How Do Taoists Cure Addiction?

[Stigweard]

[RiverSnake]

I have personally found that most problems arise from a contracted and distorted awareness which at its root is some kind of fear.

 

-During addiction all ones thoughts are bent on achieving a single thing. This is why drug addicts will betray everyone they know for their next fix.

 

-I suppose the simplest solution is to raise ones awareness above the problem so you can see how futile your grasping is, however it is easier said than done, especially under such circumstances.

[Pietro]

[Marblehead]

[Trunk]

So addiction, or insatiable desire, ..

Tough one.

I'd bet there's related Chinese medical research.

 

p.s.

So addiction, or insatiable desire, comes from an inner lack or vacancy and we are using the particular object of the addiction to try and fill that inner void.

I would bet that it is caused by not only deficiency, but deficiency + stagnation (blockage).

 

If someone is deficient and their channels are open then it's relatively straightfwd to refill. But if there is def plus blockage then the pathway/s for refilling are blocked and it's more dire. The desire (lack) can't be fulfilled.

 

Just riffin'. I'm not an expert on addiction, and I'd bet it's complex.

[Sloppy Zhang]

In my rather limited experience, it has a lot to do with triggers and associations.

 

A certain thing, or a certain behavior, is associated with a particular action or mental state. Let's say each time you feel lonely, you look out the window, and each time you do that, you munch on something. It's simplistic, but you can extrapolate it out to however far you want. In extreme cases, even thought patterns which leave you at window, like, the fire alarm goes off, and you think, "wow, in case of a fire, what if I couldn't get through the door? I could always go out the window... hmm, window, I'm kind of hungry."

 

So that leads into addictions to food and overeating.

 

Part of the "taoist" cure (which I guess could apply to anyone, even non-taoists) would be 1) becoming aware of such associations, becoming aware of the "triggers", and 2) letting those things go, breaking up those associations.

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

[onelove]

[fizix]

I was heavily addicted to heroin for 3 years, my ideal fix being a cocktail 'speedball' of heroin and cocaine mixed together into a single shot; that 6-12 second rush of pure orgasmic bliss is infinitely more pleasurable than any possible conceivable vice, and is responsible for the ruined lives of millions. The pure hell of addiction can never been properly understood by non-addicts who so often write it off as merely a lack of willpower... yet in reality there are so many complex underlying causes and factors, has so many levels and degrees, and does not discriminate; anyone can be prone to addiction, from housewives to businessmen, regardless of age, race, religion, etc. An addict does things to get his fix that he would swear he would never do... but once the unimaginable pain of withdrawal kicks in, no man can easily resist the urge to take away the worst pain possible.... that of intense withdrawal. Heroin addiction is on another plane than than that of 'overeating' or 'nicotine', and it is foolish to group all subjects together and assume that there is a 'one size fits all' cure. I do not believe that true addiction can be cured, it can only be treated and held at bay... as for personal accounts of miraculous cures of addiction...well that person was probably never a true addict in the first place.

 

For anyone struggling with addiction, I'd recommend checking out the work done by Jost Sauer (http://www.jostsauer.com) who advocates chi kung, traditional chinese medicine, and physical fitness as a primary means of overcoming addiction, and explains the spiritual and energetic nature of addiction and particular drugs. I've read two of his books (Higher and Higher and Drug Repair that Works) and they offer many valuable insights surrounding the nature of addiction.

 

12 step programs are also a powerful means of help, provided that one actually dedicatedly works the program, gets a sponsor, goes to meetings. I've been going to Narcotics and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for years and value them highly... it saddens me when I see, especially on these forums, people who know nothing about the program who disparage it as a religious conversion operation... it is a spiritual, not religious program, and has saved countless lives. Addiction is a SPIRITUAL disease; one must first heal the spirit before a full healing of the body and mind can be possible. Ego is the root of addiction; selfishness over selflessness, yet overall it is so infinitely more complex than words could possibly describe... the physical and chemical dependency of the brain convinced that it needs the substance to survive... the 'auto-pilot' like compulsion of having no control despite disastrous consequences... lying, stealing to get a fix... the unfathomable living hell of heroin withdrawal is the most horribly painful experience I've ever endured, and I must remember it was self-afflicted, yet it never seems so... it is almost as if one is locked in the steel grips of demonic possession during the hideous cycle of addiction.

