ADDICTIONS

I think we could all be served in some small way, by reading this article:

ADDICTION

Anything that causes a temporary 'high' or feeling of well-being, followed by a 'low', tends to be addictive. As the well-being effect wears off, another dose or fix is needed to regain the temporary high. Every addictive substance or habit weakens the body or mind. It stimulates more than it nourishes. When the 'high' wears off, one feels a little worse than before one used it or experienced it. One is attracted back to the substance, habit or even a person to feel good once again. This is the basic principle of all addiction.
Addictions are usually unhealthy attachments, habituations or dependencies. One can also be positively addicted, meaning devoted to God. Let us examine some principles involved in addiction.

NOURISHMENT VERSUS STIMULATION

Nourishment improves one while stimulants eventually weaken one. Positive addictions nourish while negative addictions stimulate. Eating, drinking and breathing produce temporary well-being but are not considered addictions because they tend to nourish rather than stimulate. However, if one is attached to certain foods or beverages such as caffeine of sugar, or your favorite food, eating or drinking can easily become addictive.
A food, activity or a personal relationship may be part nourishing or nurturing and part addictive or co-dependent. For example, coffee contains nutrients but is also stimulating and irritating. Cigarettes encourage deeper breathing, but contain cadmium, nicotine and other poisons. Alcohol can be used as a fuel, but depletes zinc and magnesium and damages the liver.

CELEBRATION VERSUS NEEDINESS

How one uses foods, activities and even people can determine whether they are addictive or nourishing. One may enjoy many foods, activities and even alcohol without becoming addicted. If, however, one is looking to fill a void inside or ëget somethingí from a food, activity or a person, addiction is inevitable. What could be nourishing can turn to poison as a result.
Psychologically, one becomes compulsive. That is, the habit, activity or person takes on an importance and urgency that is not warranted. It becomes oneís god.

ADDICTION AND THE ADRENAL GLANDS

A common mechanism of addiction is stimulating the adrenal glands. Cortisol secreted by the adrenals provides a euphoric feeling. If you doubt this, talk with someone taking high-dose cortisone. It causes one to feel no pain. An adrenal high is due to raising the blood sugar level and decreasing inflammation.
Most people with addictions have weak adrenal glands. They crave the euphoric feeling that goes with more active adrenals. They gravitate to substances, activities or situations that stimulate the adrenals. These may be caffeine, sugar or cocaine, anger, fear, vigorous exercise or job or marital drama. Any stimulant eventually weakens the adrenals, causing a deepening of the addiction. Understanding how substances, habits and even emotions affect the adrenal glands can be a key to understanding their addictive power.

SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS STIMULATION

One can stimulate the adrenal glands directly with some chemicals including caffeine, salt, sugar, chocolate, cocaine or amphetamines. Another way to stimulate the adrenals is with anything that moves the body into a sympathetic dominant state. Examples are exercise, fear, worry, anger, cold, pain or other stressors.
For this reason, exercise can easily become addictive, as can fear, anger and worry. Many people are addicted to the evening news with its horror stories and fearful innuendo. Others are addicted to religions that teach guilt and fear, and repeat stories of an angry, vengeful or jealous god.
Many people live by fear and anger. They may hate their job, boss, children, the dog or even their spouse. If they gave up their anger, they would have no energy with which to function and would feel the fatigue and often depression associated with exhausted adrenal glands.

OTHER ORGAN AND SYSTEM STIMULANTS

Some addictive substances, habits or activities stimulate the circulatory system and provide temporarily improved circulation that can become addictive. These include smoking, exercise, sex and wearing inadequate clothing in cold weather.
Other stimulants primarily increase the depth or rate of respiration, providing an oxygen high. These can include exercise, cigarette smoking, inhaling irritant drugs like solvents in spray paints and certain postures (puffing up the chest).
Activities that stimulate the muscles such as weight lifting, running and other exercise can also create a lactic acid high. One can become addicted to stimulating the palate with certain tastes, or feeling ëstuffedí. Food can literally fill a void inside.
Other stimulants act at the level of the mind rather than the body. One may become addicted to almost anything to relieve nagging anxiety, self-doubts, loneliness, fears, anger or persistent negative thoughts.

