What to do to remedy addiction?

[JJCarsonian]

I've been battling some form of addiction for most of this decade. First, it was opiate, then over the last 4 years or so it has been Kratom. Alot of this struggle is mental. I know that much of addiction has underling causes that need to be healed. Looking back, I wasn't necessarily unhappy, but enjoyed the quick fix happiness painkillers brought. I seem to be always looking for a quick way to change my mood, nowadays. What is a good way to heal this aspect of myself?

[Diana]

The following excerpt may help. I have found that if trying to change mental/emotional imbalances isn't working, one can try another angle to that imbalance. The mental creates the physical, but the physical can also affect the mental.

A Word on Addictions

If you are addicted to cigarettes, sugar—whatever—quitting (if you want to) can be really difficult. When you can’t quit, you might compound the problem with guilt, self-loathing, and self-judgments, leaving you feeling defeated and disempowered. There is a way to feel empowered and optimize health, even if you aren’t ready to quit . . .

Be Proactive

Let’s say you are addicted to cigarettes and you haven’t had any luck kicking the habit. You can shift focus from feeling badly about it (which is a natural reaction) to finding ways to maximize your health now—even while smoking.

The Internet makes research easier than ever (using a good deal of discernment). Explore ways to address the effects and optimize your health until you can quit. For example, what minerals are depleted because you smoke? Does smoking interfere with vitamin absorption? Are you drinking enough water to keep your lungs hydrated? How can you oxygenate your body better while you are still smoking?

Based on your research, do what you can to optimize your health until you can quit. This might include a daily run on a treadmill or ride on a bicycle, particular supplements that support the lungs, saunas to sweat out toxins, etc. Now you are taking charge of your health without focusing on your inability to quit.

The benefit of doing this, aside from making you feel empowered, in charge, and not defeated, is that you will be healthier and better able to actually let go of your addiction when you are ready.

Caveat: I’m not condoning indulgence in unhealthy habits. I am suggesting a shift in perspective.
At all times, in all circumstances, within all contexts, you can optimize your health.

[sillypumpkins]

Ah, JJ, I understand what you're going through. I've had troubles with addiction for as long as I can remember.

Another user (I believe it was RitaJC) shared this a while ago, and it was helpful for me: https://lissarankin.com/dont-kick-the-ha...this-year/

It sort of is similar to what Diana is pointing out. I.e, finding the love in those moments where you feel so overwhelmingly compelled to indulge. Shifting the focus away from "I shouldn't be doing this" to something more empowering. Then... naturally, things start happening.

Of course, everyone is different and some will need a "full stop" depending on their circumstances.

What you're doing is natural. You're looking for comfort in something outside of your self because most likely, a part of you is hurting. What a totally natural response to something that feels uncomfortable! Ain't no shame in that.

Best wishes to you JJ on your journey

[Ashim]

I just wouldn’t worry about it. Any concern will just open doors for negative greetings.
Many who use drugs do so in accordance with their Life Plans.

It’s ok.

Just like working with crystals or sounds.
It’s a perfectly admissible member of the spiritual tool kit.

So grow some balls and get on with it.

[JJCarsonian]

Thats an interesting take, I appreciate you sharing.. Ra also mentions Fasting as a way to drop unwanted thoughtforms... What do you think about that?

The following excerpt may help. I have found that if trying to change mental/emotional imbalances isn't working, one can try another angle to that imbalance. The mental creates the physical, but the physical can also affect the mental.

A Word on Addictions

If you are addicted to cigarettes, sugar—whatever—quitting (if you want to) can be really difficult. When you can’t quit, you might compound the problem with guilt, self-loathing, and self-judgments, leaving you feeling defeated and disempowered. There is a way to feel empowered and optimize health, even if you aren’t ready to quit . . .

Be Proactive

Let’s say you are addicted to cigarettes and you haven’t had any luck kicking the habit. You can shift focus from feeling badly about it (which is a natural reaction) to finding ways to maximize your health now—even while smoking.

The Internet makes research easier than ever (using a good deal of discernment). Explore ways to address the effects and optimize your health until you can quit. For example, what minerals are depleted because you smoke? Does smoking interfere with vitamin absorption? Are you drinking enough water to keep your lungs hydrated? How can you oxygenate your body better while you are still smoking?

