Is there a connection between Religion and Addiction?

I was astounded with the response I received this week when trying to introduce my New Generation Habit Replacement Program to a senior school counselor.

Not looking in particular interested, he looked at me as if I was one of his pupils.
The first question he asked was, if this program was in line with the Bible. I was stunned at the lack of intelligence. What does my Habit Replacement Program got to do with the Bible? He did not say Religion, but specifically the Bible. That means only one specific religion, namely Christianity.

The following day I met with another school counselor. To my horror his first words in introduction was,"You must be a man of God" and he rattled on how his Church, himself and the pastor help kids with addiction problems, by getting them to accept God as their Savior. From Genesis to the Book of Paul and beyond, and he carried on and on about what was written in the Bible. I could not get a word in about why I wanted to see him, namely helping parents and kids through my Habit Replacement Program.

The more I listen to this educated people each day : -  people who tries to teach our children from within the cave they still occupy, the more I understand why the youth are so confused, and does not get the education (around drug use and abuse) they so desperately need. The children needs guidance from their elders. They don't need old misused and misguided doctrines from previous centuries been forced onto them. 

Contrary to popular believe teenagers do have brains, maybe not fully developed, but brains nonetheless, hungry and eager, ready to be guided in the right direction. If you do not have the capability to guide or talk sense to this people they will most definitely reject your stupidity. This will then make them disobedient, disrespectful and a host of different labels parents, teachers and society so dearly like to pin on them, and therefor they need to be punished in the harshest possible way. To teach them respect.

Unfortunately, a number of this counselors, school and in private practice, I spoke to, do not have the necessary knowledge especially around addiction. When I tell them that my aim is not to fight drugs or drug dealers, there is total confusion and disbelief in their eyes.
My mission is helping parents and children to set themselves free from the burden of addiction. That is a different mission from fighting drugs and drug lords.  

"Kill the drug dealers," they shout marching with placards, reading "We Hate Drugs" It looks like a Middle Ages Christian Crusade, with crosses and all.

Nowhere I have seen the same vigorous Crusades against the abuse of small children, boys and girls, abused and neglected by the same parents, the same society that shouts to kill another human being. Nowhere I have seen this Crusades against alcohol, cigarettes and legal drugs.

Please do not get me wrong. I am not against any religion, for if it was not for religion, this world as we know it would have been in chaos. Religion was a brilliant device created to keep people under control for centuries. I firmly believe that there is a certain place for spirituality and religion in rehabilitation, creating a balance in the clients life, but most certainly not another drug to depend on.

Now I would like to ask the question that really concerns me.
Could somebody please explain to me the connection between, religion and alcohol and/or illegal drug abuse?

For every time I start a discussion about alcohol and drug rehabilitation, I get hour long sermons by "addiction counselors" from all different religions. Some of this even with an aggressive undertone.
When, however I talk about gambling, sex, cigarettes, work, relationships or any other of the 230 different addictions known to man, including legal over the counter drugs, not one of this "addiction counselors" say a word and religion does not get mentioned. Why would that be? Why is there a connection between only two addictions and religion and not the rest ?
I really do not know. Could it be that Churches (mainstream rehabilitation centers) and Government are making lots and lots of money through various means, while they keep the youth and a great deal of society drunk, drugged, dysfunctional and in jail? Mainly men that gets put in jail for possession of drugs. There are not enough jobs, Governments do not deliver. So could this be the alternative?
I really don't know, and would like to get an answer from an intelligent source? 

I found that most people in positions to help children, are looking for valid excuses to stay within a system that was created by the Americans 150 years ago. They are quite happy staying with the warn out 12 step programs, swearing by its efficiency, for they are so brainwashed, that they are not prepared and have stopped, to think for themselves. 

There are much better alternatives.

Society and especially parents are made to believe by Government and Churches alike, that they need to fear drugs with all their hearts by only showing the consequences of drug abuse .  I cannot see any change in the foreseeable future regarding drug addiction in this country or anywhere else in the world while this attitude or viewpoints are still kept.

The few countries that did change their attitudes and laws are having major success in curbing drug abuse.

Thank you for reading this blog. You are invited to please leave your comments.

New Generation Habit Replacement Program and your Child.

Understanding your teenager is a daunting task at best.
Trying to understand a teenager with a bad habit, because of a wrong choice they made, is a total different kettle of fish.

Working with teenagers we know the consequences of using alcohol and drugs, however very few parents understand or care to understand what the cause of this bad habits are.

When we look at some of the consequences, it is no wonder that most parents loose control and then over react, causing more harm than good.

