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I’ve tried to recover from addictions in the past but found it really
hard. What can I do?
By Jan Mitchell of Expanding Minds Neuro Science has shown us
that the solution to recovering from addictions is to make unconscious
changes that affect your inner and outer experiences in a positive and
healthy way, bringing you clarity and feelings of wholeness. Healing
addictions is a multi-pronged process that requires several types of
support: AA and NA programs or an addiction counselor; plus a counselor who
will guide you to make unconscious changes.
Most people require changes on several neurological levels to recover from
addictions so the changes automatically happen: (a) on the environmental
level to change the places, people, time and circumstances that encouraged
old habits and integrate options to live a healthier lifestyle;
(b) on the behavioural level you need to learn new ways to deal with
addictions, and reprogram negative behaviours with techniques that make
addictions repulsive to you. You need to replace them with new, positive
behaviours and empowering choices; (c) on the capability level to learn to
trust your ability to overcome addictions and stay clean;
(d) on your beliefs and values level, to believe that you are a person who
is clean and that being clean supports your values in life. Addictions
develop due to negative beliefs that “drive” you to “do” the addiction.
These limiting beliefs must be re-programmed and replaced with positive
beliefs that support you to stay clean. The learning’s are incorporated on
an unconscious level so you don’t repeat old habits; (e) on the identity
level you re-program your sense of self to know that being “clean” and
without addictions is who you are; plus build confidence, self worth and
self acceptance; and (f) beyond the identity level is your connection or
place in the world; your Spirituality, ethic’s, life purpose. Here you
develop your personal vision of a positive future. You see, hear and feel
yourself living a positive life and incorporate healthy practices into it.
Perhaps you struggle because part of you wants to stop but another part of
you craves them. You need to heal the wound(s) that crave them and discover
what it really wants. It may want protection from old hurts and pain. You
can change to more positive behaviours and choices to protect you. As you
heal the past and install new beliefs, options, behaviours, self care and
boundaries, you automatically become healthier, do the things you want to
do, make new friends; and believe in, accept, trust and love yourself.
For more advice on additions, contact Jan Mitchell, Master NLP
Counsellor & Reiki Master of Expanding Minds at 403.225.2973.
www.expanding-minds.com |
