Suffering, in the world,
vs. MY unique suffering. The first is a Buddhist view, the latter, that of most addicts. Crippling self pity, powerful enough to support any level of denial, and to justify all selfish and hurtful behaviors. Recently, an Asian clinical friend shared this concept with me. Hit me like a brick. We worked some with addicts of many so called types, who now boastfully all carry the badge of having a 'Disease", bestowed by leftie clinicians, who really should know better, for selfish reasons. Selfish? Well try to challenge it, and quickly it seems based more on the need to signal, and to bestow, virtue, than for scientific ideas. Addictions as well, to the smug feelings of superiority, after hatefully and angrily calling someone---well, we all know the pejoratives. Enabling, and codependent in the extreme. .Sure, there are differences in receptor biology, perhaps making paths to addiction just a bit more sweet, for some. But once in the deep pit, what to do?Well, in some Eastern drug and alcohol addiction treatment practice (? overeating, sex as well?), the initial emphasis is less on first admitting having the problem, and being powerless over it, and more on the generalized existence of suffering in God's good world. Can snap that sense of somehow being special, right out from under the feet of any self worshiping addict. Not a bad way then to begin the real work. And the new real life.
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Will comment later. Just logged to check on you guys. Stay safe. Keep blogging.