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4 Components of Chemical Addiction - "The 4 Headed Beast"

12/13/2013

3 Comments

 
In chemical addiction, there are 4 components of the addiction that must be considered if we are to overcome it. 
They are 1) the “obsession” for the drug, 2) the “craving” for the drug, 3) the “euphoric recall” of the drug, and 4) the negative using peer group that we have likely surrounded ourselves with. 

    1)  The “obsession” for the drug is the “engine of the addiction”. It is tied into the “reward pathway” of the brain.  
     When one’s addiction is active, the “reward pathway” of one’s brain creates a situation in which “our mind” 
     believes that our drug of choice is “like air – necessary for survival”. What this “obsession” feels like is very 
     similar to the feeling and thinking one would have if one was trapped at the bottom of a swimming pool full 
     of water and had no air.  One would be “thinking only about air” and doing everything to get free from the 
     bottom of the pool to get that air. In that moment at the bottom of the pool, one is now “obsessing about air”.  
     This creates a state in which one has “No power of choice to say NO in their own strength” as the drug is 
     believed to be absolutely necessary for survival.  Welcome to the world of an active alcoholic or addict.  
 
    2)  The “craving” in chemical addiction is the result of a “gene”which produces a craving for more drugs/alcohol 
     when drugs/alcohol used hits one's bloodstream. This “craving” is 3x to 10x larger than any food craving one 
     has ever had, producing a situation that is greater than one’s own will power alone to resist.  This creates a state 
     in which one has “No power to control how much they use” once they start using.

    3)  The “euphoric recall” has to do with memory.  As one is doing life, there are many triggers (people, places, 
     and things) which are tied to our past using of alcohol/drugs.  As these triggers are activated, it is interesting how 
     what is remembered about one’s past using of alcohol/drugs is usually just the positive result of the “euphoric 
     feeling” of the high.  What is amazing is how the negative consequences of using – legal problems, relationship 
     problems, money problems, school/work problems, health problems – are NOT remembered.   They are NOT 
     forgotten, but in that initial moment of recall, just NOT remembered.

    4)  And finally, with many users, especially the younger ones, there is the “negative using peer group”.  As one 
     uses alcohol/drugs, one does not want any resistance to one’s use of substance that has “become like 
     air – necessary for survival”. Thus, one withdraws from non-using friends and surrounds oneself with “using” 
     friends who normalize each other’s drug use. One’s negative using peer group fulfills a person’s emotional need 
     for “acceptance” as well as possibly one’s need for “value” within that group by possibly dealing drugs to the group 
     or being “great” at the ritual’s of using drugs such as “rolling joints”, “finding great buys”,  and/or “having great 
     connections” for drugs and/or having latest paraphernalia. The drug culture is the easiest peer group to "join" in
     terms of teens accomplishing the developmental step of connecting to peers - all one has to do to belong is
     use drugs/alcohol.  
 
This is the 4 headed beast of chemical addiction!!!!  I welcome your comments!  
 
CJDaniel

3 Comments

Recovery and self-soothing . . . vital to life and life in abundance!

9/4/2012

0 Comments

 
        Vital to sustained recovery and life and life in abundance is the ability to "soothe our souls" when we are troubled.  What I mean by this, is what do you do when you are mad to overcome your "mad"?  What do you do when you are jealous to overcome your jealousy?  What do you do when you are fearful or anxious to overcome your anxiety?  What do you do when you are lonely to overcome your loneliness?  What do you do especially when you are in severe emotion pain to overcome this pain?
        For addicts and alcoholics several studies  have shown that they have lower levels of tolerance for pain.  What this means, is that they will experience more situations that are painful to them than would be for the general population.  So what are you doing that is working for you to "soothe your soul" and bring you back to a position of "peace, joy, and love" in your life?
        If we are unable to "soothe our soul", a likely relapse is around the corner for us because we "KNOW" our drug of choice will "soothe our soul", actually it will numb it out but it feels like soothing!
        I have my own thoughts and techniques that I use to "soothe my soul", but before I share them, I would like for you my readers to share with my other readers the things you have discovered that are physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy that help you "soothe your soul".  
        Look forward to your ideas and techniques that you share via the comments for this section.  Thank you as do others for sharing your secrets with us!

God bless you!  May your soul be filled with joy, peace, and love at all times!

CJD
0 Comments

The Alcoholic Perspective versus the Divine Perspective

5/15/2012

2 Comments

 
An alcoholic's plea:                                                                                    God as the respondee:

It is late and no one else is there,                                                 I am and always have been here with you,
except I and my old underwear,                                                 trying to love you as only I can do.
As I muse about my last alcohol ruse,                                                 The "truth" is what you do need
I realize it is I that lose.                                                 to set you free truly indeed.
I can't find my way out of the pain,                                                 I know the way out so just take My hand,
nor leave behind my own disdain.                                                 Let Me take you to the Promise Land!
I hide out for a while                                                 I have missed your presence oh little one,
while throwing up my own bile.                                                 remember playing cops and robbers with the gun?
Please someone or something help me,                                                 You left Me to go into the world your own way,
Find the road to set me free!                                                 How about just turn around and let's dance and sway!
It is too hard to embrace the light                                                 I will meet you where ever you are,
As I fear the loss of my might.                                                 In your weakness and My strength we can go far!
I fear what YOU will have me give up                                                 Through the crucifixion, death and blood of MySon,
For that which I do not know what !!!                                                 You have been made My favorite one!


                                            God bless!
                                             CJDaniel

2 Comments

    Author

    Christopher James Daniel, LPC.

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