Why Do We Use & Abuse Substances?
I had quite an eye-opening weekend...it was the first time being around larger groups of people in a long time, and perhaps that allowed me to be even more observant of our collective behavior. People are so beautifully multi-faceted and complex... and each one of us has a shadow self that yearns to be addressed, integrated, and released in cycles.
With all of the festivities going on, it became apparent just how dependent so much of our society is on substances - whether it be alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, psychedelics....you name it. I find that those of us who go the most overboard with substances are those of us who have yet to truly face our shadow selves. I know from experience. Five years ago I might have been the type of girl to get incoherently drunk, or trip for days at a time just to escape the reality of who I was (am).
Now that I'm in my mid-twenties, I've come to understand substances as pacifiers - ways in which to forget about and suppress our subconscious wounds... too afraid to look directly at ourselves and who we've become.
Each substance carries its own kind of entity that we connect with when ingested. On special occasions, the entity can be healing (herbal medicines like psychedelics come to mind when used for upgrading)...but as I get older, I find that substances more often connect us with unacknowledged darkness. We can all picture what a person starts to look like after abusing meth, for example, right? It's like the person takes on the entity of meth, losing their authenticity and becoming a host to a darker force (almost parasitic). That's an extreme example, but you catch my drift.
Side note on psychedelics: I truly believe that medicines like LSD, Mushrooms, Ayahuasca, Peyote, etc. can have a transformative healing effect. I have had some of the most profound experiences of my life (particularly with LSD) that have changed me for the better as a human being and connected me more deeply to the Earth and the Universe. In fact, I think that if everyone took psychedelics just once in their lives, our world would be a better place. It’s like the 4th wall of reality drops, and you can see the world in a more authentic and loving way. That being said, I have gone overboard with psychedelics as well. I had moments, particularly in college, when I would take LSD back to back for days on end…no bueno. When psychedelics aren’t used intentionally and for the sake of healing and growth…using them can do more harm than good. I have developed a deep sense of respect for plant medicines and use them only on special occasions now with very clear intentions.
Let’s turn our attention to addiction while we’re here, because so many of us can find ourselves addicted to substances like alcohol and even marijuana along the way (sometimes without even realizing it). Even though weed is not known to be addictive, I absolutely went through a few years when I had to smoke at least three times a day to function…so, yeah I do think it can be addictive.
Addiction goes way beyond a lack of willpower. It comes down to neuroscience and understanding how we create new neural pathways.
“As individuals continue with addictive habits or substances, the brain adapts. It tries to reestablish a balance between the dopamine surges and normal levels of the substance in the brain. To do this, neurons begin to produce less dopamine or simply reduce the number of dopamine receptors. The result is that the individual needs to continue to use drugs, or practice a particular behavior, to bring dopamine levels back to ‘normal.’ Individuals may also need to take greater amounts of drugs to achieve a high; this is called tolerance.” - Dr. Hitoshi Morikawa, an associate professor of neuroscience at the University of Texas at Austin
With this understanding of neural pathways, we can rewire our minds to release harmful addictions….creating new circuits to include higher vibrational thoughts and ways of being. When we meditate, we engage with our subconscious in the theta state. In this state, we can discover the root cause of our want/need for harmful substances and work through those underlying issues that drive us to use them in the first place. Furthermore, meditation lowers cortisol levels, enhances our immune system (allowing us to get rid of toxins), and alters our mood in a positive way.
Dedicating myself to a daily meditation/mindfulness practice has saved my life and preserved my joy. It's connected me to a unified grid of consciousness and reminded me that we all just want to be loved....that we are all worthy of love. Sitting in daily self-observation has helped me to remember that we always have a choice and that we are actively creating our reality in direct correlation to our vibration.
I just want to remind you today that no matter what you've been through, you are whole, worthy, and enough exactly as you are. I know it can be easier to pacify ourselves and push away the parts of us that scare us the most - but that is exactly where the healing is. You have the Universe in your cells, and all of the power in the world to heal yourself with simply your breath and your thoughts.
If you find yourself often overindulging, can you ask yourself why? What is the root cause of that desire to forget or to 'black out'? Be gentle with yourself, forgive yourself, and dive deep. Perhaps you are already there, doing that inner work! Or perhaps you are reminded of a buddy who may need your help.
Sending you all so much love and healing.
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