Based on your research, do what you can to optimize your health until you can quit. This might include a daily run on a treadmill or ride on a bicycle, particular supplements that support the lungs, saunas to sweat out toxins, etc. Now you are taking charge of your health without focusing on your inability to quit.

The benefit of doing this, aside from making you feel empowered, in charge, and not defeated, is that you will be healthier and better able to actually let go of your addiction when you are ready.

Caveat: I’m not condoning indulgence in unhealthy habits. I am suggesting a shift in perspective.
At all times, in all circumstances, within all contexts, you can optimize your health.

[JJCarsonian]

Very cool, thank you for sharing and totally get it.

Ah, JJ, I understand what you're going through. I've had troubles with addiction for as long as I can remember.

Another user (I believe it was RitaJC) shared this a while ago, and it was helpful for me: https://lissarankin.com/dont-kick-the-ha...this-year/

It sort of is similar to what Diana is pointing out. I.e, finding the love in those moments where you feel so overwhelmingly compelled to indulge. Shifting the focus away from "I shouldn't be doing this" to something more empowering. Then... naturally, things start happening.

Of course, everyone is different and some will need a "full stop" depending on their circumstances.

What you're doing is natural. You're looking for comfort in something outside of your self because most likely, a part of you is hurting. What a totally natural response to something that feels uncomfortable! Ain't no shame in that.

Best wishes to you JJ on your journey

[sillypumpkins]

I had a recent insight into the workings of the subconscious recently.

I've been struggling with addiction for a while now (with varying intensities thru the years). I didn't really "get" why I was doing these things. Why the f*** am I smoking when I don't actually wanna be? Seriously confusing..... and upsetting.... so I would just get hard on myself. I would be y'know, like mean to myself.

"You know you shouldn't be doing this" things like that. Also harboring feelings of guilt and shame. Really just bringing myself down so much to a point where the only choice was to seek that relief. At least that's how it felt.

So I have been seeing a hypnotherapist and we were talking. We were talking about the subconscious mind. Out of the blue, he mentions, the subconscious being the "primal" part of consciousness. The monkey mind.

So I was like, "okay, that makes sense." I had been sort of confused about the subconscious for a while, so there was some clarity there.

I went home, and walked my dog. We were walking on a long road and we always reach a point where we have to turn back. 9/10, my dog will just freeze and not want to go back. So I would like, force him. I would physically move his body so he would come in the direction I wanted, or I would just pull on his leash until he came. This never felt good and I could tell it always made him more nervous.

So, this time, I tried something different. We reached that point, and I got down to his level, gave him a pat on the back, and said "Henry, we're going to go back home now" and off we went!

It's funny, but that was a real learning moment for me.

Especially in light of learning about the subconscious, and it's connection to the "monkey mind."

Think about your subconscious as a part of your consciousness which is a remnant of that animal mind. Begin to understand it in terms of how you would train a pet.

If you're teaching a trick to your dog, and he doesn't quite get it at first, are you really going to be an a****** to your pet and start yelling at him? The dog doesn't know! He's just doing what he knows works. He's just acting out his very nature. Just like the subconscious.

So, it's been helpful for me to cultivate a relationship with my subconscious that resembles a master-pet relationship. Not an authoritarian one by any means, but one that has mutual respect for those aspects of my conscious experience. Harmony.

The nature of the subconscious can obviously be more complex..... this is just something I learned.... hopefully I worded that in a way where it's understood, and if not i can reword it.

[AnthroHeart]

My Intention Repeater Python in my signature may help. It amplifies any intention you have.
The Python one is the best version. Sorry to hear about what you're going through.

[houtje]

From my experience: start consciously loving the addiction and accept that it is an expression of self-nurture.

So every time you engage in the addictive activity, thoroughly enjoy it consciously. It almost becomes similar to meditating: you have to really sit with it and experience it deeply. Every time you do it, try to make it a conscious, loving, indulging. Don't beat yourself up if at one time you have difficulties remaining conscious while engaging in it.

After some time and probably depending on other possible factors as well (trauma) the more self-work you do, the less strong the addictions become.

And here is the kicker:

At the precise moment of quitting: YOU'll KNOW. You have to trust me on this. If you think you should quit, don't bother. If you're forcing yourself, don't bother. Love the addiction, nurture yourself and when the time to quit arrives, you're gonna know it, trust me.

And you won't be quitting anything but rather, the habit will simply stop by itself without much, if any effort.

