Addictions and the Five Elements

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In 2006 I was asked to write and present this article for British Columbia Acupressure Therapist Association. I've witnessed and been touched by the many tragic faces of addiction throughout my life. So much of the information in this article came from a variety of sources gathered since my journey began many years ago and can no longer be traced. I hope my work and gratitude will be seen through these words and it will be of service to the many who suffer silently with this fatal illness. I've also includes some of the protocols other practitioners have often asked me for over the years.

Blessings to all my fellow followers of this transformative, compassionate and healing path. ~ Namaste

Five Element Perspective on Addictions

The tragedy of life is not that we die, the tragedy of life is what dies inside while we live

Albert Schweitzer

Addiction is an illness that affects every aspect of the body, mind and spirit

The Process of Addiction.

Three part process:

1) Addiction is a progressive illness.

2) Addiction in itself is a relationship.

3) The addictive process alters the person’s personality.

What is addiction?

Addiction is a pathological love and trust relationship with an object or event. Addicts try to get emotional and intimacy needs met through a relationship with an object or event.

The 4 Natural Forms of Relationships.

1) Relationships with family and friends.

2) Intimate caring relationship with oneself.

3) Meaningful spiritual relationship

4) Relationship with the community around us.

These 4 natural forms of relationship are not always reliable or predictable creating less of a sense of control. They are built around negotiation, addiction is built on manipulation. Often addicts get intensity and intimacy mixed up. Therefore the challenge of recovery from addiction is to develop and grow in these natural relationships.

Stages of Addiction

Stage One: The symptoms of addiction.

The Internal Change

The person experiences mood changes. Addicts seek relief from problems by turning to the object of their addiction. This seeking out relief is actual an act of betrayal toward the authentic self. They are guaranteed to experience pleasure or at least relief from the negative or intensity of feelings going on inside. Therefore, a relationship with the object or event is formed and an initial split of the self begins.

Spiritual principles and values begin to erode. One side wants to believe in the 4 natural forms of relationship, while the developing addict doesn’t believe or trust in them. With each act of self betrayal, self respect and self confidence start to diminish.

The Isolation Process

The source of their emotional stability is also the source of their unmanageability. As the addict within becomes stronger, winning more internal battles with the authentic self, addicts start to struggle with narcissism. They feel different when they are in their addictive side - more in control. There is more internal ease when they are alone with their addiction.

The Addictive Ritual

The authentic self starts to fight with the addict self for control. The addictive personality will keep developing until over time and many internal battles are fought, it finally becomes dominate or the primary personality. Then this dominate personality begins to interact with the outside world. Over time the authentic self becomes so weak that it depends on the addictive personality as much as the object of their addiction.

Stage 2: The signs of Addiction

Lifestyle Changes

As the inner addict becomes more powerful eventual they control 51% of the self. The authentic self no longer is able to make decisions about their behavior; they begin to make excuses instead. While on the inside they’re internal anguish is growing; “Why do I feel this bad” “Why am I not able to stop” “Why, Why, Why”. Why becomes a constant question with no answers. Spiritual and emotional development stops and the start of people problems begin.

Rituals

Rituals have a stabilizing effect that binds us to a belief system. Rituals take us to another level of consciousness. Healthy rituals lead us to people for help, companionship, or to be of service. It has a giving and accepting quality. Reverse rituals (addictive rituals) leads the addict away from cultivating healthy rituals that include people and more into loneliness. This feeling of utter loneliness is one of the first symptoms addicts will notice. Persons take on a “victim” attitude to life as they actually are being victimized by the addictive process.

Life breakdown Stage

Addicts experience internal pain and deep depression. As humans we can only take so much pain. The internal addict does not respect humanity. It wants total control. Addicts feel out of control with these hyper toxic feelings, huge rage, deep despair and paralyzing terror at the loss of their entire lives and the damage they are doing to those they love. Their thinking patterns break down to a point they can’t tell what is reality anymore. Many addicts are in danger of suicide at this stage. Suicide for many addicts is actually an act of homicide by the authentic self against the addict. Addicts hate the addict that lives inside them.

Intervention

Addiction will strip all it can away from anyone. It can leave the person totally alone with no spiritual or emotional reserves. Recovery allows the person to take the oppressive nature of addiction and turn it into a healing energy. Depression is quite often the reason addicts seek help with mental health or alcohol and drug services.

Addiction vs. Personal Needs

Addiction is so powerful an addict will give up their life eventually to feed their addiction. Addiction doesn’t care about human life; it becomes a parasite that will continue to feed off its host until insanity or death.

