Article World Health

Addiction

Dr. Kareem Samhouri
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Addiction.

Honestly speaking, are you addicted to any of the following?

  • Caffeine
  • Sugar
  • Sex/Porn
  • Tobacco, alcohol, or any other drug (including prescription meds)
  • Energy
  • Pain
  • Negative self-talk
  • Pessimism
  • Misery
  • Fighting/relationship tension
  • Letting yourself or others down
  • Love, or any other emotion

Because each of the above means you are seeking completeness outside of yourself. Without one of these acting as a stimulus, you will not feel whole.

Find the real reason you’re addicted by finding what’s missing. Find the reason you continue to seek out behaviors of self-destruction, and acknowledge what this is. Instead of admitting defeat and determining you’ll live a life full of addiction, consider the possibility addiction is misunderstood and unnecessary; consider addiction to be a symptom of ‘incompleteness’, and ‘wholeness’ to be the solution.

So, how do you become ‘whole’, you might be wondering?

I have learned five steps:

Step 1: Let go and become vulnerable. This creates awareness.
When we let go of control and choose vulnerability instead of pride, our ego deflates and our true selves come forth. In order to make any change, it’s important we first disarm ourselves and take down any walls.
Step 2: Observe your patterns and behaviors.
Once you become aware of a particular pattern, addiction, or behavior, the next step is to observe it in action. By watching yourself make choices — or decisions — you will be able to see yourself from a new perspective; a perspective that allows for change.
Step 3: Form an opinion about your actions.
This isn’t about judging yourself. More so, by forming an opinion about your actions — as they relate to addiction or actions of self-destruction — you will be setting an intention to change. Once you’ve set an intention in a quiet, less emotional mindset, you’ll be far more likely to follow-through.
Step 4: Make a choice.
So you’ve become aware, observed your actions, formed an opinion, and now it’s time to make a choice. Will you continue going down this same road, or will you try a different approach? Every action begins with a choice, so make sure to be deliberate.
Step 5: Modify your approach based upon your results.
Independent of best intentions, refining your actions until perfection is the key to success. For example, you can’t learn to swim by simply jumping in a pool and flailing your arms around as fast as you can; and no matter how many times you try, the result is bound to be the same. You have to first gain awareness you’ll need to learn to swim, secondly observe flailing your arms didn’t work, then form an opinion swim lessons may be helpful, make a choice to sign up for them, and ask for feedback as you go.

We already understand this process as it applies to education, so let’s think about brain modification as a different form of education, rather than a cure for addiction. In fact, let’s reconsider our definition of ‘psychiatric disorder’ altogether and remember the brain is one of your organs, much like your heart, lungs, and liver. A problem with the mind is a medical diagnosis, and it needs to be treated with equal precision and empathy; not to mention, an exacting approach.

Today’s thought exercise:

If it were ok to label your mind as ‘sick’, what would be your symptoms? Your relationships? Your body? Your career? Your financial prosperity?

First, you must become aware. Next, you must observe. Then, you must form an opinion, so you can make a choice to take action. Finally, be sure to assess your results and modify your strategy for each attempt at self-improvement.

You’ve got this.

Sent to you with love, honor, and in service,

Kareem


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About Author

Dr. Kareem Samhouri

Dr. Kareem Samhour is known as (perhaps) the best Doctor of Physical Therapy & Kinesiologist on the internet. People come to him for results when other methods fail, injury gets in the way, or health situation is more complicated. Dr. Kareem Samhouri exercising In fact, he and his companies reach a combined total of 1.5 MILLION people on a daily basis to help them with their health. If you ever saw Dr. Kareem on the street and mentioned something was going on with your health, however, he would volunteer and offer to help you for free... that's the Dr. Kareem way.

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