So stop worrying and LOVE your addictions. Don't do it mindlessly. Make it into a ritual expression of love and self-nurture towards yourself. Invest or fabricate your very own personalised tools that you use to consume the drug. Create a safe space with special decorations, lights, incense, whatever in which you experience the drug. Before taking the drug, do a ritualised prayer; perhaps set an intention; ask the drug to show you something you might be missing about yourself.

Use the drug as way of self-healing. All it takes is to switch the intention from "I hate myself for doing this" to "I love myself BY doing this".

Good luck and ENJOY!

[Prometheus]

I've been battling some form of addiction for most of this decade.  First, it was opiate, then over the last 4 years or so it has been Kratom.  Alot of this struggle is mental.  I know that much of addiction has underling causes that need to be healed.  Looking back, I wasn't necessarily unhappy, but enjoyed the quick fix happiness painkillers brought.  I seem to be always looking for a quick way to change my mood, nowadays.  What is a good way to heal this aspect of myself?

I was addicted to Kratom for a couple of years. Eventually it got to the point that I had to take some every 5-6 hours or I would immediately have terrible withdrawals. It was also stimulating extremely negative emotional patterns, anger, rage, and sadness. At this point I decided to quit.

On the one hand I am grateful to Kratom for bringing a lot of dark emotions out of me that I had been hiding and didn't know were there, and helping me to confront them. On the other hand, they were beginning to consume me completely. There needed to be a balance.

First, you have to make the decision that you *are* going to quit. Don't make excuses for yourself about how you need it in your life or whatever. Once you return to normal consciousness you will be more like your old self again. You must commit to that decision. Once you're off the stuff, you'll realize quitting actually wasn't that hard.

Basically once I decided to quit I just used the remaining stash to wean myself off as much as I could, reducing my dosage daily. After I ran out I went cold turkey. Make no mistake, the withdrawals were horrible. It's like a combination of utter restlessness combined with being so tired you can hardly move. But you can't sleep either. It feels like death. However, after a week or so, the worst of the withdrawals will be over with, and you will feel a sense of pride that you managed to accomplish it. There are some longer-term affects you may have to deal with. For me, even though the worst of the withdraws were over I still could hardly sleep for several weeks after quitting cold turkey. I was averaging maybe 2-3 hours of sleep a night for about a month. For some reason Kratom addiction messes with your ability to sleep. However, after about a month, this too went away, and I began to be able to sleep normally again... it was like something just switched in my brain and suddenly I was completely back to normal.

Ever since then, I've made a fuller recovery at an emotional level. Less outbursts. Less anger. Less sadness. And at the same time I've evaluated the root causes of the emotional pain the Kratom was bringing out of me and managed to make some greater realizations at a psychological and spiritual level. So I wouldn't say it was a complete waste.. the Kratom did help to force me to confront some things from my past that I had been ignoring.

[Glow]

Sillypumpkins you just made me think of this quote.
I am on my way out into the rain but will plunk it here in case it is helpful.
Seems aligned to your thoughts.

I have really been working with my subconscious the last 2 years directly. I highly recommend the gentle courting. So much to understand, and just by understanding it slowly can lead to transformation in it's own right.

99.8 Ra: I am Ra. We shall speak upon several aspects seriatim. Firstly, let us examine the crossed arms of the male who is to be transformed. What, O student, do you make of the crossing? What see you in this tangle? There is a creative point to be found in this element which was not discussed overmuch by the questioner.

Let us now observe the evaluation of the two females. The observation that to the left-hand path moves the roughly physical and to the right-hand path the mental has a shallow correctness. There are deeper observations to be made concerning the relationship of the great sea of the unconscious mind to the conscious mind which may fruitfully be pursued.
Remember, O student, that these images are not literal. They haunt rather than explicate.

Many use the trunk and roots of mind as if that portion of mind were a badly used, prostituted entity. Then this entity gains from this great storehouse that which is rough, prostituted, and without great virtue.

Those who turn to the deep mind, seeing it in the guise of the maiden, go forth to court it. The courtship has nothing of plunder in its semblance and may be protracted, yet the treasure gained by such careful courtship is great.

The right-hand and left-hand transformations of the mind may be seen to differ by the attitude of the conscious mind towards its own resources as well as the resources of other-selves.

[sillypumpkins]

Thank you for sharing Glow, forgot about that quote

[Ohr Ein Sof]

I had a recent insight into the workings of the subconscious recently.