A Valuable point of view

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

This theory was created by Abraham Maslow; a psychotherapist in the 1930’s who believed human beings had generally 5 basic levels of needs. If one level was not reached then they didn’t move up to the next level until it was. An addict will begin to erode these needs slowly. As their illness progresses, so does the erosion of these needs.

The physiological needs – these include oxygen, water, food, shelter or temperature need. These also include the need to avoid pain, sleep, be active or have sex.

	Were there times in active addiction that you gave up food, sleep, shelter to get your drug of choice?
	Did you experience pain from using while in active addiction, yet went ahead and used anyway?

The safety and security needs. When the physiological needs are largely taken care of, then safety, stability, and protection become important.

	Where there times when you put your personally safety or that of your family aside to get your drug of choice?
	Where there other times you experienced fear for your safety while in active addiction?

The love and belonging needs. When the first two levels are met, the need for friends, family, children, and a sense of belonging to a community becomes important.

	Did you loose your children or family during your active addiction?
	Were there times when being around people caused such anxiety that you felt the need to escape to your drug of choice?
	Were there times you engaged in activities that you didn’t believe in just to belong?

The esteem needs – Maslow noticed there were two versions; a lower one and a higher one. The lower one included respect of others, need for achievement, recognition, attention, dignity, even dominance. The higher one included self-respect, independence and freedom.

	Were there times in your active addiction that you ashamed about the activities you were engaged with to get your drug of choice?
	Were people and family members loosing respect for you because of your drug abuse?
	Did you notice the people you associated with getting more dangerous or abusive as your addiction progressed?

Self-actualization - this level is a bit different; there is the growth motivation or will to become. This stage is noticing their journey, personal autonomy and desire to following the natural flows of life and rather than “fitting in” the blind following of the masses. They have a different way to relate to others. They enjoy solitude and personal connections with a few close friends and family members rather than shallow relations with many. They can joke at their own expense rather than others. There is a deep acceptance of themselves and others so they enjoy spontaneity, simplicity, and respect with life and others. There is a deep sense of humility of being part of infinity rather self absorbed. They quite often have had “mystical experiences” that leave a mark on them and change them for the better. Self-actualization doesn’t mean enlightenment. They still have moments of anxiety, guilt, and coldness to life – they’re simply more comfortable flowing with it allowing their natural values to flow from their personality.

