Entries Tagged 'Addiction Help' ↓

When I was in prison I worked with a guy that was crazy funny. One of his go to lines was “Hey bro, it’s all good”. He didn’t own the phrase but he delivered  it at the right time and made it funny. The truth is I’ve never laughed so hard as I have in prison. The combination of not using drugs and being stuck in a place where a sense of humor is a survival mechanism led to some hilarious conversations. Most people in prison are there because they’re addicts – most of these aren’t dangerous. The ones you have to worry about are the ones whose motivations were more psychotic.

Not that it’s all fun and games but it’s really no different from being out here. There’s just more room out here.

There are a few books, as I’ve mentioned, I read over and over. They always address where I’m off the mark ( somewhat annoying ). I also forget to practice what I know to be best – so I keep my reminders close at hand.

The books are Eckhart Tolle, The New Earth, J. Krishnamurti, Freedom from the Known, Alan Watts, Still The Mind and Chogyam Trungpa, Meditation In Practice.

That saying – it’s all good – came to mind when I was reading Tolle’s book again the other night. He was targeting the ego’s affinity for blaming the outer world for everything. Basically, it’s all bad. They’re bad, institutions are bad, this is wrong, if it weren’t for this and so on – that’s the ego.

We could say it’s us – but that’s the ego too. There really is no us. This would call for a definition which is only available from, or necessary for, the ego. The self, really isn’t anything either. That’s an ego product too. There are two possible states for consciousness. One that is driven by the ego and one that is involved with intelligence.

Now – these are Tolle terms. But here is the crux: When ego say’s “That’s bad” we can catch it and say “That’s good – It’s all good”. Is it all good? Too deep, doesn’t matter. The point is to weaken the ego. Exposure weakens the ego, which increases awareness, which allows intelligence to enter.

For now there isn’t much more than that. Like everything here –  it provides a practice.

I was talking with a friend the other day about depression and getting overwhelmed and so on. I told her that I looked at my brain/thought system the way I’d look at a toddler in Tiffany’s. As long as I pay attention and keep an eye on the rascal I can avoid a calamity. As soon as I turn my back – Whammo. This is how I treat my brain. It’s really the only enemy I have. I should also say, that enemy is good -right? I couldn’t think of another word for enemy.

Anyway the practice is – pay attention, whenever we see, hear, sense the ego reacting negatively we catch it. We interfere with it’s habitual process. What we do after we catch it is up to us. We could say, “I see you…”, and maybe add, “It’s all good….”.

I’ve adhered to and written about the ability for people to write the script for their future conditions. The way this is done is by utilizing the creative power of the subconscious mind. In this creative process the part played at the conscious level is visualization. If we want to live in a cabin by the creek surrounding by maple woods and a community of family and friends we would visualize this everyday.

This process is used by every person everyday, whether they know it or not. So, I have advocated the intentional use of the process as a tool for positive re-creation and change. I noticed recently that my own conditions didn’t reflect my overall vision. About he same time I walked through the TV room to find her highness watching Wayne Dyer. He was talking about changing our conditions with visualization.

My first thought was – ah, him again, I already know this. My second thought was – so since my conditions don’t reflect my favored vision does that mean I’m advocated and writing about something that doesn’t work? Third thought – No, based on all available evidence this subconscious creating is factual – this is just the way it is. And fourth – so why does my life situation look like this?

A little later I decided to do a little intentional envisioning. Then it dawned on me, I’d quit doing this because I’m no good at it. Yep, I’m a visualization backslider. The whole thing is a little strange because visualization is what I’m good at. I visualize things and draw them. I visualize things and build them. I entertained myself as a young teen by visualizing my girlfriend with me while I was doing something I didn’t want to do – like building fences, mowing grass or using a shovel. Hell, I’m kind of a visualization expert.

The problem arises – today – when I sit down to visualize a future situation or condition. What comes to mind is the girlfriend I had when I was fourteen or a stable I designed in 1987. This is a little frustrating. So I’ve decided that I’m going to become a long distance runner. I won’t have to work on anything, I’ll just run. Besides, my friend Tammy said I couldn’t catch her on my best day with a strong wind at my back. I’m going to get started on my new life as a runner – just as soon as this is the #1 addiction help blog in the world.

Seriously though it’s always nice to find the answer to a problem and this is the answer I found: I’ve become a habitual thinker. Yuck!! When I couldn’t, or didn’t, easily conjure up the appropriate vision – I stopped trying.

Needless to say I’m on it. I’m going to spend a good portion of my day today visualizing what I decide is best – as opposed to what my habitual brain/mind complex has grown accustomed to seeing (for me).

Dr. Wayne Dyer Video

Carolyn Dean MD ND

Fifty years ago, when people couldn’t sleep they would often resort to alcohol in one form or another to help them relax.

Today, most know alcohol isn’t the answer.

Instead, they go to their doctor and become addicted to sleeping pills.

Did you know that benzodiazepine sleep drugs used to have a label that warned they were only to be taken for two weeks?

Ativan, one of the most common benzos was first approved in 1977. Yet Medscape admits that “The efficacy of lorazepam for long-term use (i.e., longer than 4 months) as an anxiolytic has not been evaluated.”

Come on! They’ve had over three decades to do a long term study.

Do you want to know the reason why they haven’t done a study? They don’t want you to know that Ativan, Xanax, Valium and Librium are highly addictive. I’ve watched patients suffer benzo withdrawal – it’s a nightmare!

There are about 100 drugs approved for insomnia by FDA.

Probably none have been studied for long term effects.

At least with the alcoholic nightcap… people knew what they were taking.

Of course, even better than drugs and alcohol is magnesium. Yes, it’s my solution for everything! But if you’re suffering a deficiency of magnesium you can’t expect your muscles to relax.

That’s why, before any other sleeping remedy (natural or otherwise), I recommend you make sure you’re getting as much magnesium as you need. Don’t assume 500mg is enough. You may need 1000mg!

Either way, try magnesium before anything else.

Carolyn Dean MD ND
The Doctor of the Future

P.S. In Future Health Now! I share 25 other strategies for getting to sleep faster, going deeper and feeling more refreshed in the morning. To join or get more details click on this link…