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Chemical dependency is one of those topics considered taboo and is avoided, if possible. There are several reasons for this; they go from the insecurity and discomfort caused by the mentioning of such a delicate issue, to the indifference caused by the thought that this only happens with the neighbor or the other and we, and our family, are free from such a problem. To think like this expresses pure selfishness. It is like saying: "if it doesn't apply to your, then forget it".
But, unfortunately, there is no one who can say that he is or will be exempt from experiencing this extremely difficult situation, which is to live with someone who suffers from this disease.
Chemical dependency is a very complex picture that includes physical-chemical, psychological, social and spiritual aspects, which need to be somehow understood and addressed both by the individual as a dependent, as well as by the family itself and others involved. However, first of all, we need to start to understand what we are talking about. We must first understand what drug addiction is, so that we can address aspects of preventing and combating this real epidemic. We say epidemic, because according to research data one in ten individuals may develop this syndrome, that is, 10% of the population. If we consider only our country (220 million people) we can have a total of approximately 22 million drug addicts, which is an extremely alarming number.
What is chemical dependency?
Chemical Dependency or Dependence Syndrome, as it is also known, is the loss of control over the use of one or more chemical substances, which are classified into two different groups:
1st Group - Legal, which includes the group of tobacco products, alcohol, controlled drugs, among others. They are considered lawful because there is no repression or impediment in their distribution and use, moreover they are socially encouraged, as is the case of alcoholic beverages, widely advertised in the various media.
2nd Group - Illicit, which are substances that are legally prohibited and repressed, and their consumption, possession and trafficking being considered a crime. The best known are cannabis (marijuana), cocaine, crack and others, which are all heavy, with high potential for developing addiction and that cause serious problems to the body.
Why does a person become addicted to drugs?
Dependence is the need to use a certain chemical substance to achieve the maximum of the desired sensation, which is PLEASURE. Some scientific studies in the area of medicine and psychology indicate that the addictive chemical acts in a region of the brain that plays an important role in the reward-driven behavior.
The brain contains several dopaminergic pathways and one of them plays this role in generating the feeling of pleasure. It is in this region that most of the rewards that an individual receives also act. When we are awarded a prize or a promotion, or receive a gift, or something that we really wanted, according to the scope of an objective, we feel the pleasure of the achievement. This pleasure occurs in this part of the brain due to the assimilation of dopamine, which gives the sensation of pleasure for the achievement obtained. In this way, the chemical substance, legal or illegal, will act on this region of the brain, therefore, it is very complex to interrupt its use.
It is a trap in which the individual falls without realizing it. It is in such a way that it is common to hear a chemical user say: “I AM IN CONTROL” or “I STOP WHEN I WANT TO”, phrases that do not represent the reality, because to interrupt this process it is necessary a constant and joint effort of several intervening parties, such as physicians, psychologists, family and so on, and especially the dependent’s will.
Chemical dependency is considered a disease and is included as such in the CID - International Disease Code. It develops very quickly and is incurable and, in most cases, leads to death. As it is incurable, one should not think that one cannot seek its control by the available means, as with other chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The hypertensive or diabetic will need to take the medication indicated for the rest of their lives, making due control of its effects, as well as those suffering from the dependency syndrome.
What are chemicals?
They are natural or synthetic substances that, being used in used in any form - ingested, injected, inhaled or absorbed by the skin - directly enter the bloodstream and alter the body's functions. Therefore, not only cannabis or cocaine should be considered as "chemical substances", but cigarettes and alcoholic beverages too, as they contain elements that alter the body's functions, the state of consciousness and impair health, and may create dependency physical and psychological.
The latter are not repressed and are usually associated, by the media in general, with success, beauty and glamor. They are considered death industries and fought by public health agencies in most countries in the world, which fight against their production and consumption, considering the high costs of diseases and deaths resulting from the use of alcohol and tobacco.
With regard to alcohol, it is already known from scientific studies that it is the first and main gateway for the use of other addictive elements, and its use is encouraged due to its tacit acceptance by society. Most of us do not imagine having a birthday party, a barbecue or any event in our own homes, without beer, which does not face any repression regarding its use and, on the contrary, is encouraged.
Let us note what the spiritual benefactor Joanna de Angelis, in the book After the Storm, a psychographics by Divaldo Franco, tells us about the habit of drinking alcoholic beverages: “Alcoholic attachment, for example, enslaves the mind by disharmonizing it and poisoning the body deteriorating it, and it begins with the innocent appetizer, which soon becomes absolute domination. Under the pretext of celebrations, parties, do not commit yourself to addiction, on the assumption that you will be free of it when you want, because if the addicts could want they would not be under this violent domination”.
Causes of addiction
Among the causes already identified, through various studies and theories developed on how to acquire the dependency syndrome, are the psychological, the sociological, the hereditary and, of course, the spiritual.
We will focus on the latter considering the aim of our studies, within the Spiritist Doctrine, in relation to our brothers and their families, who are facing this challenge.
Man as a product of the environment suffers the pressures and influences of the environment in which he lives (Example: negative social values, social injustices, family breakdown, lack of information, etc.). Thus, the Spirit is reincarnated in a social group in which he will find the conditions to test his willingness to prove himself and create resistance to evil.
In support of this information we will quote The Book of Spirits, authored by Allan Kardec:
- For certain men, does the environment in which they are placed not represent the primary cause of many vices and crimes?