 

"“What do we lose from within ourselves to create this sense of lack?”

Addiction is not always about filling a void, though that is most often the case. Sometimes someone gets addicted to say, heroin, 'merely' for the sole reason of it inducing such intense euphoria...such unparalleled pleasure, that the root of the addiction is just the literal karmic chemical dependency and desire to feel like god (which heroin does a very good job of). But yes, most often addicts self-medicate with their substance of choice to mask deep seated emotional trauma and other issues.

 

“What can we do about it from a Taoist perspective?”

Meditate. Heal the energy body, open the heart. Realize that the object of one's desire is ultimately an illusion and a major obstacle along the Way, the Path, the Tao.

 

A consistent regiment of stillness meditation and physical fitness is the forefront and staple of my recovery, and what I believe to be the most successful techniques of fighting addiction. Yet the addict must understand that it is not the drug or drink he is fighting, it is himself, his shadow, his karma that must be inevitably faced and burned if he ever hopes to reach redemption and salvation. To keep my addiction at bay I am constantly improving myself; physically, mentally and spiritually... and that is what one must do, for when an addict gets complacent, it is only a matter of time before the beast comes calling... one must grow or crumble.

Edited March 2, 2011 by fizix

[dawei]

nice topic Stig.

 

My first thoughts were: which organ is affected, but upon reflect 'desire' is not attached to any one organ from what I can tell. Which may make sense since it probably interferes with all of them on some level.

 

But from the standpoint of which one's to shore-up, my thoughts went to the heart (commands 'order') and the kidneys (commands 'willpower'). But I don't think it's that easy. The liver is the origin of courage and resoluteness and the 'Hun' facilitates this.

 

As I looked deeper, I found an article on specific drugs and specific organs. But I think that a solid focus on improving the congenital emotions associated to the organs is a worthwhile practice.

 

From drugs & destruction to Health, Happiness and Wisdom

[Stigweard]

[Mal]

follow the example Liu Ch'ang from seven taoist masters?

 

Liu Ch'ang was unable to free himself of sexual desire. He dreamt of going to visit the Palace of the Empress of Heaven, yet unable to control his desire, he steals a glance of the court ladies out of the corner of his eye and therefore shows his unworthiness. To overcome this, he takes an unorthodox approach and lives in a brothel until he can control his desires and master himself.

[Marblehead]

Part of the "taoist" cure (which I guess could apply to anyone, even non-taoists) would be 1) becoming aware of such associations, becoming aware of the "triggers", and 2) letting those things go, breaking up those associations.

 

I am going to keep that in mind the next time I try to stop smoking. Thanks.

[Stigweard]

follow the example Liu Ch'ang from seven taoist masters?

 

Liu Ch'ang was unable to free himself of sexual desire. He dreamt of going to visit the Palace of the Empress of Heaven, yet unable to control his desire, he steals a glance of the court ladies out of the corner of his eye and therefore shows his unworthiness. To overcome this, he takes an unorthodox approach and lives in a brothel until he can control his desires and master himself.

LOL ... I remember a story I heard from an aboriginal man. He said that if a fella kept chasing other men's women then all the tribesmen would grab him and take him out into the bush. There they would force him face first between an attractive woman's legs. If he got an erection they would snap his neck there and then.

 

O.o

[C T]

Quite often, striving to do all one can to overcome addiction, leading to a perceived freedom from a hellish addiction, could also branch off to another form of addiction. Simply put, the elation of becoming free, or the taste of being 'clean', can also be an addiction. The bliss and ecstasy of thinking one has finally succeeded in tackling what one thinks is a harmful form of abuse could potentially sow the seeds of becoming a different sort of abuser.

Edited March 3, 2011 by CowTao

[Mal]

LOL ... I remember a story I heard from an aboriginal man.

 

Bet they snapped a lot of necks so lucky that Liu Ch'ang wasn't doing that.

[Marblehead]

Quite often, striving to do all one can to overcome addiction, leading to a perceived freedom from a hellish addiction, could also branch off to another form of addiction. Simply put, the elation of becoming free, or the taste of being 'clean', can also be an addiction. The bliss and ecstasy of thinking one has finally succeeded in tackling what one thinks is a harmful form of abuse could potentially sow the seeds of becoming a different sort of abuser.

 

Exactly. And that is what I am trying to avoid. My smoking is the worst addiction I have. I don't want to replace it with something worse.