BIOCHEMICAL STIMULANTS

Substances like alcohol and coffee are addictive because they influence body chemistry in particular ways that produce temporary feelings of well-being in some people. One could become addicted to vitamins or minerals for the same reason. Substance can influence body chemistry in thousands of ways.
Vitamins like B-complex speed up the oxidation rate and can give one a ëhighí for this reason. While these vitamins have many beneficial effects, if used symptomatically without being part of a total program to promote health they can function as stimulants that are not improving, but making health worse.
Adrenal glandular, thyroid supplements, ginseng, ephedra, guarana, yohimbe, ginger, cayenne and other stimulant herbs can also give one a temporary feeling of well being. Again, these herbs and products have many beneficial qualities. However, when used apart from a total health-building program they can be damaging as they can function just as stimulants for a tired body.

EMOTIONAL ADDICTION

Emotions can be addictive. Watching violent, x-rated or horror movies, listening to loud music or ghastly headlines on the nightly news are other ways to temporarily stimulate the adrenals. Arguing with a partner, hating anyone or anything and holding grudges or resentments are other methods. One may know someone who needs to be upset or angry about something or someone in order to feel "well".

SPIRITUAL HIGHS

Religions and spiritual practices are often addictive. One believes one is improving oneself but in fact one can be ëspacing outí with meditation or prayer, deluding oneself with religious ideas, or feeling better because one projects oneís anger onto the non-believers, the sinners whom God will punish. Many church services offer a temporary ëhighí that is not placing god first. It is repeating words and phrases, singing songs and performing rituals that temporarily help one forget oneís pain, anger, fear or misery.
Even worse are religions that blame others for oneís problems. Examples are fundamentalist Islamic religions and ethnic pride that blame their miseries on evil ones whom God instructs them they must destroy. These so-called religions are projection and negativity at its worst. They can be very addictive for minds that are unwilling to face the truth about themselves.

DENYING REALITY

All addictions are escapes from reality. Physiological sensations are abused to create a new reality, a drug high, when one does not wish to correct oneís physical, emotional and spiritual reality. Undoing addictions permanently requires the decision to deal with and handle everything in this reality. A block in doing so is that so many people have come to believe life is basically rotten, or at least not very enjoyable. They do not believe it possible to create such a wonderful life that the very idea of escaping from it makes no sense.
Anything that gives one hope or better, can demonstrate that life can be really terrific, will greatly assist one to let go of all addictive behavior. This is the appeal of spiritual teachings such as in Alcoholics Anonymous, attending religious services or reading spiritual texts. It is also the reason group support, friendship and love can help people break addictions.

SUPPORTING THE ADRENAL GLANDS

Supporting the adrenal glands is a powerful way to end the cycle of addiction. Nourishing the adrenal glands to enhance their activity provides the same euphoric feelings without the harmful effects of stimulants. Nutrients that benefit the adrenal glands include vitamins B-complex, C and E, manganese, chromium and molybdenum, and eating protein with each meal.
Rest and sleep are excellent for the adrenals. Letting go of fear and worry are essential. Getting rid of chronic infections is also very important. Detoxification of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, copper, and toxic levels of manganese, iron, chromium, aluminum and others is also required.
Strengthening the adrenal glands can improve oneís resolve or willpower. The adrenals are called the fight-or-flight glands. Oneís ability to secrete adrenal hormones in large part determines oneís ability to handle stress. Adrenal glands weakened by sugar consumption, excessive exercise, stress or anything else will reduce one's ability to resist the temptations of other drugs.
In other words, oneís ability to cope with reality depends in part upon a balanced body chemistry. The use of any item or habit that weakens or unbalances the chemistry reduces the ability to handle stress. The temptation to go into denial increases and with it the temptation to use drugs or other habits to deny reality. It is possible to overcome a weak will through faith, concentration or a support group. However, fixing oneís body chemistry is also a great help!

