I have a client who I am currently working with, who after several months of trying to put his finger on why he keeps relapsing on percocet, came to his aaha moment.
One of the questions I asked him during our session, was ‘What does percocet give you relief from, that you can’t seem to find in a healthier way?’
He replied, “It shuts off the voice in my head that says ‘use’ and it calms me down.”
I did a 30 minute guided imagery technique with him, so he could gain more conscious awareness of his addiction to percocet. Once he was in a ‘sleep breathing’ state, one of the questions I asked him, was “Where in your being do you hold your addiction to percocet?”
He softly replied, ‘In my arms.’
I asked him to take a closer look at his percocet addiction, with his mind’s eye and notice if it had a shape, color, weight or any defining qualities.
He said his addiction was ‘dark and heavy.’
I asked him to visualize a strong magnetic field about 3 to 4 feet in front of him. I had him imagine breathing out the percocet addiction energy, with each exhale, until it was all on the magnetic field in front of him, so that he was aware of a space between himself and the addiction.
I asked him to have a dialogue with this addictive energy, by asking questions like, “What keeps you in my being?” and “What can I say or do that would release you from my being?”
I said, “When you feel like you receive the information you need, go ahead and say ‘ok.’
When he was finished, I had him write down what had occurred for him, during this experience.
I asked him if there was anything he wanted to share with me.
He said, “I need more peace of mind and percocet is the only thing I know that gives me relief from my thoughts.”
Bingo! The aaha moment was reached
Many times we relapse with an unhealthy habit or substance in an effort to seek relief from our negative or overwhelming thoughts.
Some healthy ways to pursue more peace of mind are:
* Doing a meditation
* Closing your eyes and breathing in
peace with each inhale, for 30-60
seconds
* Breathing out all negativity from
your being, throughout your day
* Doing yoga or holding stretches for
15-30 seconds each
* Listening to relaxation music
* Being in nature and noticing the
beauty
* Sitting in a jacuzzi for 15-20 minutes
* Reading something that is calming
* Saying a prayer
* Taking a break from things that are stressful to you
Doing things each day that add more peace of mind to our being can make us less vulnerable to relapse.
My client told me at the end of his session, “I’m going to stay sober.”
Yeah!
written by Elisabeth Davies, MC
www.brightalternatives.com
I got this same feeling today and would love to have one of these methods give me the relief I need. I’m not going to get many more prescriptions to use as a cure!