HOW ADDICTION WORKS (part V of V)
How puzzling all these changes are! I’m never sure what I’m going to be, from one minute to another.
—Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Genesis of Addiction
Addicts are born with an addictive nature—
one that does not require a specific triggering set of circumstances,
one that does not need an event or trauma to create it.
It is present at inception,
lying dormant in our spirit,
our neurology,
our biology,
and our psychology.
Addictive disorder, OCD, and other personality disorders
are not triggered by any event.
Neither are psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia.
Serious mental and psychological pathologies are inherent and nearly always latent.
A schizophrenic who is diagnosed in his or her late teens or early twenties has been that way all along, yet for most of his or her life,
he or she was significantly asymptomatic.
Disorders are present from birth;
this is well-established and accepted science.
The natural physiological changes a human being goes through,
such as puberty,
are what bring the condition from a dormant state to an active one.
OCD, schizophrenia, addiction, and other conditions
are not merely pathologies of the body or mind—
they are pathologies of the human spirit.
Our spirit is far too complex and subtle to be measured.
Addiction can be treated, but lies beyond the realm of conventional science and medicine.
Addiction originates in the human spirit,
and we can treat the human spirit.
The “science” to do so is already known and available.
Buddha,
Christ,
philosophers,
gurus,
spiritual masters,
and personalities who are entirely immersed and “one with” the objective truth,
spiritual truth,
and actual reality all have the same theme to their “treatment” for humanity:
surrender your wants,
desires,
and needs
to a pure and complete spiritual reality that is made of compassion and love.
The human spirit cannot be reached by any form of science.
So I wouldn’t hold my breath for the eventual “cure” for human sufferings like addiction, OCD, or other disorders.
These and all afflictions are a component of existence for us to learn from and grow.
This book is the context,
the nuts and bolts,
and even more if you take the time to customize it intelligently with your own experience and mind-set to create your own strategy from it.
Let it evolve,
and it will take on life.
Summary: What Is Addiction?
Addiction is a compulsive pathology with origins that can be traced to the defects or deficiencies of human thinking,
neurology,
physiology,
psychology,
philosophy,
and spirituality.
Successful treatment requires a lifelong,
ongoing effort and progressive evolving on the part of the individual.
The need to evolve and grow throughout life, not just in a single section or phase of it.
We all want more and would prefer to be more too, if possible.
Addiction disorder can be treated,
endured,
and triumphed over.
Addicts can have access to all the features of life that nonaddicts can have,
so long as they learn to work with and compensate for their handicap.
While addiction assuredly is a debilitating pathology, there are worse conditions.
And this one can be treated, worked with, and managed—
not cured, but worked with and managed.
Addiction treatment should be ongoing and comprehensive.
No area of the human condition should be ignored,
as this pathology pervades every aspect of one’s being.
VERY important blog post coming up next:
There are 7 expressions of addiction and they are nowhere near the same so you need to know how to treat what with what.
I get some flack on this subject because the recovery empire wants the planet to believe its all the same and that only they have the keys to treat them.
I’ve not lost a debate yet on the subject so let’s consider the entire spectrum from the controversial concept of the “non-addict” to the mostly misunderstood “addictive personlaity”.
If you’re real good and pay attention, I’ll tell you which one I am!
Up Next:
WHO is addiction