Schools on the other hand, do have an easy solution.
They simply ask your child to leave (expelling him/her) with a vague promise that when the child finishes the rehabilitation program (S.A.N.C.A) he/she will be able to finish his schooling.
The problem comes when your child is 16 years or older. Then the law states that no school have to take them back. Even if they do, can you imagine how this child will be treated, not only by fellow learners but by judgmental teachers as well. The child will be labeled as an addict.

Now your child have no decent education and no prospect of the future you envisaged for him/her. Just because a young child made a wrong choice so early in their life. Suddenly the child becomes an outcast from society.

We can carry on scaring you about what will happen to your child. That will not bring us closer to a solution, but rather bring us to the same low level as society by blaming and judging.
I believe by showing the child that he/she is not a worthless evil addict, but rather a good human being, that had a bad habit can go a long way in creating a better society for all of us.

If you have read this far, my dear parent, I would like to offer you the opposite of fear.... HOPE.

The New Generation Habit Replacement Program will not change your child into the saint you want him/her to be, but rather into a well balanced teenager who will be proud of himself again, and making you proud to be their parent.

For more information please feel free to look at the previous post regarding this unique and very affordable Out Patient Program.

There is always a possibility to change your life, if you are prepared to change your mind. (In the case of teenagers, their attitude)

Thank you for reading this post. Please don't forget to leave your comment

New Generation Habit Replacement Program

Now you can change virtually ANY habit easily and permanently.  You do this by changing your self-image.

This program can be used for one or several disorders at once.  Throughout the program the therapist will use the word “disorder”. Whenever you hear the word disorder, you would simply substitute it with the name of the specific disorder which you would like to be treated for. Since the word “disorder” covers such a wide spectrum of habits and addictions, a client could actually then be treated for several issues simultaneously.  This is just one of the fringe benefits of the program.

Where did the whole 30 Days concept start?

Extensive studies has been conducted why brain circuits produce neuro - connections and neuro - pathways only if they are bombarded for 30 days in a row. This means our brain does not accept “new” data to change a habit, unless it is repeated each day for a minimum of 30 days (without missing a day).

It is a simple concept. The trick is in keeping with it for 30 days.  The old habit does not leave you; it is simply replaced by the new habit.  Old habits cannot be eliminated.  The new habit will need to be reinforced and nurtured to have any chance of survival or there is a chance of relapse.

Why is it so difficult to change on your own?

All of your abilities, actions, feelings and behaviors will always be consistent with your self-image.  You will always act like the kind of person that you perceive yourself to be.  You “cannot” no matter how hard you try, out-perform, or act not in accordance with your self-image.  You may be able to do it for a short while but ultimately you will snap back to the person that you perceive yourself to be just as if you stretched a rubber band, and let go of it.  It always snaps back to its original shape.

This works the same with any behavior.  If your self-image is self-sabotaging, or one who just does not seem to succeed, even if given a large sum of money, you will ultimately snap back to your original self - image.

How to Change Your Self-Image

First you must understand how your self-image became what it is now.  Your self-image has been developed through your past experiences.  All your memories from birth to the present time developed you into the person who you are right now. Children who were constantly abused, ridiculed and insulted, in most cases grew up to have a very low self-image, while others who were constantly praised, encouraged and spoken to positively usually grew up to have a successful and extremely positive self-image.

We repeat that same process for your benefit.  So if your past memories made you who you are today, then creating new positive memories will elevate your self-image.

The subconscious mind “cannot” differentiate between an imagined memory and a real memory.

Therefore through hypnosis, positive memories are created within your imagination having to do with the goal that you would like to attain.  By creating and imagining these same memories, every day, without missing a day, for a 30 day minimum period, new memories are created as well as positive habits.

Blueprint of Birth:

When you were born into this world, you were born in a healthy, happy, orderly state.  Throughout your life this blueprint of health stays with you.  Should any kind of sickness or disorder occur, your subconscious mind has it within itself the knowledge and ability to return you to this blueprint of health.  All you need is a strong desire, commitment and action.

Anything not in alignment with this healthy, happy and orderly state would be considered a disorder.  Anything that brings upon sickness, sadness, stress or discomfort is a disorder.  If it is not of an orderly state then it is a disorder.

How Many Topics can be addressed with this Programme?

Throughout the program the therapist uses the word “disorder” rather than any specific symptom or topic.  Whenever you would hear the word “disorder” mentioned, you would simply substitute it with the name of the specific disorder which you would like to replace.

You know what is wrong with yourself, and has more information at your disposal than what I or any outside therapist would ever have.  You are told to use your own imagination to create the new habit that will replace the old one.