SUGAR BLUES

Normalizing blood sugar is another way nutritional correction can help overcome addictions. Recently, a teenager consulted me who admitted he was addicted to Coca Cola. He had spent time in a local mental institution for severe depression. During his stay, he was allowed all the Coca Cola he wanted. No one understood why he made poor progress. When his nutrition was corrected, his depression lifted.
Have you ever noticed how much coffee with sugar is consumed at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings? Weak adrenals often result in hypoglycemia since adrenal hormones raise blood sugar. This condition is very common. When the blood sugar level drops, cravings can be very strong for sugar, soda pop, a cigarette or another adrenal stimulant. Alcohol craving can also be caused by low blood sugar.
Adding protein to the diet helps stabilize blood sugar in slow oxidizers. Adding fat to the diet helps stabilize blood sugar in fast oxidizers. Supplements including zinc, manganese, chromium, B-B-complex vitamins, vitamins C and E and others also help stabilize blood sugar. Detoxification of toxic substances that affect the pancreas, liver and other key organs also assists normalizing blood sugar. Sugar in the diet also contributes to thyroid problems and many others that can aggravate addiction problems.

THE PEPSI GENERATION

Soda pop is an interesting addictive substance. Not only does it contain caffeine and up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per can, but it also contains phosphoric acid. This chemical cuts the sweetness. It also binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in the intestines and removes them from the body. This may temporarily increases the metabolic rate, making one feel better for a while. Of course, it can lead to mineral deficiencies and other imbalances.
Diet soda is little if any better. Although it contains no sugar, the other chemicals are still present and the sweetness can mislead the body into thinking one has consumed a sugar-laden beverage. Diet soda also perpetuates the sweet craving, which may be linked to old emotional responses or trauma.
Advertisements for soda pop and other junk foods are total lies. Drinking Pepsi won't make you slim, beautiful or popular, even gallons a day.

EXERCISE ADDICTION

A common addiction is exercise. It powerfully stimulates the adrenal glands causing a cortisone high. It also stimulates respiration and circulation, causing euphoric feelings related to these. It also produces lactic acid which can have a euphoric effect. On top of all this, exercise is fashionable and one hears that ëmore is betterí for oneís health.
Exercise addition also appeals to those overly concerned with their appearance. A slim, muscular build is associated in their minds with health. Unfortunately, as with any activity, when it becomes addictive it becomes damaging. Excessive sympathetic nervous system activity shuts down the immune system, deprives the adrenals of rest and overworks the joints. Many exercise addicts do not eat well, believing that plenty of exercise is all they need. Nothing could be further from the truth. Some of those in the worst of health are exercise addicts. They destroy their adrenals, joints and immune systems by their lack of balance in regards to exercise.

ADDICTION AND LOW SELF-ESTEEM

Low self-esteem is an important cause of addiction. One who does not believe they have much future decides that momentary pleasure is better than none at all. This causes many people to engage in self-destructive behavior. They know it is not healthful, but they persist because they feel they have nothing to lose. Life is not great so why not enjoy some momentary pleasure?
This is sad as many of these individuals are highly intelligent, sensitive people who have given up the idea that they deserve or can achieve a happy life. The key for them is to break through this negative pattern by any means necessary. Then many addictions disappear as they make no sense. Destroying oneself does not make sense to anyone who is thinking clearly.

ADDICTION AND FRIENDS

A powerful factor in some addictions is to maintain friendships. If oneís friends all engage in a particular behavior, no matter how harmful, one can be tempted to indulge as well to maintain their friendship. Oneís addiction is synonymous with oneís social life. Giving up the addiction means giving up oneís circle of friends and changing oneís social activities. This is very disruptive for many people.
Friends can have other negative influences when it comes to addictions. Friends can talk one out of change, emphasizing how hard it is to change, how likely one is to fail and how others have failed. This can be a tremendous block for some people if they continue to listen to these "friends".
Friends, of course, can also be a powerful force to help one change and give up addictions. This is the basis for AA sponsorship and other similar programs. The friend who reinforces that one can change, one can succeed, and one is doing well is as a rare gem. This is a true friend, one that holds oneís highest interest in mind at all times, no matter what happens.
Good friends are especially important when family and other influential adults are sending one negative messages. Indeed, choosing friends who support where one wants to go and what one wants to become is a great secret to overcoming any addiction.

