Sweatpants Addict
By Pamela Van Atta
My name is Pam Van Atta and I am addicted to wearing sweatpants. I admit openly and freely that I have shamed my self, my husband, my kids, and my dog by my habitual abuse of sweatpants. I recognize the fact that I have no control over this desire. And I believe that God alone can save me from my self-destructive dependence of sweatpants wear.
It all began in the fall of 1999. My husband and I celebrated in style over the news of our first baby. We spared no expense at a five-star restaurant as we rejoiced over the pregnancy. I wore a black, strapless dress with silk stockings and black pumps. My size one figure caught the eye of many in the room, as I held up my chocolate milk and toasted my good news.
The night quickly turned decadent as my first craving set in. “Cream puffs! Quick, someone get me cream puffs!” I screamed. The scene intensified as waiters scrambled to find cream puffs. They sensed my panic and despite overwhelming odds, decided to send out for emergency cream puffs.
After the 14th cream puff, I realized I judged the initial craving wrong. I didn’t want cream puffs at all. I wanted pecan pralines from Monterey House! Desperation flooded my heart as I realized no Monterey House existed within a 2,000-mile radius.
Embarrassed and shocked by the intensity of my craving, my husband forced me to leave our grand celebration. I left the restaurant feeling empty and a little bloated. Needless to say, that was the last anyone saw of my size one black, strapless dress.
Shortly after the 136th craving, I experimented for the first time with sweatpants. I liked them. I liked the way they made me feel. They were comfortable and soft, like an old friend. And I could depend on them to be loose and baggy.
My sweatpants were always there, and they always fit me. I just couldn’t help myself. So, I decided to wear them only on weekends. And I stuck to that promise for the first two trimesters.
But during the last trimester, times were tough. I needed something to take the edge off. I started depending more and more on my sweatpants. Eventually, I couldn’t hide it anymore.
As a result, my sweatpants began affecting my personal life. My husband would look at me and say, “Are you wearing sweatpants again?” I promised him, “Don’t worry. I have it under control.” But deep down, I knew I had a problem.
After the baby was born, I finally hit rock bottom when I could no longer wear my own sweatpants. Eventually my habit progressed to the stage where I wore my husband’s sweatpants. I attempted to hide my habit from him by changing back into my sweatpants just before he arrived home from work. But he caught me. One day he came home early, and found me asleep face down on the couch, wearing his sweatpants.
“This has got to stop!” my husband yelled. He was serious this time. He opened the Bible and read about the virtuous wife from Proverbs 31. “She makes tapestry for herself, and her clothing is fine linen and purple.”
“Don’t you understand?” asked my husband, “God desires more for you than sweatpants!” Then he handed me a brochure from our local church.
The brochure described a mom’s group. “How can they help me?” I asked my husband. “Apparently,” said my husband, “this organization helps women get out of the house.” Puzzled I asked, “How will getting out of the house help me overcome my sweatpants abuse?”
My husband explained, “The first step in overcoming sweatpants abuse is to leave the house. Once you decide to do something for yourself, like leave the house, you begin to feel better about yourself. And once you feel better about yourself, you are led to wear a little makeup. Once you wear a little makeup, after a few weeks, you then desire to put some jeans on. They say once you wear jeans, it’s all down hill from there.”
It wasn’t easy, but I made it to a mom’s meeting. I found the more I went, and the more friends I made, the better I felt about myself. Before long, the desire to abuse sweatpants never entered my mind again. Although I’ve been in recovery for three years, I regularly attend my meetings, and I actually sponsor two other women.
So if you suffer from prolonged wear of sweatpants and worry that you may have a problem, get help. Don’t wait a moment longer. Your self-esteem is at stake. And remember, the first step of recovery in this disease process is to admit that you have a problem. Simply say, “I (state your name), have an addiction to wearing sweatpants.” Just think, in a few short weeks, you too can be, sweatpants free.
Bio
Pamela Van Atta is the founder of Healing Works Ministry, which provides affordable biblical teaching to kids and adults. Prior to her work in ministry, Pamela spent a decade working in rehab as an Occupational Therapist, but found physical healing incomparable to spiritual healing. Today, she speaks at various organizations to facilitate a deeper relationship with God. To contact Pamela, please see her website at www.healingworksministry.com.