Other Key Points:

·       This program is designed in a way that it does not matter if you go deeply into hypnosis or not at all.  It is the use of your imagination, repetition and desire that create success. This program is not based on desire or wishful thinking.  It is a researched, scientific biological process.  If you listen to the follow-up session every day for a minimum of 30 days, they will reroute their neuro - connections and develop a permanent new habit to replace the old one. It is basic biology. So it will therefore work if you commit to do this for 30 days.

·       This is the same process you used to initially walk, swim, drive a car, type and even tie your shoes.  When you first learned how to do any of those you had to continue doing them every day until they became a habit.  Now they are second nature to you and part of your self-image. You don’t even think about them anymore. Watch when a child takes his/her first steps or when a teen first start to learn how to drive a car, and you will see how a habit begins.  Continual daily repetition creates habit, it’s that simple.  It creates both positive and negative habits. 

·       Often you will become so relaxed that you will not remember hearing most of the session.  Don’t worry, we will explain this when you start the program.  Whether the conscious mind hears the suggestions or not, the subconscious hears everything, all the time and never misses a trick.

Compare the importance of the daily listening to your session similar to taking a course of anti - biotics or penicillin. You must take it for the entire time to fully recover even if you feel good before the time.   You will feel successful long before the 30 days, but if you stop, you will not have had enough time to create the biological habit in your mind.  It’s simple science!

This Out Patient Program works on anyone who is committed – Commitment is the key issue.  You must be willing to commit to listening to the sessions via Skype, or the recording device (which is included when you purchase the program) each and every day for it to be successful.  In order for the new memories created to become a permanent habit, it requires a minimum of 30 days, without missing one day. The main focus of the programme is the guided imagery.  While hypnosis aids in the potency of guided imagery, it is actually not required.  Therefore, whether someone goes into hypnosis or merely just listens to the sessions, the same purpose and success is met as long as they use their “imagination”.

This Out Patient Program also features:

·       Forgiveness Therapy – In order to move ahead it is very important to close doors behind you.  This programme will guide you through the giving those who have transgress against you as well as help you, forgive yourself for things that you may be hanging on to.

·       Guilt Release Exercises – These techniques will help you to eliminate the guilt that you may have felt from past situations as well as guide you through a process of forgiveness for those who may have caused you in the past and also of yourself for things that you may have done to others.  These exercises will help you to release the past and move forward.

·       Regression & NLP (NEURAL LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING) - Regression is used along with NLP for the purpose of recoding positive occurrences from your past to the goals you are attempting to attain.  This makes the process of attaining the goal very enjoyable for the subject.

·       Powerful Suggestions for many Interrelated Topics - To include confidence, mind expansion, positive thinking, awareness, belonging, attracting wealth, opportunity and success, dealing with challenges effectively and much more.

·       Guided Imagery – With guided imagery you are led through creating your new positive memories to replace all old ones.

With this 4 session programme, you can eliminate, change or improve virtually any habit or disorder imaginable.

Yes you are correct. There is an additional 5^th session that you have to listen to any time on a daily basis.  This is a 15 minute streamline version of the initial session that should be listened to each day between the main weekly sessions.

So you can eliminate, enhance or improve virtually any HABIT if you:

1.       Can follow simple instructions – all this programme requires from you is an open mind and the ability to follow simple instructions.  You will be guided through the process, the steps, to change your disorder and to build a new permanent habit to replace the old one.  Whether you can visualise or go into hypnosis or not, makes no difference.  As long as you are able to listen, follow instructions and have an open mind, you will succeed. 

2.       Have a desire and willingness to “change” – this is the KEY factor to success.  Many people say that they want to change but are unwilling to put forth any effort.  They are looking for the magic spell or potion that will “make them” change.  Unfortunately, there is no such thing.  Even hypnosis will not make you do something against your will.  Hypnosis is the strongest helpmate you will ever have to “help” you to change, but ultimately YOU must put forth the effort.  Even the word “change” itself means to do something different, use an alternate means which often includes getting out of your comfort zone.  If not, to give it a valiant effort even if it means to step out of your comfort zone a bit, to do something other than the same that you have been doing, then it will be successful. 

3.       Are willing to “take action” and to DO IT NOW! – The first part of that statement is the easy part.  We are all willing to change.  In fact, just by you wanting to be better shows your willingness to change.  But… the second half of that statement is where many fall short.  Willingness alone is not enough!  Just reading this page and researching the subject will not change anything.  It may give you a bit more knowledge but that is it. In order to change you must get up, go to your phone and make the call! You must actively take the first step to make an appointment to begin the changing process!

In fact “all behavior”, when repeated for over 30 days, becomes a habit.

This program was designed by R.A Bastarache CI. He is the founding member of  The American School of Hypnosis.