Re: Working with addictions.(Question)-To Sreve and the rest of you

[Guest guest]

Dear :

Here are some of my thoughts in regard to your excellent questions:

What is an addiction?

For me, an addiction is an uninvestigated belief based upon an

underlying fear, of which we are not yet aware. The underlying fear

is that we could lose something that we believe we are getting from

the addiction (i.e.: uninvestigated belief). So, for me, all

addictions are of the mind, not of the body.

Why are some people addicted and some not?

I believe that the vast majority of us are addicted to believing our

thinking.

Or are we all addicted to something?

I believe that most all of us are addicted.

Are people not loving to themselfs when they are doing the addictive

thing?

No they are not. We are not really loving to ourselves or others when

we are addicted. We are attacking or belittling ourselves and others

by underestimating our and their value.

Should we try to stop?

For me, trying to stop has been hopeless. But, if I notice that I am

not feeling peaceful, I can do The Work on my thoughts and the

addiction will let go of me.

Would it be more honest, true and loving to ourselfs?

I think so!

And please don´t ask me to answer it myself, because I tried it and

it didn´t seem true so all can come up with is lies.

, please do not believe that The Work requires that you always

have to see that the subject is NOT TRUE for The Work to do it's

undoing. don't forget that we have questions 3 & 4.

Is there a truth in this?

Of course, there is Truth in everything that is.

Is there a right and wrong? My story is that it is wrong to be

addictive, at least to certain things.

Which part of God will we classify as bad or wrong?

What does say? What do you say?

I do not know what says but based on what I have experienced

from doing The Work for 6 years I believe that WHAT IS is RIGHT. So,

if one is addicted, then that is RIGHT that they are addicted until

they are not and to believe that they should not be addicted when

they are is RIGHT as well but that may be painful. If it is painful

enough to get us to do The Work, then good, if not, also good.

If what I have said here does not make sense to you, do not let that

concern you. They are simply thoughts.

Love and Light, Steve D.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Hi all,

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Many times I have heard say don't do the Work on an

> > > > addiction

> > > > > > (smoking, drinking, drugs etc.) do the Work on the

thought

> > > which

> > > > just

> > > > > > preceeds the glass of whiskey, the hit of cocaine or the

> > > > cigarette.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > It's that thought which you are trying to shut down with

> the

> > > > alcohol,

> > > > > > cocaine or nicotine.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > So that is why

> > > > > > often says to addicts to do the Work on mother,

> brother

> > > > etc.

> > > > > > because when I undo those stressful thoughts which are

> > causing

> > > my

> > > > > > addiction my addictive behaviour will automatically cease.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > " The only addiction is our addiction to our story (our

> > > > thinking). " BK

> > > > > >

> > > > > > " The only addiction is our thinking. " BK

> > > > >

> > > > > Seeming Contridiction - also says the final addiction

> is

> > the

> > > > > addiction to truth.

> > > > >

> > > > > What you have written about addictions, is exactly as I see

> it,

> > I

> > > > just

> > > > > worded it differently. I am very harsh with myself when I

> > > discover

> > > > > myself doing denial and kidding myself - the good side is

> that

> > it

> > > > > spurs me on - the down side is that I tend to treat others

> just

> > as

> > > > > harshly when I see my denial systems reflected in their

work.

> > > > >

> > > > > I enjoyed reading your clear articulation of what for me is

> a

> > core

> > > > > topic - my addictions are obsessive thinking and lays baked

> > potato

> > > > > chips - I'm up to four bags a day!!!!

> > > > >

> > > > > Blessings - Jan

[Guest guest]

Steve

So, for you, " all addictions are of the mind, not of the body. "

Then how do you account for the severe physiological changes that

occur in withdrawal from an addictive drug or from alcohol. You

analysis is simplistic. What if you took a person severely addicted

to heroin and lobotomized the portion of the brain that thinks.

Would the person still experience physiological withdrawal systems,

even though he could not think? I think so.

whitman

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Hi all,

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Many times I have heard say don't do the Work on

an

> > > > > addiction

> > > > > > > (smoking, drinking, drugs etc.) do the Work on the

> thought

> > > > which

> > > > > just

> > > > > > > preceeds the glass of whiskey, the hit of cocaine or

the

> > > > > cigarette.

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > It's that thought which you are trying to shut down

with

> > the

> > > > > alcohol,

> > > > > > > cocaine or nicotine.

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > So that is why

> > > > > > > often says to addicts to do the Work on mother,

> > brother

> > > > > etc.

> > > > > > > because when I undo those stressful thoughts which are

> > > causing

> > > > my

> > > > > > > addiction my addictive behaviour will automatically

cease.

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > " The only addiction is our addiction to our story (our

> > > > > thinking). " BK

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > " The only addiction is our thinking. " BK

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Seeming Contridiction - also says the final

addiction

> > is

> > > the

> > > > > > addiction to truth.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > What you have written about addictions, is exactly as I

see

> > it,

> > > I

> > > > > just

> > > > > > worded it differently. I am very harsh with myself when

I

> > > > discover

> > > > > > myself doing denial and kidding myself - the good side

is

> > that

> > > it

> > > > > > spurs me on - the down side is that I tend to treat

others

> > just

> > > as

> > > > > > harshly when I see my denial systems reflected in their

> work.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > I enjoyed reading your clear articulation of what for me

is

> > a

> > > core

> > > > > > topic - my addictions are obsessive thinking and lays

baked

> > > potato

> > > > > > chips - I'm up to four bags a day!!!!

