The Scenario Continues

The Scenario Continues:So now John is ready to take his first step in committing to this new program. It’s been a long time since John has made any real commitment to anything, so as you can imagine he’s nervous, and even unsure of himself.  He has told his family members about his new found commitment, and they are excited, which adds even more pressure because he feels like this is his last hope to really change - and he doesn’t want to let himself, or his family down.So John makes the commitment to himself, and starts the program.  The first week is challenging both physically and mentally.  His body is sore from the new movements he has been introduced to, and something seems to burn in his lungs as he pushes himself.  John still currently has a relationship going with Opiate, but his plan is to slowly end the relationship as he progresses through the program.  As the first week comes to a close, John notices something is in fact different.  He feels more upbeat, and has more energy.  His muscles are still sore, but he feels a sense of accomplishment because of those sore muscles.  Those sore muscles, in a sense, are acting as a firm reminder that he has actually done something different in the last week’s time.  John also feels slightly different mentally because of the various concepts that were introduced in the classroom setting.  They are concepts that he had never thought about, at least not in the past ten years. John wonders why he is retaining these concepts so well. In the past he would have never listened, or retained concepts such as this – so why now – he thinks?Back to me…So what do you think about John’s first week?  So let’s start with Johns continued relationship with Opiate when starting the program. Some would say that John wouldn’t be ready for a program such as this, and what I would say to some is that it’s up to John to control his fate.  I would have to agree that this particular program wouldn’t be for everyone that was in John’s position; because not everyone has the motivated character to show up and participate at a hundred percent effort when they are still in a relationship with Opiate; however, John does have the motivated character, he just needs to be shown the way. If you think about it, John is learning a new elite lifestyle that will eventually start to outweigh his old unhealthy lifestyle. John, just in one week’s time has felt better about himself; imagine how he will feel in 12 weeks time. I’m under the assumption that the healthy lifestyle John is now embarking on will become a huge motivating factor in not only ending his relationship with Opiate, but also preventing future relapse because of the new angle of life he will eventually see.It was aforementioned that John was wondering why he was retaining the classroom concepts so well; where prior in his life, through other programs, he never retained anything such as this.Now this is interesting because I am a firm believer that the brain works best after exercise. Think of it like a train track: Prior to exercise, the addict brain is derailed, unorganized, and off track.  Following exercise, the addict brain is on track, organized, and running smoothly.  Could this be the reason that John is retaining these concepts?  Is it because he’s getting his brain on track through the gym experience, and then going directly into the classroom experience, where he is more apt to learn because of the heightened state of thinking the exercise has provided him with?  Yeah, some might be thinking: “But yeah, that all sounds great, however he is still on Opiates.”  And what I would say to some is that: Yeah, I realize that John is still clouded, but the exercise breaks that cloud up for a time, allowing John to get a glimpse of life through a clear lens, which becomes motivating to him.Back to John…So now John hammers through week two, and during so was presented the concept concerning nutrition. John liked the programs philosophy concerning nutrition; and how it was presented as being a “high in itself.”  He liked how they talked about how proper nutrition can balance hormone levels, and can actually increase happiness.  He liked how they talked about healthy food being a drug, but a good drug, that will in a sense get him high, but naturally and healthily.  For so long he has put nothing but unhealthy substances into his body, whereas now he’s thinking about what healthy substances he can put into his body.  He also thinks that it might help him physically as he slowly looks to diminish his relationship with Opiate.  He feels that it will help him psychologically knowing that he has fueled himself with healthy substances.  Now when the pain of the relationship ending with Opiate takes place, he will be more confident in dealing with that pain because he knows he is, in a round about way, healthy and strong. Now let’s go in this direction...Nutrition & Addiction RelationshipI think the more a person learns to be disciplined with food, they also become disciplined with not only food cravings, but drug cravings as well. Food is a very tough substance to be disciplined with; therefore if we can control our cravings for impulsive food intake, we can, in a sense, be more disciplined when we have cravings for our particular drug of choice. The biggest thing I’ve been thinking about lately is what motivates you and me to stay on track with the way that we eat, as well as staying clear?  There is a relationship between the two (nutrition and addiction) that I can’t help but notice.  The more disciplined I am nutritionally, the more disciplined I am in staying clear.  I don’t want to diminish the enhancement of life performance the nutrition is providing me with; which then leads me to consider that I also don’t want to diminish how good I feel as far as clarity, energy, and overall balance of the mind, body, and spirit.To be continued…Click here to see part 1 of this 4 part series: A ScenarioClick Here to See Part 3 of this 4 parts Series- The Scenario: A Further Look