Most of us who have suffered from addiction problems have also had chemical imbalances from a very early age. A chemical imbalance can be brought on either by genetics, stress trauma, or developed by the addiction itself. If you have a chemical imbalance as a child, you will feel nervous, fearful, defensive, and you will be unable to detach from those around you. Many spiritually sensitive children also have these symptoms because they are unable to turn the volume down from the thoughts and emotions of everyone around them. Even as a child, you can develop addictions because of this condition and it is easy to develop a shame-based nature because of the things you do to cope with an imbalance that you don't even realize is there. You may have been thought of as a bad child compared to your siblings, but much of it can just be a need to feel in control and protected from a world you are overly sensitive to.

As an adult, we may get free from our addictions, which is good, only to find out that the chemical imbalance is still there, and if so, you will need to be aware of this and know how to manage this condition so that you don't accidentally get yourself into a state of overload and become tempted to relapse. Some symptoms of a chemical imbalance are as follows; There is an edge or unease that you feel all the time, like you are ready to jump out of your own skin. You may have nervous habits like biting your nails, chewing on your tongue, rocking, or tapping your feet and hands all the time, these are some signs that you may be chemically imbalanced. When you have a chemical imbalance, you may unconsciously seek something to "re-balance" yourself, much like a person with a headache will eventually automatically start looking for some kind of pain reliever to get rid of the pain and discomfort they are feeling.

So how do you treat the chemical imbalance left over after addiction? Well, you can try an antidepressant and this may work for some people. I did not find that antidepressants helped me much, they just flattened me out a bit and I was still tempted to abuse them as well because the imbalance was still there and gnawing at me. You can try using food to take the edge off, but that will just become another addiction. What I have done to help manage my imbalance is just light daily exercise, prayer, reading the Bible, and not allowing myself to get into an overload state that would worsen my condition and push me into overload. Many people after they stop an addiction become addicted to their job, relationships, or some other challenging distraction, but the stress can overload you real fast. Pray about your condition and ask God to heal your body and mind from the imbalance and any damage you may have created from your addiction. God wants you whole in every way and He will help you.