Last year, it was estimated that nearly 20 million Americans and their families were effected by substance abuse. This doesn’t have to continue. Programs that teach Self Awareness as a solution to addiction have the power to set us on a course toward a world where people are no longer treated as addicts and the experience called addiction no longer exists.
Substances are only a Symptom
When people think of addiction they think of addicts and substances, yet substances are only a symptom or outer appearance of the addiction experience. If we use our awareness we can easily admit that anything can take on the image of addiction- even healthy things like exercise, certain food or particular people. Any outward dependency can become our habitual go to for a change in our thoughts and emotions. Because of this, it’s worth another look at what addiction really is beneath the surface. If we want to eradicate addiction from our society once and for all we need to understand that the problem of addiction centers in reaching outward to things instead of reaching inward. With a simple foundation in strong Self Awareness anyone can learn how to reach within to a renewable substance designed to effectively treat their experiences of their physical, mental and emotional selves. Ultimately, teaching Self Awareness is the easiest and most effective way beyond all addiction.
People are People, not Addicts
What does the word “addict” really mean? Is it who a person is? Absolutely not! But often we misuse labels like ‘addict’ or ‘alcoholic’ as names for people instead of the name of the addiction or alcoholic experience. When we do that we treat them in a way that condemns and confines them to the limited roles these pseudo identities establish. People are not these roles they are playing. They are Self Aware Individuals having experiences and in this case the experience called addiction. It’s the same way that people are not moms, dads, lawyers, doctors, athletes or any of these roles- they are simply self aware and having the experiences that those ‘names’ refer to. When we separate the names from the experiences, being an addict or being a dad are the same thing. Neither is good or bad, right or wrong, better or worse; they are simply different experiences. Are we are willing to shift our perception off the person and onto the experience? If so, we remove the personal identity from it and break apart the strong mental and emotional attachments that hold the addiction experience together for everyone. This stigma smasher levels the playing field so that who we REALLY are can emerge.
What’s Your Name?
Our name is not for others so much as it is for ourselves. We need it to recognize the entirety of who we are as a self and an awareness combined. It is only by going within and recognizing these two parts of our make-up that the new substance for facing life successfully, is formed. This inner substance, likened to serenity, is both an unlimited source of energy and flow of infinite inspiration. It’s our built in elixir for the replacement of the outer world addiction. Change is within us. Intuitively you know this is true. We don’t need science to prove that we are Aware, but instead, we simply need to acknowledge and admit it. When we make the teaching of Self Awareness as equally important as College & Career Readiness, Math, Reading, Science, Social Studies, Writing, Technology, and English Language Learning, then we will circumvent addiction for our children and recover those who are currently afflicted. The end result is the disappearance of addiction and empowerment for all to excel in life.
Are you inspired to make a difference ? Let’s work together to bring Self Awareness into our home, school, church, social event or workplace. Contact me at (716) 854-5033.
Brian Nesline holds a B.F.A in Communication Design from SUNY College at Buffalo. He is a NY State Board Certified Addictions Recovery Coach, Artist, Writer and Group Facilitator. You can hear more from him on his new YouTube channel @Teach Self Awareness