	Have you ever had insight to the idea that you could be doing something that has more meaning in your life?
	Does the idea of cultivating spiritual principles appeal to you?
	What are you inner values today The journey back to the authentic self "Nothing grows in an atmosphere of suspicion." ~ CM Harm reduction is always a good place to begin. Despair and anguish are debilitating feelings to live with, so shaming, blaming, and anger have never been that successful for recovery. Echoing Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, creating a safe, stable and supportive environment for those who are truly working to recover will reap many positive results. If someone is not serious of recovering, then there isn't much one can do. One has to want, work, and create a new way of life. Gabor Mate's book: *In the Realm of the Hungry Ghost* is an intimidate look into the magnitude of this recovery process as well as how difficult the journey back can be. Also, how the nature of addiction affects so many of us in so many ways to many degrees of loneliness, isolation and despair. Addiction is an illness that will eventually destroy every aspect of the body, mind and spirit. As one addicts stated “I already committed suicide mentally, spiritually and emotionally, I only had one to go.” The hope within it is that it’s also one of the only illness you can put back to sleep. There are generally always secrets of abuse, grief, loss, betrayal or self inflected violence. Addicts in the terminal stages, use mostly to escape the pain. It’s important to remember that there is a genuine desire to recover from the pain and anguish of their using, however the price is facing the terror of their past which is why they used drugs in the first place. I encourage them to seek outside help first. Mental health, 12 step programs, ARS, counseling etc. If they are still struggling with staying clean hour to hour, finding safe housing, and regular meals, JSD is of little use at this stage. They need their survival and safety needs met first. They are usually refereed to me entering into second stage recovery. In my research, I noticed a connection between Maslow’s theory, Jin Shin Do and the desire for their personal internal recovery. When the safety and survival levels are met, the questions and desire to reconnect with loved ones; family and community begins. 12 step programs are a wonderful entry point to develop a sense of belonging and to awaken their spiritual connections for many, sometimes for the first time in their lives. Maslow’s pyramid for many recovering addicts made perfect sense. It also gave them a goal to shoot for. They begin to ask questions about self care. With this visual focal point in place, the belief system of Jin Shin Do begins to makes more sense. The subtle changes gently begin to take place; any changes for addicts can evoke feelings of terror. Change is usually associated with great trauma or loss. The visual flows of how the natural world changes often give a sense of possibility for changes within them. The Bladder meridian is always armored. I usually start the first session with a Yang Bridge, adding various shu points depending on the areas of pain. In about 80% of the new clients, lung and pericardium shu points needed releasing while Kidney shu points need tonifying. I like to work laterally away from the center line to the outer line. If you can get an addict to come regularly, the GB, and fire element are the next stages to address. Addicts have “pit bull syndrome” will do anything to gain further insight to their recovery. Universally they experience periods of depression. Never rule out the possibility of suicide. Medical intervention may be needed with sessions for the time being. For many addicts with some time in recovery, suicide becomes more of an option than getting loaded. I love Iona’s depression release on pg. 23-26 in JSD book 3. Jin Shin Do Release Patterns Brent’s Release Peace within, hopeful beyond JSD 22 w JSD 1 hold quite a while both sides. Releases exterior conditions, brightens eyes JSD 31 w JSD 18 relationships, spirit energy, releases back points JSD 17 releases anger, opens kindness & soul energy JSD 9 w K shu (B 23) aids sleep, adrenals; tonifying kidney qi, strengthens the brain, brightens the eyes K 1 calms the spirit K 7 strengthens the back, tonifies the kidneys, regulates the bladder. K 3 w JSD 16 lower back, adrenals, reserve energy, enriches Yin, (S) B 42 (Animal soul door) associated passion, instinct, spiritual soul B 47 (Spiritual soul gate) intuition, imagination, higher consciousness. JSD 12 w SI 3 releases back points, fright, insomnia, calms the spirit, calms the spirit, and clears the brain. Palm D w F (GV 5 Suspended Axis) regulates spleen qi, lower back, nourishes yin and blood Palm C w (GV 9 Supreme Yang) 17 area harmonizes middle burner, disperses Yang chi Palm B w (GV 11 Spirit’s Path) 18 area place of worship where spirit resides, regulates heart Neck and shoulder release Obsession Release It won’t always stay this way… JSD 22 w JSD 1 BL 15 w H 7 calms spirit, sleep aid, calms mind, depression CV14 H alarm pt, calms heart, diaphragm, P 7 regulates heart, calms spirit, regulates stomach. P 6 Calms spirit, tonifies the heart, clears the brain, benefits diaphragm Bl 20 tonifies nutritive Qi, regulates stomach and middle burner Bl 21 redirects rebellious Qi downward St36 tonifies lungs, kidneys, regulates stomach and middle burner Bl 15 w H 2 spiritual renewal, relaxes chest, regulates upper burner, calms spirit H 5 calms spirit, insanity, tonifies heart (lo) H 7 tonifies heart, (S) Bl 17 w CV 14 calms spirit, regulates heart, benefits diaphragm ( palm these points) Neck and shoulder release Couch Commando Release Cultivate attachment to spirit within, respect for others without JSD 22 w JSD 1 releases external conditions opens & brightens eyes, clears heart. TW 16 warmth, security, and comfort in relationships (Add points from facial patterns as indicated) JSD 20 w JSD 14 relaxes lower back, neck, shoulders, detoxing, control, adrenal burnout. JSD 19 shoulder, arm, nervous tension, resistance JSD 33 redirects rebellious Qi downward JSD 27 quiets the spirit, clears the brain, redirects rebellious Qi downward. JSD 5 w JSD 17 regulates liver qi, aid to hopelessness, calms the spirit, diaphragm, heart Lv 2 calming to spirit, subdues liver yang JSD 11 disperses Lv & GB 4 Gates points JSD 35 w JSD 42 aids in motivation, brings chi out of head, harmony with heaven and earth JSD 25 w JSD 40 resistance, personal truth, flexibility, deals with internal concerns JSD 34 w JSD 32 stand your ground, expression of personal spirit, motivation. Extended neck shoulder release depending on points that are still tense and sore.

Jeannie is a Registered Acupressure Therapist, Teacher, and member of good standing with the BC Acupressure Therapist Association. She is also a First Aid/CPR Instructor & BCRPA Fitness Leader of Aquatics, Third Age, Adaptive, and Belly Dance. She has over thirty four years of teaching a variety of groups and topics. She brings a empowering, gentle, light-hearted, and humorous approach to her classes and clients.

contact: Jeannie Schweitzer
250-285-3505
Email jeannie@gicable.com

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