I've been struggling with addiction for a while now (with varying intensities thru the years). I didn't really "get" why I was doing these things. Why the f*** am I smoking when I don't actually wanna be? Seriously confusing..... and upsetting.... so I would just get hard on myself. I would be y'know, like mean to myself.

"You know you shouldn't be doing this" things like that. Also harboring feelings of guilt and shame. Really just bringing myself down so much to a point where the only choice was to seek that relief. At least that's how it felt.

So I have been seeing a hypnotherapist and we were talking. We were talking about the subconscious mind. Out of the blue, he mentions, the subconscious being the "primal" part of consciousness. The monkey mind.

So I was like, "okay, that makes sense." I had been sort of confused about the subconscious for a while, so there was some clarity there.

I went home, and walked my dog. We were walking on a long road and we always reach a point where we have to turn back. 9/10, my dog will just freeze and not want to go back. So I would like, force him. I would physically move his body so he would come in the direction I wanted, or I would just pull on his leash until he came. This never felt good and I could tell it always made him more nervous.

So, this time, I tried something different. We reached that point, and I got down to his level, gave him a pat on the back, and said "Henry, we're going to go back home now" and off we went!

It's funny, but that was a real learning moment for me.

Especially in light of learning about the subconscious, and it's connection to the "monkey mind."

Think about your subconscious as a part of your consciousness which is a remnant of that animal mind. Begin to understand it in terms of how you would train a pet.

If you're teaching a trick to your dog, and he doesn't quite get it at first, are you really going to be an a****** to your pet and start yelling at him? The dog doesn't know! He's just doing what he knows works. He's just acting out his very nature. Just like the subconscious.

So, it's been helpful for me to cultivate a relationship with my subconscious that resembles a master-pet relationship. Not an authoritarian one by any means, but one that has mutual respect for those aspects of my conscious experience. Harmony.

The nature of the subconscious can obviously be more complex..... this is just something I learned.... hopefully I worded that in a way where it's understood, and if not i can reword it.

I am sorry but I think I am understanding what you wrote but maybe I am not understanding it clearly. Will you clarify it for me please? Did a hyponotherapist say that the subconscious mind is the monkey mind? Is this because it creates without descretion to your mental imagery and conditioned patterns? It is your record keeper within each experience you have ever had since you were created in the Mind of God. I am not sure of this terminology; I think. I have heard it before but never considered to call our record keeper, the subconscious mind, a monkey mind. Unless its a pun of sorts because it does what it is asked to do based on what it is given.

[Diana]

Thats an interesting take, I appreciate you sharing.. Ra also mentions Fasting as a way to drop unwanted thoughtforms... What do you think about that?

The only concern I would have with fasting in this circumstance—addiction—is the possibility of it being based on denial. I have fasted and there are many benefits to it, but it is a personal thing based on individual circumstances. When an addicted person decides to quit, it seems often the denial of using the substance grows large and front/center. But I do think whatever a person's intuition is about it will work for them. And maybe that is the best way to go for some people—a big change can sometimes really shift things.

In any case, I would do what I could to support my body (one might say give it love) with the nutrients, exercise, and replenishing depletions caused by the addiction until such time as I was past the addiction. 

[sillypumpkins]

I had a recent insight into the workings of the subconscious recently.

I've been struggling with addiction for a while now (with varying intensities thru the years). I didn't really "get" why I was doing these things. Why the f*** am I smoking when I don't actually wanna be? Seriously confusing..... and upsetting.... so I would just get hard on myself. I would be y'know, like mean to myself.

"You know you shouldn't be doing this" things like that. Also harboring feelings of guilt and shame. Really just bringing myself down so much to a point where the only choice was to seek that relief. At least that's how it felt.

So I have been seeing a hypnotherapist and we were talking. We were talking about the subconscious mind. Out of the blue, he mentions, the subconscious being the "primal" part of consciousness. The monkey mind.

So I was like, "okay, that makes sense." I had been sort of confused about the subconscious for a while, so there was some clarity there.

I went home, and walked my dog. We were walking on a long road and we always reach a point where we have to turn back. 9/10, my dog will just freeze and not want to go back. So I would like, force him. I would physically move his body so he would come in the direction I wanted, or I would just pull on his leash until he came. This never felt good and I could tell it always made him more nervous.