THE CANDIDA ALBICANS CONNECTION

Deranged body chemistry, especially combined with sugar consumption, often leads to chronic intestinal candidiasis. Deficiencies of zinc and other minerals weaken the normal immune responses. Weakened adrenals cause copper to become biounavailable. Copper is the body's natural yeast killer. Also, eating sugar feeds the yeast which encourages its growth.
Candida produces alcohol and acetaldehyde, both toxic substances. The alcohol can produce its own addiction, even though one has not touched a drop of alcohol! Both substances further weaken the body, affecting will power and mental clarity. Repeated antibiotic therapy, birth control pills and steroid therapy may be additional addiction factors as they contribute to yeast overgrowth and weaken body chemistry.

MENTALLY RELEASING ADDICTIONS

Ending addictions involves doubting all of oneís negative beliefs about oneself and the world. These are often what support misperceptions such as low self worth, undeserving thoughts, thoughts of oneís smallness, insignificance, incompetence and even self-loathing.
It is important to recognize a vicious cycle many are caught in. One tends to project outside oneself everything one does not like. It may be oneís anger, violent tendencies, feelings of helplessness or something else. However, what occurs is that other minds pick up the projections and act them out. The violent impulses are acted out by "bigots", "criminals" or ëchild molesters". The helpless impulses are acted out by "homeless people".
One sees this in the world and becomes more upset, angry or feeling more helpless to correct it. One then projects these feelings as they are unpleasant. The projections are picked up and acted out again by more so-called criminals, homeless people or others. The cycle continues. No wonder violence, racism, and domestic abuse are hard to get rid of. We like them! They will only go away when we stop projecting and make the choice to take full responsibility for everything in our lives.

SPIRITUAL RELEASE

All addiction is a symptom of a feeling that one is separate from oneís creator, unloved and alone in a hostile world. Recognizing the falseness of this belief goes a long way to overcoming all addictions.
One is never separate from oneís creator unless one rejects the constant love offered. Ill health, however, can make one think one is unloved and rejected. One is never alone, though rejection of everything one cannot directly see, hear and touch will cut one off from the love of many non-physical beings that surround each one of us. The world is a projection of many peopleís thoughts. It is not hostile. In fact, it is a perfect world if one understands its purpose and its rationale as a feedback tool for people to experience their deepest beliefs in the hope that they will change them to create a happier world. The keys to spiritual correction of addictions are desire, intention, allowing and surrender.
Desrie is the impulse to improve oneís life and let go of addictions. Intention is the ongoing commitment to follow oneís impulse. Allowing, as opposed to striving, is the realization that the solution already exists. One simply has to accept all the love and support offered. The world abounds with people, organizations, books and other resources that wish only for oneís happiness and joy. Surrender is the final step of letting go of all that is not aligned with oneís highest good or purpose in this life.
Fear paralyzes the adrenals. Intending, desiring, allowing and surrendering to the love that one is and always has is a powerful way to restore normal glandular activity that helps end addiction.

GETTING WELL

As some people know, before real healing can occur one often has to feel the pain, exhaustion and depletion of the body. Alcoholics Anonymous calls this 'bottoming out'. It leads to a shift in attitude. One no longer seeks a temporary high, but rather seeks the truth about what one has become. This rests the adrenals. Without rest, little rebuilding can take place.
Practicing the old virtues of forgiving, loving, allowing, accepting and non-judgement rests the body. One gives up fighting and running, so that true rebuilding can occur.
Along with an attitudinal shift, depleted glands and deranged body chemistry can be supported and balanced through scientific diet modification and nutritional supplements. Hair analysis is an excellent way to assess nutritional needs. Other natural therapies can support these changes. Once the emotional and physical aspects of addiction are understood, one is on the road to a solid basis for health.

Richard......Peace

Reward Deficiency Syndrome

[www.recoveryemporium.com]

COOL !!

Chris H

That is so wierd, Richard. I was just planning to leave this site and head for "natural support adrenals". Tanks, I believe it all.