[C T]

Exactly. And that is what I am trying to avoid. My smoking is the worst addiction I have. I don't want to replace it with something worse.

 

If you cannot avoid smoking, at least smoke mindfully. I have a number of Buddhist friends who smoke. They do so just to enjoy the harm it brings !! (kidding eh?) These same folks can just as easily not smoke, for days, weeks or months, if necessary. For example, when they go into solitary retreats, smoking is abandoned. During fasting times, smoking is abandoned, and so on.

 

Addiction is an attachment - wanting to be free of it can also be another attachment. Hence the Buddha encouraged investigation into who is this person, this I, who is prone to life's attachments and aversions?

 

He said to be mindful of one's thoughts, speech and actions, as a basis of one's practice. Over time, and many hours of contemplation, this culminates in mindfulness of mindfulness itself. At that point, one will realize there is no prison, no prisoner, no freedom, no bondage.

 

Enjoy your smoke, MH!

[Marblehead]

 

Enjoy your smoke, MH!

 

Thanks for the encouragement and warnings. I ahve at least cut back in the evening in that I do not smoke after supper.

 

You remember -jk- ? He sent me some quit smoking stuff way back when and I still haven't looked at it as I want to wait until I am absolutely sure I am ready to quit.

 

Yes, mindfulness and awareness. My body is smoking. I really doubt that my spirit needs any of the trash generated by smoking. Hang in there spirit! Hehehe.

[onelove]

Addiction is a SPIRITUAL disease; one must first heal the spirit before a full healing of the body and mind can be possible. Ego is the root of addiction; selfishness over selflessness, yet overall it is so infinitely more complex than words could possibly describe...

 

Thank You for the incredibly honest and insightful post

[Ya Mu]

Only High Level medicine will address this situation. A person has to first want to get better.

My attitude, derived from many years in clinic is "Nope, I don't believe a freakin word of it, cut the bullshit - but if you really decide you want my help I will try."

Alcohol and drug addiction is treatable with Taoist medicine. Wrong. The true person inside - the Spirit - is treatable with Taoist medicine.

Physically one thing that happens is serotonin depletion. Nerve synapses firing with no buffer. We can to a certain extent balance this.

A highly nutritional diet, a specialized qigong/neigong program, and a specialized physical exercise program alongside Taoist medicine are things that can help. In the end it is up to the person.

 

You were probably looking for a different answer but I can only respond with what I know.

[Encephalon]

Great stuff in here, esp. by Fizix. All I could add is that addiction is a disease of self-hatred. I always thought this was true, at least in my own case, but when I read this line in "One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps" by Kevin Griffin, I knew that this truth was applicable beyond my own experience.

I'm definitely with fizix and yamu here; physical fitness, clean diet and nei kung were essential for me. I'm grateful to Dan Reid for explaining why nei kung cuts the stress and in turn dissolves destructive emotions. I still rely on the Buddhist 12-Step literature because of its explanatory power - I'm too ignorant of the finer points of taoist psychology - but I really needed the nei kung to get over my self-loathing. I'm still not up to speed on exactly why it works, but I 'd guess that it's related to a healthier endocrine system and fewer stress hormones coursing through the bloodstream.

[suninmyeyes]

[Encephalon]

Some of you who've seen Zeitgeist: Moving Forward will recognize this guy, and may even catch the Buddhist title of his book -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ-FAX4Pz8I&feature=related

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

Great stuff in here, esp. by Fizix. All I could add is that addiction is a disease of self-hatred. I always thought this was true, at least in my own case, but when I read this line in "One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps" by Kevin Griffin, I knew that this truth was applicable beyond my own experience.

I'm definitely with fizix and yamu here; physical fitness, clean diet and nei kung were essential for me. I'm grateful to Dan Reid for explaining why nei kung cuts the stress and in turn dissolves destructive emotions. I still rely on the Buddhist 12-Step literature because of its explanatory power - I'm too ignorant of the finer points of taoist psychology - but I really needed the nei kung to get over my self-loathing. I'm still not up to speed on exactly why it works, but I 'd guess that it's related to a healthier endocrine system and fewer stress hormones coursing through the bloodstream.

I'm not sure I agree with you totally about addiction being the "disease of self-hatred". I have to think about that. I'm not sure about the disease part, either. In any event, it seems to be about self-destruction, which can be related to, but is not the same as, self-hatred.