So, this time, I tried something different. We reached that point, and I got down to his level, gave him a pat on the back, and said "Henry, we're going to go back home now" and off we went!

It's funny, but that was a real learning moment for me.

Especially in light of learning about the subconscious, and it's connection to the "monkey mind."

Think about your subconscious as a part of your consciousness which is a remnant of that animal mind. Begin to understand it in terms of how you would train a pet.

If you're teaching a trick to your dog, and he doesn't quite get it at first, are you really going to be an a****** to your pet and start yelling at him? The dog doesn't know! He's just doing what he knows works. He's just acting out his very nature. Just like the subconscious.

So, it's been helpful for me to cultivate a relationship with my subconscious that resembles a master-pet relationship. Not an authoritarian one by any means, but one that has mutual respect for those aspects of my conscious experience. Harmony.

The nature of the subconscious can obviously be more complex..... this is just something I learned.... hopefully I worded that in a way where it's understood, and if not i can reword it.

I am sorry but I think I am understanding what you wrote but maybe I am not understanding it clearly. Will you clarify it for me please? Did a hyponotherapist say that the subconscious mind is the monkey mind? Is this because it creates without descretion to your mental imagery and conditioned patterns? It is your record keeper within each experience you have ever had since you were created in the Mind of God. I am not sure of this terminology; I think. I have heard it before but never considered to call our record keeper, the subconscious mind, a monkey mind. Unless its a pun of sorts because it does what it is asked to do based on what it is given.

I think I used "monkey mind" a little haphazardly there. Not really the right word. Shows my clarity on the subject of the subconscious

My apologies for the confusion

[Ohr Ein Sof]

I had a recent insight into the workings of the subconscious recently.

I've been struggling with addiction for a while now (with varying intensities thru the years). I didn't really "get" why I was doing these things. Why the f*** am I smoking when I don't actually wanna be? Seriously confusing..... and upsetting.... so I would just get hard on myself. I would be y'know, like mean to myself.

"You know you shouldn't be doing this" things like that. Also harboring feelings of guilt and shame. Really just bringing myself down so much to a point where the only choice was to seek that relief. At least that's how it felt.

So I have been seeing a hypnotherapist and we were talking. We were talking about the subconscious mind. Out of the blue, he mentions, the subconscious being the "primal" part of consciousness. The monkey mind.

So I was like, "okay, that makes sense." I had been sort of confused about the subconscious for a while, so there was some clarity there.

I went home, and walked my dog. We were walking on a long road and we always reach a point where we have to turn back. 9/10, my dog will just freeze and not want to go back. So I would like, force him. I would physically move his body so he would come in the direction I wanted, or I would just pull on his leash until he came. This never felt good and I could tell it always made him more nervous.

So, this time, I tried something different. We reached that point, and I got down to his level, gave him a pat on the back, and said "Henry, we're going to go back home now" and off we went!

It's funny, but that was a real learning moment for me.

Especially in light of learning about the subconscious, and it's connection to the "monkey mind."

Think about your subconscious as a part of your consciousness which is a remnant of that animal mind. Begin to understand it in terms of how you would train a pet.

If you're teaching a trick to your dog, and he doesn't quite get it at first, are you really going to be an a****** to your pet and start yelling at him? The dog doesn't know! He's just doing what he knows works. He's just acting out his very nature. Just like the subconscious.

So, it's been helpful for me to cultivate a relationship with my subconscious that resembles a master-pet relationship. Not an authoritarian one by any means, but one that has mutual respect for those aspects of my conscious experience. Harmony.

The nature of the subconscious can obviously be more complex..... this is just something I learned.... hopefully I worded that in a way where it's understood, and if not i can reword it.

I am sorry but I think I am understanding what you wrote but maybe I am not understanding it clearly. Will you clarify it for me please? Did a hyponotherapist say that the subconscious mind is the monkey mind? Is this because it creates without descretion to your mental imagery and conditioned patterns? It is your record keeper within each experience you have ever had since you were created in the Mind of God. I am not sure of this terminology; I think. I have heard it before but never considered to call our record keeper, the subconscious mind, a monkey mind. Unless its a pun of sorts because it does what it is asked to do based on what it is given.

I think I used "monkey mind" a little haphazardly there. Not really the right word. Shows my clarity on the subject of the subconscious  

My apologies for the confusion

LOL