It's all just patterns
What a pleasant surprise! It's not raining this morning after the deluge last night. After the Sandy disaster last fall, my heart goes out to those who lost their homes and other belongings to the current storms and tornadoes - the stories are endless and seem to touch everyone no matter where they live. With each event, one believes more and more that we live in biblical flood times that grow worse.
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The Genesis flood narrative is a flood myth in the Hebrew Bible, comprising chapters 6-9 in the Book of Genesis. The narrative indicates that the God of Israel intended to return the universe to its pre-Creation state of watery chaos and then remake it using the microcosm of Noah's ark. Thus, the flood was no ordinary overflow but a reversal of creation. The narrative discusses the evil of humanity that moved God to destroy their universe by way of the flood, the preparation of the ark for certain animals, and for Noah and his family, and God's guarantee for the continued existence of life under the promise that he would never send another flood.
Addicted to something? substances ... medications ... food ... dramas ... overspending ... technologies ... texting ... talking ... working out ... gambling ... sex ... lying ... avoidance of responsibilities ... laziness ... escapism ... bullying at any age ... playing the victim ... metaphysics, psychics, healers, other? Thinking about what to do next to satisfy your impulses?
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Addiction is the continued use of a mood altering substance or behavior despite adverse dependency consequences, or a neurological impairment leading to such behaviors. Addictions can include, but are not limited to, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, exercise abuse, pornography and gambling. Classic hallmarks of addiction include: impaired control over substances/behavior, preoccupation with substance/behavior, continued use despite consequences, and denial. Habits and patterns associated with addiction are typically characterized by immediate gratification (short-term reward), coupled with delayed deleterious effects (long-term costs).
Physiological dependence occurs when the body has to adjust to the substance by incorporating the substance into its 'normal' functioning. This state creates the conditions of tolerance and withdrawal. Tolerance is the process by which the body continually adapts to the substance and requires increasingly larger amounts to achieve the original effects. Withdrawal refers to physical and psychological symptoms experienced when reducing or discontinuing a substance that the body has become dependent on. Symptoms of withdrawal generally include but are not limited to anxiety, irritability, intense cravings for the substance, nausea, hallucinations, headaches, cold sweats, and tremors.
