Monday, September 8, 2014

Dropping The Solution

I saw someone recently who struggled with an addiction problem.  They told me, " I went to recovery meetings, did what was suggested and now I feel better, so I don't feel a need to go anymore."  I thought about that decision in terms of my own life and solutions I have found to discomfort.  If I eat today and feel better, do I not eat tomorrow?  No, rather I have learned that it is good for me to eat every few hours, certain foods, so that I continue to feel better.  If I pray today and feel better for it, do I skip prayer tomorrow?  Do I wait until I feel miserable, barely able to cope, before I pray again? NO, unless I am insane or like feeling miserable.  I find that if I exercise today, but then skip it for a week, exercise will feel strange and be difficult.  So I exercise a couple of times a week, i.e. regular intervals.  I think if you are acting insanely, or with much disfunction, and then find a solution, why would you give up the solution when you feel better?  Maybe some insanity it never really cured, but only placed into remission?  Any insane people out there want to comment?

5 comments:

  1. Insanity is always one thought away. You are only a runner on the day you run.

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  2. Above comment:
    So very true!

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  3. I once read a Neuroscientist say that we're marionettes to our biochemistry. We can grab a few of the strings by putting ourselves in good situations, but we're never really in control. If we can't hold all the strings all the time, we need trustworthy structures to hold them, whether it's friends, family, church, or rules of thumb. We can't blame others or ourselves if the strings get pulled the wrong way--but we need to do everything we can to not be in that position. Once you get control of one string, it's easier to get a second(etc). It sounds like mere semantics to "control oneself" vs "control the strings that control oneself". But I think it's critical, and it's what the neuroscience apparently seems to support.

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  4. Your "cured" friend does not yet fully understand the Primary Purpose - they only sorta got half of it!

    How did the recovery group meetings help in the first place?

    From others sharing THEIR experiences, and offering Hope! This person is still a self-centered "taker", and does not understand selfless serving, in the sense of "Pay it forward".

    If everyone who felt better from recovery groups quit coming, because they felt better, then there would be no Hope for those who don't feel so good.

    Over my 30 years of Experience, I have seen many of this attitude "slip" into Relapse, perhaps never again to find the Path to Recovery, only to die in Misery.

    "Selfishness, self-centeredness! That we believe is the root of our troubles."

    "The gate is narrow, and the Way is difficult."

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