"Yes, but there is still a proof that the Spirit chose it, when it was free, driven by the desire to expose itself to temptation to have the merit of resistance". (The Book of Spirits, Part 3 - Chapter I - question 644).
For Spiritism, chemical dependency is a disease of the Spirit! It has to do with the individual's own spiritual history built over time. Consequently, we all bring traces reminiscent of the wrong choices made in previous existences, which are currently expressed in the limitations of our physical body, in our attitudes and habits.
Each incarnation provides opportunities for the improvement of the Spirits, as explained in question 132 of The Book of Spirits: “God imposes it (incarnation) in order to lead them to perfection: for some, it is an atonement; for others, a mission. But, to reach that perfection, they must suffer all the difficulties of corporeal existence; in this is the atonement”.
Facing the situations that put us to the test or allow us to repair our maladjustments, we will be able to review ourselves, modifying the content of our thoughts, attitudes and behaviors, gradually improving ourselves, a concept totally aligned with the teaching of Jesus, placed by Kardec in chapter IV of The Gospel according to Spiritism: “No one will enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless they are born again”! Jesus, teaches us about the need for reincarnation so that we, immortal Spirits, can walk on the path of moral evolution until we reach the condition of pure Spirits, that is, perfect.
Well, now that we are a little more clarified about what drug addiction is and its causes, we can discuss the other two topics which are PREVENTION and COMBAT.
With no doubt, as the wisdom of the popular saying goes: “Prevention is better than cure”.
The prevention of chemical dependency goes through the EDUCATION process conducted by parents and family members, within the home itself. Dialogue, the frank and friendly conversation, will give space for many clarifications on the doubts of our children, teenagers and young people who have been the favorite target of those who live in this trade of blood and pain.
The pressure of the environment, as we have seen, plus the naivety and the lack of information lead the individual - to demonstrate “courage”, to be accepted by the social group in which he participates (“friends”), or because he feels insecure and afraid of the prospects of his life - decide to try a certain substance (alcoholic beverages are the most common!) and thus set foot on the dangerous road of addiction.
We see how easy it is to access the dependency door, when the risk is there in our home, in the refrigerator itself, available to our children.
I remember, in relation to the family's participation in the development of the causes of addiction, of a fact reported by a friend who, once, while in a restaurant, noticed that at the next table there was a family celebrating a birthday. The father of a one-year-Uold child dipped the baby's pacifier in the “caipirinha” * and rubbed it in the child's mouth. This friend of mine used to say that the child sought the pacifier with such voracity that it seemed that it was already a habit. The inconsequence of the father's action contributed to a possible development of alcoholism, which, when installed, will cause much pain and suffering. On these occasions, one can often hear the agonized question of a suffering heart: "Where did I go wrong?"
We mention this so that we realize the risks to which our children are often exposed, due to lack of knowledge and understanding. This is not just a spiritual issue, we are alerting to this fact, fundamentally from the point of view of medicine and psychology, although we must understand, as already exposed, that our current behaviors are caused by our past decisions, and the consequences were recorded in our spiritual memories and they, undoubtedly, will also be influenced by Spirits who also bring similar experiences within themselves and who are linked to the dependent by affinity and tune of tastes.
Prevention can only occur through the EDUCATION of our little ones alerting them to these risks that they do not need to take, quite on the contrary. Even if the Spirit has chosen as a test to be addicted to drinking, we know that this was requested by the Spirit to prove to itself that it can manage not to do it and to show to itself that it can do it; and, if it manages not to get into trouble, it will have successfully carried out its reincarnation plan. It will need its own vigilance, with the support of family members, so that it can overcome this ordeal.
We see how easy it is to access the dependency door, when the risk is there in our home, in the refrigerator itself, available to our children.
Regarding the fight against this disease called chemical dependence, there must be a medical-psychological treatment, often requiring hospitalization for a certain period, so that the individual can be detoxified. We have to consider, however, that this treatment will only be effective if it is desired by the dependent. He or she needs to want to heal, otherwise all the work and all the personal effort to leave the chemical can be lost.
We see how difficult it is to fight this disease when it sets in. This is a reason for, once again, to reinforce the need to talk to our children, nephews, grandchildren etc., so that they can be alert about the dangers to which they may be exposed.
Joanna de Angelis comes to our aid again to show how the Spiritist contribution can alleviate the situation of the many who face this painful situation of addiction. The loving mentor points to the integral education of Humanity based on the Gospel, calling our attention to the awareness of the purpose of life that we have on the face of this Earth, in the sense of moral and spiritual progress, taking advantage of physical existence to grow and not just thinking about creating artifices and ways to enjoy material life, even at the loss and sacrifice of the physical organism. Scrutinizing a little more, Joanna de Angelis recalls that "this work of moral education of the creature must start at home, continue at school, continue in society as a whole". (After the storm - Joanna de Angelis - psychographics by Divaldo Franco)
Before we end, we want to recall that many Spiritist houses are organized to provide specialized spiritual assistance for these cases of chemical dependency, as long as interested parties seek advice from the organizing institutions or Federations in their states.
In conclusion, let us pray for Jesus' blessings to all these brothers of ours who are following this painful path of dependence and help them to be freed from this path as soon as possible.
*Translator’s note: “Caipirinha” is a Brazil's national cocktail, made with cachaça (sugarcane hard liquor), sugar, and lime.(Wikipedia) |
