4 potent ways the ego battles addiction and its other benifits

Definitiion of ego from dictionary.com

e·go[ee-goh, eg-oh]noun, plural e·gos.
1. the “I” or self of any person; a person as thinking, feeling, and willing, and distinguishing itself from the selves of others and from objects of its thought.
2.Psychoanalysis.the part of the psychic apparatus that experiences and reacts tothe outside world and thus mediates between the primitive drives of the id and the demands of the social and physical environment.
3. egotism; conceit; self-importance:Her ego becomes more unbearable each day.
4. self-esteem or self-image; feelings:Your criticism wounded his ego.

We will focus on the ego in the sense of self-esteem or self-image.

The ego(in the sense of self-esteem) is something that is intertwined within the nature of conscious beings of high level within the limit of  a certain extent. Even though it exists in other forms of life, from the beings that are present and observable to us the ego(in the sense of self-esteem) manifests itself greatly, openly and to the limit of a great extent of its capacity in human beings.

Following the clues set by the theory of evolution, it would be observable that like almost all things granted to lifeforms by nature, the ego(in its sense of self-esteem or self image) was and is granted by nature for a purpose and was and is useful to the survival and betterment of life to certain life forms in certain conditions like humans.

Ego(in its sense of self-esteem or self image) like everything else, has good and bad sides to it and at the stage that we human beings are in, in the line of evolution and way of life, the ego can be and most times is an obstacle to reaching a certain level of spiritual hights. It is also a major cause of violence in society.

But leaving its cons aside, the ego(in the sense of self esteem or self image) has many benifits.

The main benefits of the ego(in its sense of self-esteem or self image)

1) A boost of moral in challenging situations and in competition.

Since the world by nature is a cut throat competitive reality, ego(self esteem) makes it its business to overcome challenges and beat the competition according to the situation and  its magnitude.

2) One source of happiness
Eventhough happiness obtained by achieving the will of the ego(self-esteem) is controversial, it is one of the greater sources of happieness. eg achievement, winning, dominating etc

3) It is a huge drive in success achievement and good social status
Since the ego(self-image) always wants to be viewed as big and better and since it does anything possible to achieve it, it is a great drive for any type of achievement, success and good social status.

Addiction like many other challenges in life is one of the big challenges that many people struggle to overcome and that many fell on(especially those that are inclined to addiction genetically). Like many other challenges in life, the ego(self-esteem or self image), if well developed can be a potent weapon to overcome addiction better yet, not to allow one to get into it in the first place if one knows what the consequences are. There is a catch to it. The catch being the consequence known to the person must be unacceptable by the ego(self-esteem or self image). If not the ego doesn't mind.

Ways that a well developed ego(self esteem or self image) can be potent in battling addiction

1) Ego(self-esteem) in its nature wants to be exalted

Ego(self-esteem) is an entity that always wants to be exalted and wont allow itself be viewed as small and incompitant. If addiction would lead one to that path, the ego would do everything to battle it.

2) Ego(self-esteem or self image) is compitant
The ego(self-esteem or self image) is very compitant and wants to be bigger and better than the other. If one's addiction is going to lead one to a less than others social status, the ego will definately battle it.

3) Ego(self-image) wants to be taken seriously by itself
The ego(self-image) doesn't want to be looked less on by itself by failing an inportant mission. Even if there is no one to witness, it doesn't want to fail unless with a reasonable enough cause because it will be looked on as not serious enough by itself

4) The Ego(self esteem and self image) doesn't want to lose its high status and will do everything possible to maintain it
If the ego is well developed, it would have a well deserved comfortable to high status. The ego will do everything in its power to maintain its or maybe if possible upgrade its well deserved and well earned comfortable to high status.