By Pamela Van Atta
My name is Pam Van Atta and I am addicted to wearing sweatpants. I admit openly and freely that I have shamed my self, my husband, my kids, and my dog by my habitual abuse of sweatpants. I recognize the fact that I have no control over this desire. And I believe that God alone can save me from my self-destructive dependence of sweatpants wear.
It all began in the fall of 1999. My husband and I celebrated in style over the news of our first baby. We spared no expense at a five-star restaurant as we rejoiced over the pregnancy. I wore a black, strapless dress with silk stockings and black pumps. My size one figure caught the eye of many in the room, as I held up my chocolate milk and toasted my good news.
The night quickly turned decadent as my first craving set in. “Cream puffs! Quick, someone get me cream puffs!” I screamed. The scene intensified as waiters scrambled to find cream puffs. They sensed my panic and despite overwhelming odds, decided to send out for emergency cream puffs.
After the 14th cream puff, I realized I judged the initial craving wrong. I didn’t want cream puffs at all. I wanted pecan pralines from Monterey House! Desperation flooded my heart as I realized no Monterey House existed within a 2,000-mile radius.
Embarrassed and shocked by the intensity of my craving, my husband forced me to leave our grand celebration. I left the restaurant feeling empty and a little bloated. Needless to say, that was the last anyone saw of my size one black, strapless dress.
Shortly after the 136th craving, I experimented for the first time with sweatpants. I liked them. I liked the way they made me feel. They were comfortable and soft, like an old friend. And I could depend on them to be loose and baggy.
My sweatpants were always there, and they always fit me. I just couldn’t help myself. So, I decided to wear them only on weekends. And I stuck to that promise for the first two trimesters.
But during the last trimester, times were tough. I needed something to take the edge off. I started depending more and more on my sweatpants. Eventually, I couldn’t hide it anymore.
As a result, my sweatpants began affecting my personal life. My husband would look at me and say, “Are you wearing sweatpants again?” I promised him, “Don’t worry. I have it under control.” But deep down, I knew I had a problem.
After the baby was born, I finally hit rock bottom when I could no longer wear my own sweatpants. Eventually my habit progressed to the stage where I wore my husband’s sweatpants. I attempted to hide my habit from him by changing back into my sweatpants just before he arrived home from work. But he caught me. One day he came home early, and found me asleep face down on the couch, wearing his sweatpants.
“This has got to stop!” my husband yelled. He was serious this time. He opened the Bible and read about the virtuous wife from Proverbs 31. “She makes tapestry for herself, and her clothing is fine linen and purple.”
“Don’t you understand?” asked my husband, “God desires more for you than sweatpants!” Then he handed me a brochure from our local church.
The brochure described a mom’s group. “How can they help me?” I asked my husband. “Apparently,” said my husband, “this organization helps women get out of the house.” Puzzled I asked, “How will getting out of the house help me overcome my sweatpants abuse?”
My husband explained, “The first step in overcoming sweatpants abuse is to leave the house. Once you decide to do something for yourself, like leave the house, you begin to feel better about yourself. And once you feel better about yourself, you are led to wear a little makeup. Once you wear a little makeup, after a few weeks, you then desire to put some jeans on. They say once you wear jeans, it’s all down hill from there.”
It wasn’t easy, but I made it to a mom’s meeting. I found the more I went, and the more friends I made, the better I felt about myself. Before long, the desire to abuse sweatpants never entered my mind again. Although I’ve been in recovery for three years, I regularly attend my meetings, and I actually sponsor two other women.
So if you suffer from prolonged wear of sweatpants and worry that you may have a problem, get help. Don’t wait a moment longer. Your self-esteem is at stake. And remember, the first step of recovery in this disease process is to admit that you have a problem. Simply say, “I (state your name), have an addiction to wearing sweatpants.” Just think, in a few short weeks, you too can be, sweatpants free.
Bio
Pamela Van Atta is the founder of Healing Works Ministry, which provides affordable biblical teaching to kids and adults. Prior to her work in ministry, Pamela spent a decade working in rehab as an Occupational Therapist, but found physical healing incomparable to spiritual healing. Today, she speaks at various organizations to facilitate a deeper relationship with God. To contact Pamela, please see her website at www.healingworksministry.com.
copyright © 2008 Pamela Van Atta. All rights reserved.