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Blessings - Jan

[Guest guest]

Dear Whitman,

You asked: " Would the person still experience physiological

withdrawal systems, even though he could not think? I think so. "

I don't know. I guess I would have to ask that person and I doubt if

they would be in any condition to reply.

Thanks, Steve D.

> > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > Hi all,

> > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > Many times I have heard say don't do the Work

on

> an

> > > > > > addiction

> > > > > > > > (smoking, drinking, drugs etc.) do the Work on the

> > thought

> > > > > which

> > > > > > just

> > > > > > > > preceeds the glass of whiskey, the hit of cocaine or

> the

> > > > > > cigarette.

> > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > It's that thought which you are trying to shut down

> with

> > > the

> > > > > > alcohol,

> > > > > > > > cocaine or nicotine.

> > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > So that is why

> > > > > > > > often says to addicts to do the Work on mother,

> > > brother

> > > > > > etc.

> > > > > > > > because when I undo those stressful thoughts which

are

> > > > causing

> > > > > my

> > > > > > > > addiction my addictive behaviour will automatically

> cease.

> > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > " The only addiction is our addiction to our story

(our

> > > > > > thinking). " BK

> > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > " The only addiction is our thinking. " BK

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Seeming Contridiction - also says the final

> addiction

> > > is

> > > > the

> > > > > > > addiction to truth.

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > What you have written about addictions, is exactly as I

> see

> > > it,

> > > > I

> > > > > > just

> > > > > > > worded it differently. I am very harsh with myself

when

> I

> > > > > discover

> > > > > > > myself doing denial and kidding myself - the good side

> is

> > > that

> > > > it

> > > > > > > spurs me on - the down side is that I tend to treat

> others

> > > just

> > > > as

> > > > > > > harshly when I see my denial systems reflected in their

> > work.

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > I enjoyed reading your clear articulation of what for

me

> is

> > > a

> > > > core

> > > > > > > topic - my addictions are obsessive thinking and lays

> baked

> > > > potato

> > > > > > > chips - I'm up to four bags a day!!!!

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Blessings - Jan

[Guest guest]

> Steve

> So, for you, " all addictions are of the mind, not of the body. "

> Then how do you account for the severe physiological changes that

> occur in withdrawal from an addictive drug or from alcohol. You

> analysis is simplistic. What if you took a person severely

> addicted to heroin and lobotomized the portion of the brain that

> thinks. Would the person still experience physiological withdrawal

> systems, even though he could not think? I think so.

>

Hey Whitman,

My 2 cents worth ....

I don't think that anyone would disagree that that drugs have

physiological effects. Drinking makes you drunk and cocaine will get

you high. Its because they have those very powerful effects that I

try to use them to shut down my painful thoughts. An unfortunate side

effect of using such drugs is that the physiological mechanism is

damaged, so that when they are withdrawn I experience a whole range

of undesireable effects. But that is not considered initially,

because in the beginning getting drunk or getting high does shut down

my painful stories for awhile. When the drug begins to wear off, the

nightmare stories start to play in my head again so I have to get

drunk or high again to ease the pain.

Also I don't think that the physiological pain of withdrawal from

drugs is what keeps me addicted to them. This is a common belief, but

I don't think that it is true. What keeps me addicted to any drug is

that it gives me temporary relief from my painful THINKING. Without

the drugs the THOUGHTS would be so painful that I would have to kill

myself, and for many that is exactly what they do. So when I am faced

with a choice of drugs or death it is easy to see why most prefer

drugs.

Just one final point if drugs really were the cause of addiction,

then everyone who took them would become addicted. The very fact that

only some people become addicted indicates to me that the " real "

cause must be something other than the drugs themselves.

Just some thoughts

Loving what is, Whitman, and that would be you.

Neo

[Guest guest]

Hi Neo--

Got it. thanks!

whitman

> > Steve

> > So, for you, " all addictions are of the mind, not of the body. "

> > Then how do you account for the severe physiological changes

that

> > occur in withdrawal from an addictive drug or from alcohol. You

> > analysis is simplistic. What if you took a person severely

> > addicted to heroin and lobotomized the portion of the brain that

> > thinks. Would the person still experience physiological

withdrawal

> > systems, even though he could not think? I think so.

> >

>

>

> Hey Whitman,

>

> My 2 cents worth ....

>

> I don't think that anyone would disagree that that drugs have

> physiological effects. Drinking makes you drunk and cocaine will

get

> you high. Its because they have those very powerful effects that I

> try to use them to shut down my painful thoughts. An unfortunate

side

> effect of using such drugs is that the physiological mechanism is

> damaged, so that when they are withdrawn I experience a whole

range

> of undesireable effects. But that is not considered initially,

> because in the beginning getting drunk or getting high does shut

down

> my painful stories for awhile. When the drug begins to wear off,

the

> nightmare stories start to play in my head again so I have to get

> drunk or high again to ease the pain.

>

> Also I don't think that the physiological pain of withdrawal from

> drugs is what keeps me addicted to them. This is a common belief,

but

> I don't think that it is true. What keeps me addicted to any drug

is

> that it gives me temporary relief from my painful THINKING.

Without

> the drugs the THOUGHTS would be so painful that I would have to

kill

> myself, and for many that is exactly what they do. So when I am

faced

> with a choice of drugs or death it is easy to see why most prefer

> drugs.

>

> Just one final point if drugs really were the cause of addiction,

> then everyone who took them would become addicted. The very fact

that

> only some people become addicted indicates to me that the " real "

> cause must be something other than the drugs themselves.

>

> Just some thoughts

>

> Loving what is, Whitman, and that would be you.

>

>

> Neo