THE ISSUE OF CONTROL IN ADDICTION
Are we always trying to cling to the idea of control, even as mortal beings. Do we think we can actually have any control over the next day, week or year? This issue of control might affect us far more than we may at first come to understand.
Carl Jung said “Mandala is just one archetypal form. It is what they called in alchemy, the quadratura circuli, the square in the circle, or the circle in the square”. He also said that it, the mandala, is the archetype of inner order; and it is used here in that very sense. It is used to arrange the complicated aspects of our psyche into a scheme. When we are lost we need to look within before we find our bearing. We need to get in touch with our true selves, who we are at the very core. By true selves I mean the inherent, innate loving creatures we were made to be, rich in increase and purpose, not poor in unbalanced addictive behaviour.
THE PURPOSE OF CONTROL
The effects of control in addiction is paradoxical, much like the idea of powerlessness. Two opposite aspects of control are true. Could it be that we have plenty of control in certain aspects and yet find we have none at the same time in others? If we are ever to gain what we regard as control, we firstly need to lose it to find it. We must let go of control in addiction to gain control and in doing so we may find that control was never what we thought it was.
On one hand one may feel as if he or she has no control over what happens to them, their bodies, their direction and the events that confront them daily. Fate is perhaps in control to this person. It seems to be a universal truth that if we hang onto our need for control too tightly we end up losing it. We become neurotic and fearful and these feelings of fear lead us away from a loving space and ultimately off course, away from our mandala.
You have complete command of your life if you are following the right course, attached as closely as possible to your source, you are sharing control; you are co-creating every situation that you encounter. You are aligned with Gods purpose. There is only one way things are done, venturing either right or left could cause you to be left right out. If you stick boldly to your course, maintaining forward momentum, you are living on purpose. Your intentions are right and you are therefore in control as you have aligned with it. Very dissimilar to the essence of control in addiction, which we see come forth in a rehab environment. When you come toward external influences in your path you will be able to deal with them in an easy, peaceful way.
Addiction involves craving for something intensely, loss of control over its use, and continuing involvement with it despite adverse consequences. Addiction changes the brain, first by subverting the way it registers pleasure and then by corrupting other normal drives such as learning and motivation. Issues like control in addiction might just be much more important to understand than we may think. It makes us ask questions like why the addiction, and why the need for control. Perhaps these questions end up bringing with them answers that make us accept life on life’s terms. Something many of us are unable to do without a lot of trail and effort. Addiction forms part of those trials for many.
Although breaking an addiction is tough, it can be done. For more help contact Pathways Plett rehab.
