find that elusive balance.
1. Practice the “Pause” Addiction lives in the space between an urge and an action. When you feel that frantic need to do something—anything—to change how you feel, try to wait just five minutes. Sit with the discomfort. Ask yourself, “What am I actually feeling right now? Am I bored? Am I lonely? Am I scared?”
2. Diversify Your “Joy Portfolio” If all your “happy chemicals” are coming from one source (like the gym), you’re at risk. Try to find three small, low-stakes things that make you feel good: one physical, one creative, and one social. By spreading it out, you take the pressure off any single activity to be your “savior.”
3. Address the “Void” This is the hard part. Swapping addictions is often a way to avoid the underlying trauma or anxiety that led us to use in the first place. This is where therapy, peer support, and the work we talk about here at Horizon come in. We have to eventually look at the “hole” in the center of our lives rather than just trying to fill it with different things.
4. Be Kind to the “Sugar Phase” A quick note for those in the very early days: if you’re eating more candy or drinking more coffee than usual, give yourself a pass. Your brain is under construction. It’s okay to have “bridge” habits while you stabilize. The goal is to eventually move toward balance, but you don’t have to get there by Tuesday.
The Bottom Line
Recovery is a long game. It’s about moving from a life of “compulsion” to a life of “choice.” If you find yourself overdoing it with a new hobby, don’t beat yourself up. It’s just your brain’s way of trying to protect you. Acknowledge it, breathe through it, and remember that the most important thing you can “addict” yourself to is the process of getting to know the real you.
We aren’t looking for new obsessions; we’re looking for peace. And that takes time.
Horizon Recovery Initiative | Youth-Led Addiction Support 