High While Clean presented by Recovery Ecosystem

Repetitive compulsive behavior’s is our topic today. Some disorders are classified as impulse control disorder while some have their own classification such as eating disorders.

Just so we don’t confuse impulse-control disorders with obsessive compulsive disorders, I want to explain the different definitions.

Impulse-control disorder is unable to resist an impulse that is harmful to the person involved in the behavior or others but started out as pleasurable.

Also, there may be a rising sense of tension or arousal before committing the act, followed by gratification, pleasure, and then guilt over the consequences of the behavior.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is engaging in a repetitive activity not for pleasure but to reduce anxiety caused by obsessive thoughts.

A number of studies have found that sugar affects the brain’s reward system, the same area of the brain implicated in the response to addictive drugs

This reward system helps humans survive.

Food is a natural reward, and sweet foods and drinks stimulate this system, causing you to eat more food.

The most common foods associated with addictive symptoms are those high in added fats or added sugars.

Sugar can also cause the release of endogenous opioids in the brain, which leads to a rush that may cause future cravings.

Eating sugar regularly alters your brain so that it becomes tolerant to it, causing you to require more to get the same effect.

The average American consumes 22–30 teaspoons  of sugar every day. This is considerably more than the recommended maximum, which is 6 teaspoons (about 24 grams) for females and 9 teaspoons (about 36 grams) for males.

Therefore, if your diet is high in added sugar, reducing your added sugar intake can cause withdrawal symptoms.

Chapter 16 of Pain, Failure and Misery are the Stepping Stones to Success. I began all chapters except one with a poem to present the premise of that chapter with creativity. I believe that this is a great intro to Kenneth.

 You have the power to decide your fate.

Time is of the essence, so don’t be late.

Pain is your lesson and is a promise to be,

While misery is a choice, so let yourself free.

 Anger will get you to want to give up.

“I’ll show you I swear” will sadly erupt.

Why would you do this, not sure what you gain?

You’re hurting yourself and causing the pain

 Nixon was the one who declared “war on drugs.”

Is heroin or meth an alive violent thug?

It isn’t the drug that’s the enemy or abuser.

We are at war with our sick and often dying user.

 Think of your thoughts—are they moving you forward,

Or are they creating a world that’s backing you in a corner?

Once I decide that I can’t stay clean,

I am destined to relapse and return to the scene

 Pain is your friend, although it might sound strange.

It gives us a sign when we fall out of range.

How would you know if you stepped on a nail?

Unless pain gave a warning and caused you to wail.

 Emotional pain seems harder to tolerate.

Its hurt and fear that’s so hard to compensate.

Why do we numb those gifts of emotions?

You will lose happiness  in the deepest of oceans.

The next lines are yours, so give this a try:

Just jot down your pain in a song or a rhyme.

Give it a twist with a positive spin.

We are trying to turn your pain to a win.

Your message today, I believe can inspire and give hope to those that may feel lost. I want to begin with your pain, before we set the stage for your success.

Is it healthy to not allow our young children to experience pain as we hear stories of eliminating speech classes so they don’t feel too much anxiety?

 Maybe, as I am fighting to open up discussion about things that aren’t comfortable talking about with my listeners or at high schools such as substance abuse, sex, or suicide awareness.

 Do we wait for our kids to experience these when they turn 18 and not have their parents to help them understand work through their stress?

 They go to college and have drugs put in their face and told how cool they are? This is precisely where the story of Buddhism started and it was with a loss of innocence.

 A young who had been raised in a life of royal ease, shielded from the misery and cruelties of the world outside the palace gates, distracted by sensual pleasures and luxurious living. But one day he saw the real world and it shook him to the core.

 He saw people suffering from sickness, old age and death; and was disturbed that this was our fate. He came across a holy man, and discarded his family, fortune and kingdom in pursuit of the path of liberation.

 The major question that he sought to answer was: "How may suffering be ended?"
He wandered, meditated, studied with various teachers, and attained high states of consciousness; but he did not find the answer to his question.

 He tried everything he could think of, almost to the point of death by starvation, and nothing. He finally sat under a bodhi tree, and eventually attained enlightenment; he became the Buddha -- the Awakened One.

 He had ascended through various stages of meditative awareness, he had seen all of his past lives, and he had seen directly into reality, into the nature of existence and the causes of suffering and rebirth.

 He pondered whether to try to teach these insights, so subtle and difficult to grasp to others.

 Finally he decided that at least some of the people would be able to understand; perhaps more importantly, they could be shown the path to arrive at these insights themselves. He gave his first sermon to a few disciples and then continued to wander and teach for the next forty-five years, until his death at the age of eighty.

Stay tuned as my guest today is going to bring the east to the west and we are going to learn how “Perspective” leads to inner peace, contentment, and fulfillment.

 Maybe, learn how to eliminate suffering and find a cure for the pain of human existence as this was Buddhas main concern.

What does it mean to be your truly authentic self? Humanistic psychologists would say that by definition, authentic people possess a number of common characteristics that show they are psychologically mature and fully functioning as human beings. They... 1. Have realistic perceptions of reality. 2. Are accepting of themselves and of other people. 3. Are thoughtful. 4. Have a non-hostile sense of humor. 5. Are able to express their emotions freely and clearly. 6. Are open to learning from their mistakes. 7. Understand their motivations. If behind what a person says and does is a defensive and self-deceptive approach to life, then no matter how passionate and committed they are to a cause, ultimately they are not being true to themselves. Authenticity is ultimately about those qualities that show healthy non-defensive functioning and psychological maturity. Those are the qualities we need to look for. When you commit to being your authentic self, you start to learn what truly makes you happy. Fidelity is characterized by the ability to commit to others and acceptance of others even with differences. Identity crisis is the result of role confusion and can cause the adolescent to try out different lifestyles.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote “Music is the universal language of mankind.” Music certainly isn’t a universal language in the sense that you could use it to express any thought to any person on the planet. But music does have the power to evoke deep primal feelings at the core of the shared human experience. It not only crosses cultures, it also reaches deep into our evolutionary past. And it that sense, music truly is a universal language. Primal feelings come from the same part of our brain we were manipulating to get high. The mid-brain. The limbic system is heavily ivolved in those emotions while the nucleus accumbens is known as the pleasure center. Both in the old part or primitive part of our brain. Either way, music can assist us in getting high. Clinton Calton saved his soul through Rock N Roll.

Theories on the reasons why people choose to do drugs is vast as the medical field may define it as a reward deficiency syndrome as this can be related to self-medicating. Some use as they live in loneliness or a world where they don’t feel wanted, nurtured, or even belong to their family, society, and even this world. According to Aristotle, human beings are “social animals” and therefore naturally seek the companionship of others as part of their well being. Physical contact distinguishes humans from other animals. From a handshake, a hug or a pat on the back, we have developed emotional expression through physical contact. What about the internet and this world where human touch is in danger of becoming rare, if not obsolete. As Covid-19 has been taking the lives of people close to us, we have been required to separate from everyone. When someone dies in the hospital, they are alone and unable to have any physical contact or comfort as they pass away.